Rin Tin Tin by Susan Orlean

Author:Susan Orlean [Orlean, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Published: 2011-09-27T04:00:00+00:00

The dogs of war came home with a certificate from the Quartermaster Corps:

HONORABLE DISCHARGE. The War Dog ___ Tattoo No. ___ having served with the Armed Forces of the United States of America is hereby awarded this Certificate of Faithful Service and Honorable Discharge.

Owners were assured that the dogs hadn’t been altered by their service in the war, but many were still uneasy. The 1946 hit film The Courage of Lassie was about a gentle collie whose war experience makes her into a killer (until Elizabeth Taylor helps her reclaim her previous pleasant temperament). According to Lee’s biography, rumors had begun to spread that “there was no way to rehabilitate a war dog. They had been taught to be vicious, they had a killer’s instinct.” The Quartermaster Corps announced that before the dogs were returned to their owners, they would be “reprocessed” to a “pre-war state of docility” by means of ample petting and lots of playtime.

The army, looking to reassure families, published pictures of demobilized dogs relaxing at home, over captions like “This is Caesar on the front lawn” and “Here is Spike in Civilian Life.” They also published excerpts from letters that described successful reunions. “DOLF arrived yesterday in excellent condition. . . . He knew each and all of us immediately.” “Thank you for your good care and training of our dog MIKE . . . he still remembers the tricks he knew before he entered the service.” “I want to thank you for the wonderful dog you returned to us. SMARTY is a perfect example of health and alertness. It was a genuine sacrifice for Herbie to donate his dog to the armed forces, but now he is receiving his reward by receiving a dog more beautiful and better trained than he ever thought possible.”

Newspapers also reported on successful reentries. According to one 1944 story, “Goofy, The Warrior Dog, Comes Home,” service in the army had actually improved the dog’s behavior. After seventeen months at the front, Goofy was happy to be home with his family in Pennsylvania and even had a joyful get-together with his best friend, a Belgian shepherd named Wacky. Then the mailman arrived. “The mailman was nervous about Goofy,” the story reported. “He remembered that Goofy had bitten him before joining the army.” Goofy sniffed the mailman’s shoes but didn’t bite him. The mailman, sighing with relief, remarked that they must have taught him manners in the army.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.