Meaningful Dog Names

In 1917, Private J. Robert Conroy of the United States Army found a small mixed breed dog with a bobbed tail hanging around Yale University in Connecticut, who he named Stubby. He is thought to have been part Boston Terrier, but that is not certain. Conroy smuggled the little dog on board a ship, the S.S. Minnesota when he was sent out to France even though dogs were not allowed. Stubby soon learned how to salute by putting his paw over his right eye. When the CO found out about the dog, he only let him stay after he saw him salute.

Sergeant Stubby started out as the official mascot to the 102nd Infantry Regiment of the United States Army and was then assigned to the 26th Division in WWI because he loved charging into battle with his troop. This little mixed-breed dog served in the military for almost two years and was involved in 17 different battles. He served in the trenches with the troops for eight months in France and was involved in four offensive attacks during that time. 

In 1918, Stubby was injured by a mustard gas attack, which he recovered from quite quickly. The soldiers made a gas mask especially fitted to him, and he returned to battle again. A short time later, he injured his leg from a German hand grenade and had to have emergency surgery. During his recovery, he soon was running around the Red Cross hospital tent, cheering up the soldiers. After his recovery, this brave little pup went back into battle as he so loved to do. This time with two stripes for bravery from being wounded on his little Army jacket also tailored to fit him.

Stubby made an excellent soldier, keeping the soldiers entertained and lifting morale up when he was not in the trenches. But, when he was in battle, Stubby was excellent at warning the troops when there were incoming missiles due to his superb hearing skills and when he ducked, everyone ducked. He was also able to find wounded men that otherwise would have gone unheard. The commander of the 102nd Infantry promoted Stubby to sergeant after he helped capture a German spy by chasing and biting him, and he became the first dog ever to be named rank in the Army. 

Sergeant Stubby was also the most decorated military dog ever, with a gold medal of bravery and two wound stripes among other medals. When Stubby passed away in 1926, still living with his buddy, J. Robert Conway, his obituary in the New York Times was 15 paragraphs long and is now part of the Smithsonian Collection on exhibit at the American National Museum of History with his coat, cast, and medals.