Throughout the Vietnam War, the bravery displayed extended beyond soldiers to include war dogs—courageous canines who played a vital role in the conflict. Expertly trained in sentry work, reconnaissance, and tracking, these dogs demonstrated exceptional skill in identifying dangers and offering crucial assistance to their human companions. Recognized as heroes, these cherished animals were credited with saving around 10,000 American lives.
Not the first war dogs
Dogs had already been employed in combat before Vietnam, with a rich history in warfare.
In World War II, the Americans forces began training them for more varied military roles beyond just delivering messages on the battlefield. Between 1943 and 1945, the US Marine Corps trained donated dogs for action in the Pacific Theater. While all breeds were considered, the Doberman Pinscher was designated as the official Marine dog due to its effectiveness.
The success of these dogs during World War II prompted the US military to reinstate K9 units during the Vietnam War. While records before 1968 are limited, from that year until the conflict’s conclusion, 5,000 dogs were deployed, supported by 10,000 servicemen as handlers.
Unlike their human counterparts, who returned to the United States after their tours, these dogs remained in Vietnam and were passed on to different handlers.
Use as tracking dogs in Vietnam
In Vietnam, the Labrador Retriever was a key breed used for tracking operations. Their specialized training enabled them to alert their handlers to snipers, tripwires and weapons caches. Rick Claggett, a veteran of the Vietnam War, explained that Labradors were particularly adept at following blood trails. When the troops needed to find injured enemies or missing personnel, Lab teams – comprising of the dog, its handler, a cover man, the team leader, and a visual tracker—were deployed.
Labradors were chosen over other tracking breeds like Beagles and Bloodhounds due to their much quieter nature.
The Australians formed their own K9 units made up of 11 shelter dogs adopted from Sydney. Named after Roman emperors, these dogs were assigned to serve in Vietnam for a period of three years. While they did collaborate with US forces to some degree, German Shepherds were the main breed in the Australian war dog units.
Sentry and scouting duties
Throughout the Vietnam War, war dogs showcased exceptional adaptability, undertaking various duties such as sentry duty, scouting, mining, tunneling, and tracking. Rick Claggett worked closely alongside Big Boy, a canine scout, explaining their role in guiding patrols while the dog scoured for potential threats like booby traps and ambushes. This frontline position, although important, was dangerous, with Claggett highlighting it as having the third highest mortality rate in the conflict.
Sentry dogs diligently patrolled the perimeters of US outposts, serving as the primary defense against enemy attacks. Additionally, German Shepherds were also used on water patrols, expertly trained to detect submerged enemy combatants, ready to attack amphibious vessels. Nevertheless, these skilled teams frequently found themselves targeted by Viet Cong guerrillas, who offered rewards for the elimination of dogs or their handlers, resulting in frequent attacks on their kennels.
Nemo A534
The bonds forged between these partners were truly remarkable. There are many stories of this, with perhaps none more famous than that of Nemo A534 and his handler, Capt. Robert Throneburg.
On December 4, 1966, while stationed at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, the Viet Cong attacked. During their patrol, Nemo alerted Throneburg to a group hidden nearby. The pair attacked, killing two enemy fighters, but were soon injured themselves. Nemo was shot under his right eye, with the bullet exiting through his mouth, while Throneburg was shot through his left shoulder twice.
Despite being seriously injured, the dog crawled onto his handler’s body, where he waited until medics could arrive – he wouldn’t let anyone else near him. Throneburg received the Bronze Star with V and two Purple Hearts, while Nemo was retired and sent back to the United States, where he served as a recruiting dog until his death.
Man’s best friend
These dog/handler teams were invaluable to the war effort in Vietnam. They were credited with saving the lives of around 10,000 servicemen, thanks to their various roles in the conflict. James Mulligan handled scout dog Rickey, who “never walked our patrol into an ambush or any booby traps. He alerted on 45 ambushes, five in one day.”
While these actions were appreciated by the men that served alongside them, these dogs weren’t made a priority when the war came to an end. Of the roughly 5,000 that served, around 232 were killed in action (KIA) and another 200 were assigned to posts outside of the US. The remainder were either left in the hands of the Vietnamese or abandoned. At least 2,000 were simply euthanized.
The US government viewed them as “equipment” and didn’t want to fund their trips home. Having built such strong bonds, many soldiers wanted to bring their comrades back to the US with them, but were still told no, despite repeated appeals to Congress and the press.
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The service performed by these canines never went forgotten, and there are countless interviews with veteran handlers who still remember their partnerships fondly. In 2019, they were publicly remembered when the Vietnam War Dog Team Memorial was unveiled at Motts Military Museum, Inc. in Ohio.