Honors: Bronze Star

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Gallery: Pets of the Fleet

They were probably the most beloved crew members—though not necessarily the most well behaved. They most often came equipped with four sea legs and the most prominent, sensitive—and coldest—noses. They were usually on hand for sea details, work parties, mail call, and ships’ movies (They were probably the only ones aboard who had no major complaints about Navy chow.) They scurried as fast as anyone when GQ was called—though not always in the same direction or to the same location.

Their given names were Bolero, Gee Dunk, Mek, Sally, Snipe, SNAFU, Willie and Snowshoe—though they usually answered to other names as well. They held no rates and were outranked by everyone aboard. Still, in their own way, they were totally in command. Like most old chiefs and young ensigns, their barks were (usually) worse than their bites. Their family ‘pedigrees’ were usually uncertain—though many, at least from their looks, had very diverse parentage.

By and large they were of the ‘canine persuasion’ —though a few were feline, avian or even anthropoid. They shared in virtually all the ships’ ups and downs—joyously during the best moments, loyally and without complaint to the very end in the worst. They were as susceptible as any sailor to sea duty’s isolation, boredom, risks and perils. They were as apt to be wounded or killed when a ship came under fire. When a ship sank they were almost invariably lost at sea.

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