The big, official medal on a ribbon around the neck of the Pit Bull in the photo is just one of many awards granted to Stubby, most decorated canine war hero in United States history.
Stubby’s contribution to the welfare of American soldiers was in many ways unique. Stubby was a stray who turned up one day in the summer of 1917 at the Yale Bowl in Connecticut as soldiers trained. Corporal J. Robert Conroy patted the friendly dog and asked, “How are you today?”
Stubby was very intelligent, so Conroy taught him to shake hands, a trick that was in great favor with the troops. Then he realized he could teach him to raise his paw up just a little farther towards his brow when he was given the order to, “Salute!”
The night before they sailed for France, Conroy went down to the ship, the S.S. Minnesota, and introduced Stubby to the military police officer who was guarding it. According to Conroy, the officer was charmed by Stubby’s military salute, enough to let Conroy sneak him onboard the next day, under his overcoat.
That’s how Stubby the Pit Bull got to the war. He was not a trained war dog. But Conroy said that Stubby noticed the first night that when the soldiers heard the whine of an incoming rocket, they dove for cover in the trenches. He went with them, and a frightening explosion followed.
The second night, as they sat shivering around a fire, “Stubby suddenly stood up and looked into the distance, his ears alert. He whined and ran to the foxhole.”
Conroy and the men didn’t hesitate. They ran for cover, even before they heard the unpleasant sound. The rocket came in, eerily close to its mark. It hit so close to the camp that Conroy and the others would have been killed or wounded by shrapnel if they hadn’t moved out of the way. Stubby’s warning had saved their lives.
Conroy’s unit took part in seventeen battles in France. Stubby did, too. One night, as the men slept exhausted in the trenches, the Germans quietly rolled in chlorine gas bombs, placed so that the wind would carry the fumes directly onto the sleeping men.
Only Stubby was awakened by the terrible smell. He started barking. Conroy rose, understood the danger, and put on his gas mask. He roused the other men. All were able to get their gas masks on in time to save their lives.
Only one soldier was injured, the one who had no gas mask because no mask would fit him, the soldier who had given the warning; Stubby. Conroy tried in vain to get a gas mask around Stubby’s head, but it didn’t fit. No seal was established to keep the gas out.
As the gas crept in, Conroy watched helplessly as valiant Stubby stumbled, and then toppled over. His lungs were closing. Without air, he would soon die.
Conroy took Stubby in his arms and left the front. He walked for miles, to a temporary Red Cross field hospital set up well behind the front lines. He laid Stubby’s body on a stretcher, gasping as he explained how the dog had saved his men’s lives. They gave Stubby lifesaving oxygen and let Conroy sit with him in a corner of the tent, talking softly to the dog and stroking his body. If these were Stubby’s final moments on earth, Conroy wanted to be with him.
Exhausted, Conroy dropped off to sleep. When he woke the next morning, the heavy brindle and white body was lying motionless on the cot. He stared, willing the dog to be alive. But he did not see the chest rise and fall. He leaned towards the cot and whispered, “Stubby?”
The stubby, heavy tail beat a rat-tat-tat on the bed. Stubby was alive.
He returned to his unit. No German enemy soldiers were able to sneak up on Stubby’s regiment, although many tried. Stubby was an alert sentry who growled or barked if a German came near.
When he returned to the U.S. after the Armistice, he was named a lifetime Honorary Member of the Red Cross and the American Legion. He led more U.S. military parades than any other dog in history.
I did extensive research on Stubby while writing my book, Paws to Protect: Dogs Saving Lives & Restoring Hope. Since he was a stray, no registration papers were ever found to specify the breed. He holds a proud place in the history of U.S. canines, whether he was American Pit Bull Terrier or American Staffordshire Terrier.
Stubby went on to a useful peacetime job. He was the mascot of Georgetown University's football team, the Hoyas, while Conroy attended law school there.
For more info: Paws to Protect. More about Pit Bulls, their past and present.
Comments
Hmmm.... Stubby is actually in the Smithsonian and they have him officially listed as a mixed breed dog...nonetheless, Pit Bulls are currently being banned in most USMC and US Army housing areas after killing several military dependent children during the past few years. The US military does not use them in theor working dog program.
Any dog is capable of a "mauling" even Pomeranians ( yes there are recorded occurrences on infants.) So before you execute an entire breed based on the actions of gangsters and drug dealers who starve, beat, and train these wonderful dogs to be vicious killers you may need to step outside of you ignorant fear and prejudice to educate yourself. ALL dogs are animals and must be treated as such, irresponsible dog owners should be held accountable for the actions of their chosen companion as it is up to us to teach them what is acceptable behavior. Failure to do so is a tragedy that hurts not only our society but the breed as well. My only wish is that people could see that in this situation as in almost all others, ignorance and lack of education on the subject is a FAR greater problem to solve than this one...
here is the truth about stubby:
cravendesires.blogspot.com/2009/08/famous-pit-bulls-stubby-edition.html
Stubby was a dog of "unknown breed". Based on his body, which is stuffed and resides in the Smithsonian, it appears he was a Boston Terrier. Many of the pictures taken of Stubby reveal that he looks exactly like the Boston Terrier of that era. Pit bull advocates deliberately use the same picture when writing fiction about Stubby being a pit bull...the above close up. Other pictures taken of him would reveal that he was not a pit bull.
There was never a breed known as Boston Bull and the APBT did not exist as such so calling Stubby a mixed breed is not unusual. As for the Craven site it is just another hate site with little or no research to justify the opinions they state(which they are quite entitled to hold) as facts.
A trip to the Smithsonian is definitely in order for all of us! While I was writing Paws to Protect, which contains a chapter on Stubby, part of the muuseum was closed for renovations, and Stubby was in storage. They let me use the research library, and read the dozens of articles and letters about Stubby. Also, he was the mascot of my university football team for two years, so there were a lot of photos of him at Georgetown. He was about 20 inches tall at the shoulder, which would be closer to Pit Bull and AmStaff size than Boston Terrier. Now the renovations are complete and Stubby can be seen at the National Museum of American History.
Around the early 1900s, the Boston terrier was a dog of about 30 lbs..that would put him easily at 20" tall at the shoulders. Stubby displays the classic Boston terrier markings on his face. The original Boston terriers were not the brachicephalic Bostons we see today in the conformation ring....they had longer muzzles. They looked like Stubby.
Many irresponsible journalists have repeated the myth that Stubby was alternately an APBT or an AMStaff, with absolutely no evidence. The Boston Terrier is a noble American breed;also originally matched in the fighting pit, breeders soon realized the dogs value as a family companion. For the last hundred years, breeders of Boston terriers have bred away from aggression, and developed a stable companion dog..unlike the APBT and Amstaff breeders, who still value their dogs fighting ability and "gameness". Pit bull advocates deliberately lie about Stubbys breed...taking the credit to avoid all the negative press their dogs earn.
My cousin was attacked and almost killed by a labrador retirever. He had to have over 350 stitches in his face alone when he was 2 years old. It has nothing to do with the breed of the dog. Fighting dogs are trained to be killers. Any dog put in the conditions those evil PEOPLE put them in would be a violent and aggressive dog. However, when a pitbull is loved and treated properly they are the most loyal and loving dog in the world.
If APBT are so bad why did they score an 86% on the American Temperment Test when the Boston terrier only scored an 84.6% those are you facts.
there is no way in hell that stubby was a boston terrier....................the story of stubby was a true story not some made up bull shit...........get your facts straight.....don't hate because the dog that got the most medals ever in war was an American pit-bull terrier.......................remember if it aint a pit it aint shit..............
Whatever breed he was, the pit bull-haters would have euthanized him as a "pit bull type" dog.
I love these Pit Bull community "Advocacy in lieu of breed stewerdship" pieces!..Spent days researching but never noticed Stubby's breed....yeah...That's the ticket!
Is it too much to ask for a little less advocacy and more work breeding safer dogs?!
Trolls, edcuate yourselves. Keep in mind "craven" means cowardly. Any fool knows that there is undsound dogs of any breed. Including your $10,000 designer MUTTS.
LoL @ the Haters ! You all Read 1 Article & make your Conclusion based on that 1 Source. That is like a person learning about African History from a KKK Member. Of course you are only going to get One side of a Story.
@ the comment about his Medals:
http:///www.ct.gov/mil/cwp/view.asp?a=1351&q=257892
-3 Service Stripes
-Yankee Division YD Patch
-French Medal of Battle of Verdun
- New Haven WW1 Veterans Medal
-Republic of France Grande War Medal
1921General Blackjack Pershing ( a supreme Commander of American Forces pinned Stubby w/ a Gold dog hero medal.
and there are more on that website.
What are you going to tell me " Jack Brutus" wasn't a Pit Bull, too ?
By BSL Laws, any dog w/ American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or a Mix of those Breeds are considered " Pit Bulls". So yeah, Stubby is a Pit Bull .
Why is it Ok that Several other breeds were used & created for Bull Baiting & Dog Fighting, but only Pit Bulls are faulted for it. You blame the breed for being used for a purpose. Just like the Boston Terrier, English Bulldog, Boxers & many more Breeds- they can be Breed out of it.
You are ok that Germen Shepards have been used for Centuries & still 2 this dog used to Attack Humans. Hitler himself was the 1st peron to used GS as attack dogs & we use his dog's bloodline in our Current K9 dogs. GS have been used against Blacks in the 40/50/60's- these dogs attack people & are Trained to do so.
Oh... but that's ok
(ps... Not to mention all the Civilians attacked by K9 dogs Kaleb Wayne(2) was attacked by their family K9 GS) That is just 1 out of Many-just this year .
he was a hero point blank, and us pitbull owners as you said which isnt even a breed its the american staffordshire terrier since your so worried about facts who cares what breed he was we dont need to say he is a pitbull to make are dogs look good mine aready does that on her own, it doesnt matter rather he was a american staffordshire terrier or a boston terrier he was a hero and stop hating on my breed get a life and worry about yourself and all your doing is being racist i bet half of you have never had the pleasure of meeting a "Pitbull"
amen
he was a hero point blank, and us pitbull owners as you said which isnt even a breed its the american staffordshire terrier since your so worried about facts who cares what breed he was we dont need to say he is a pitbull to make are dogs look good mine aready does that on her own, it doesnt matter rather he was a american staffordshire terrier or a boston terrier he was a hero and stop hating on my breed get a life and worry about yourself and all your doing is being racist i bet half of you have never had the pleasure of meeting a "Pitbull"
Pit Bulls were used literally as "Nanny's" for children....the RCA dog is an APBT so is the dog from Spanky and Our Gang,...and Sgt Stubby...leave his legacy alone Get your facts straight and get your head out of your tush....punish the deed not the breed. Pit Bulls Rule!
Those nanny dogs sure know how to kill children. They have killed more children than any other breed.
If it's pit, then it's shit.
Actually, the most decorated war dog of all time was Chips. He was a mix of German Shepherd, Collie and Husky. A movie was made about him. Check him out. He was a great dog.
I was watching the Colbert Report and heard about Rin Tin Tin; it's interesting how these dogs get famous. You'd think that army housing would have better precautions for having animals. Although, I don't think breed is entirely to blame, my brother has a pitbull and it's incredibly protective and sweet to his kids. I think it depends on the individual dog and how they're trained.
sgt stubby was classified as an unknown, mixed breed of bull and terrier, which at that given time was considered to be a pitbull type dog, which is now believed that "concoction" of mixed breeding is actually were the pit bull has came from. there are many places that say he was unknown, but shows the same traits as todays pit bull.
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