A US Army hero dog, who met Winston Churchill during his military duties in the Second World War, has been posthumously awarded the ‘animal Victoria Cross’ for his brave service.
Chips, a Husky-cross, was recognised with a PDSA Dickin Medal for protecting the lives of his platoon during beach landings when the British and Americans invaded Sicily in July 1943.
He met the then-British Prime Minister, Mr Churchill, at a Second World War summit in Casablanca.
The medal was first introduced in 1943 by Maria Dickin, the founder of the UK’s leading veterinary charity the PDSA, and is a large bronze medallion bearing the words ‘for gallantry’ and ‘we also serve’.
It was given at the Churchill War Rooms in London today, during the 75th anniversary of the Casablanca Conference.
Chips, a Husky-cross, was recognised with a PDSA Dickin Medal for protecting the lives of his platoon during beach landings when the British and Americans invaded Sicily in July 1943
Chips, the war dog who was recommended for gallantry in Sicilian campaign, getting a donut from GI
During the US-led mission, called Operation Husky, as Chips and his platoon landed on the shore at dawn they immediately came under fire.
But, as the soldiers headed for cover, Chips escaped from his lead and ran towards the line of fire which appeared to be coming out of a hut.
His handler Private John Rowell and the rest of the platoon watched as Chips entered the shack and the firing stopped. One of the enemy soldiers then appeared with the dog at his throat, enabling them to push forward.
As well as his heroics on the battlefield, Chips served as sentry at the Casablanca Conference in Morocco in January 1943 when the Allies were still fighting to clear the Germans from North Africa.
This is where Mr Churchill and US president Franklin D Roosevelt mapped out the Allies’ strategy for the next phase of the war, and is where Chips met both leaders as he undertook his protection duties.
The best breeds for service have been determined to be German shepherds, Belgian sheep dogs, Doberman pinschers, farm collies, and giant schnauzers.
Chips, a collie-shepherd-husky mix, once spent his time chasing the postman or biting garbage men back home with the Wren family in Pleasantville, New York.
The Wrens answered the call and offered Chip’s services to the war and he became the most famous war dog of World War II.
He was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart for meritorious conduct and met President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British prime minister Winston Churchill and General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who Chips bit on the hand.
Back home in Pleasantville, Chips didn’t seem to wag his tail as much as before going to war, Mr. Wren told the New York Times.
He was suffering from battle fatigue but he was now a hero and didn’t need to be chasing the mailman.
When scout dogs were being sent to Vietnam in 1965, they reportedly saved more than 2000 lives. More requests for dogs to accompany units on missions had to be refused because there weren’t enough dogs.
They were ‘the only weapon system [the military] ever devised to save lives’, stated Jesse Mendez, who headed up the scout dog program at Fort Benning, Georgia during the Vietnam War.
‘First thing is trust your dog’, Marine Corporal Eric Roethler said. ‘You trust your dog, you follow him where he goes. If you don’t trust your, you need to rethink your situation. You should have total faith to trust and walk behind him’.
The highest award any animal in the world can achieve while serving in military conflict, Chips will become the 70th recipient of the medal.
In the years since its creation a total of 32 other dogs, 32 Second World War messenger pigeons, four horses and one cat have also joined the roll of honour.