02/20/2014: "Houma, Lousiana War Dog Memorial"

This was provided by Albert C. Boyd 212th 69-70. There were pictures along with the article. Unfortunately I do not know how to post pictures to this site. Several of the pictures are posted on our Facebook group site.

Subject: Houma, LA War Dog Mem 15Feb2014 and "My Heart's Desire" pet adoptions

> I shot a lot of different angles and perspectives. I also moved in on detail
> and craftsmanship as many Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen had their
> input taken into consideration by Ms. Diane Baker, our patron Saint of this
> memorial, in Houma, Louisiana and her sculptor. The final layout of the
> assembled pieces will not be completed in time for the cover story. Missing
> are the Louisiana K9 KIA names on one plaque and those who served in Vietnam
> as War Dog Handlers, on another plaque. The "My Heart's Desire" pet adoption
> agency is co-located on the memorial property owned by Ms. Baker. Ms. Baker
> received no funding from the State of Louisiana for her project and went
> full construction after researching what happened to the dogs of Vietnam.
> Whether it was a catharsis or an epiphany, her vision for the memorial was
> definitely shaped by her strong affection for God, Country, Corps and 4
> footed pets.
>
> The design of the handler was suggested by many handlers but Ms. Baker chose
> the combat oriented handler for his glance, the dog's stare and all the
> trappings of an Infantryman on patrol. The dog tags can almost be read with
> one in his boot laces and the other hanging from his neck. The ever-present
> green towel wrapped around the handler's neck kept the sun off his neck and
> the sweat from pouring down his back. The handler would wipe his face with
> the towel and his eyes would sting from the amount of salt absorbed by the
> towel. It was his pillow at night and his face cloth in the day.
>
> The two other dogs represent various breeds of K9s that once populated our
> ranks. These breeds allowed us handlers to be their friends, not the other
> way around. They picked us, they trusted us and somehow, we let them down,
> we abandoned them but they will never be forgotten. The "WE" is not you or I
> but rather a complicated set of circumstance that would not allow over 4,000
> dogs to be repatriated back to the USA. They fought for this country, for
> the handlers that they protected and the thousands of military personnel who
> are alive today because of their perseverance and acute K9 capabilities.
>
> The dog bears the tattoo in his ear coveted by the enemy as a war trophy and
> a lucrative war booty with a bounty of $10,000 piasters. Only snipers and
> War Dog Handlers had bounties on their heads because their war craft meant
> death to the enemy ranks. This dog bears the Tattoo of Marine Corps Scout
> Dog "Chipper." It's his number but all dogs had numbers. Some were lucky and
> others, less fortunate in their fate. We remember the fallen with the statue
> of the howling dog mourning the loss of his handler. His howls resonating
> across the fields of battle and into the conscience of every handler who has
> had to mourn the loss of a friend or his dog. The loss is equally felt
> between a handler and his dog. War forges a kinship and a story that must be
> told. Diane Baker has given the War Dog Handlers a place to pay tribute to
> the fallen, to remember their dogs and to hopefully find closure because we
> will never see our magnificent dogs again. Today's dogs are called Military
> Working Dogs. Personally, I like my "Scout Dog" designator. I'm sure the
> Sentry Dogs, Trackers and Mine and Booby-trap Handlers may feel the same
> way.
>
> Semper Fi, Eddie C, proud to have had Chipper as my friend and all the other
> Handlers I've served with....
>