Two Notable Dogs in World War 2
"Admiral Wags" at the Battle of the Coral Sea and "Chips", the decorated hero
The USS Lexington was the U.S. Navy’s biggest and fastest aircraft carrier in 1942. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in late 1941, she began conducting raids on islands in the south Pacific. On May 1, 1942, “Lady Lex” joined the carrier Yorktown in the Coral Sea to conduct day and night attacks on enemy surface ships. It was during that fierce, four-day battle that the Lexington was damaged beyond repair and sunk by our own Navy to keep it from the Japanese.
The Lexington’s captain was Frederick “Ted” Sherman and right there with him was his dog, a little black cocker spaniel named “Wags”. He remained at his master’s side on the ship’s bridge for much of the battle. Sherman had awarded Wags the title of “Admiral” and added two stars to his collar. When the fighting started on the morning of May 8, Admiral Wags had gone to his station under the bunk inside the captain’s emergency cabin on the bridge.
Six hours later, after a furious day of fire, smoke, explosions, sirens, screaming Japanese planes and the deaths of over 200 American servicemen, the great carrier had been terminally damaged. The ship was struck by two bombs and two torpedoes and was listing to starboard. Ruptured gasoline storage tanks caused massive fires and explosions. Sherman, seeing that the fires could not be extinguished, gave the order to abandon ship shortly after five o’clock that afternoon.
With the battle over and the Lexington a total loss, sailors were going into the water to be rescued by nearby ships. Sherman rushed back to the ship’s bridge and found Wags. He tucked the little dog under his arm and handed him to a crewman who strapped him into a life jacket and lowered him by lifeline to a destroyer. Sherman, who was the last man to leave the ship, caught up with Admiral Wags on a cruiser several days later.
Admiral Wags is notable for being the mascot in the middle of that sea battle. It was the first time ships of opposing naval forces conducted combat without being able to see each other. The respective battle groups were far below the horizon. All attacks were made by fighters and bombers flying off carriers.
There were many dogs in combat in World War 2, because they had proven themselves over the years as worthy allies in sentry duty, surveillance, bomb sniffing, messaging and rescue.
Talk about an attack dog!
Perhaps none were the equal of “Chips”, a German Sheppard/collie-husky mix who went with soldiers of the 3rd Infantry Division during the invasion of Sicily in July, 1943. During the landing, Chips and his handler were pinned down by an Italian machine gun, firing from a peasant hut. Chips broke free, ran across the beach and jumped into the offending gun position!
Once Inside, he fiercely attacked all four Italian troops manning the machine gun, single-handedly forcing them to surrender to American troops. He sustained a scalp wound and powder burns in the process, proving that they had tried to shoot him. Platoon commander Captain Edward Parr recommended Chips for the Distinguished Service Cross for “courageous action in eliminating a dangerous machine gun nest and causing the surrender of its crew.”
Chips’ handler, Private John Rowell made the report:
“As soon as he raced into the hut there was an awful lot of noise and then the firing stopped. One Italian soldier dashed out with Chips at his throat. I called him off before he could kill the man. Three others followed, holding their hands above their heads.”
Chips was later awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star.
Later that night, while on guard duty Chips alerted Pvt. Rowell of an infiltration attempt by ten Italian soldiers. Together he and Chips captured all ten.
Chips remained with the 3rd Infantry Division throughout the war. Shortly before he was honorably discharged, the men in his platoon awarded him a Theater Ribbon with arrowhead for an assault landing and eight battle stars. Chips was returned home to his owner, Edward Wren, of Pleasantville, NY, who had enlisted him in the Army in 1942.
Chips was one of thousands of dogs used in World War ll as part of the Dogs for Defense program. He was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division from October 1942 until he was discharged in December 1945. He served on a variety of missions including the Algerian-Moroccan, Tunisian, Sicilian, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns. His bravery throughout the war quickly made him the most decorated World War II working dog, in keeping with the 3rd ID’s long history of being the most decorated unit with the most Medal of Honor recipients, and the U.S. most decorated service member of World War II, Sgt. Audie Murphy.
The U.S. armed forces employed over 10,000 dogs in WW2, donated for service by their owners.
The close relationship between dogs and humans goes back more than 10,000 years, probably beginning with the increasing contact between our hunter-gatherer ancestors and the wolves who followed their encampments. During the long stretch of time since the last ice age, both of us became more trusting of one another. Common experience is enough to inform you today that the bond of love between ourselves and our dogs is unique. Today they sleep on our beds and befriend us in ways that no other earthly creature can.