WWII Inspired Dog Names

War dogs have been employed in virtually every war that has been fought amongst men. World War II was no exception and there was one particular mongrel that earned more war decorations than any other for his service during the war. Chips was a German Shepherd Dog, Collie and Siberian Husky mix. Chips was deployed in Germany, France, Sicily and North Africa and is best remembered for his attack on an Italian machine gun foxhole and his part in taking ten Italian soldiers hostage. This brave, heroic dog was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. These honors were later revoked by the military. The military claimed that at the time of Chips being awarded these medals there was no policy in place that recognized animals. In 1945, Chips retired to his home in Pleasantville, New York where he lived until his death. His death was never officially recorded and no one knows how old he was when he died. Records indicate that Chips’ honors were never reinstated by the military when policy changed to allow animals to receive such honors. Recent inquiries into Chips’ military career have been made and it is still possible that Chips’ honors will be reestablished.

Smoky is another heroic World War II canine that was somewhat of an unusual choice for a war dog. Smoky was a female Yorkshire Terrier abandoned in the jungles of New Guinea in a foxhole in 1944. Not much is known about Smoky’s background or how many missions she was a part of but it is thought she was part of at least a dozen combat missions. She was also able to survive more than 150 different air raids. Smoky would use her acute hearing to warn her comrades of incoming artillery shells. She is best known for her daring escapades in Luzon, an island located in the Philippines, when she carried a telegraph wire through a seventy foot pipe to keep construction on schedule and save workers and engineers from enemy fire. Aside from risking her life on the front lines, Smoky also played another important role; keeping the morale of the troops up. She would entertain with several tricks and other antics that were believed to be self-taught. Smoky’s adventures were written about by her adopter, William A. Wynne, in the book Yorkie Doodle Dandy. Smoky died on February 21, 1957, around the age of 14 years.