Sgt. Stubby

A fearless heroic dog Sergeant Stubby (c1916–1926) was an American dog who served as the mascot of America’s 102nd Infantry Regiment during the First World War. Found in Connecticut in 1917 by members of the infantry, Stubby was stowed away on a ship to France by a young soldier called Robert Conroy and went on to participate in four offensives and 17 battles. 
Nobody knows exactly when the dog later known as Sergeant Stubby was born, but it is thought to have been during the first half of the First World War .He was a dog of uncertain breed, described in early news stories as either a Bull Terrier or Boston Terrier, with a short stature, barrel shape and friendly temperament. Until 1917 it is thought that he wandered the streets of New Haven, Connecticut scrounging for scraps of food. But he was no ordinary stray: just a few years later – following the end of the First World War – the tenacious canine had become known as the most decorated dog in American History.

Stubby's fortune changed in July 1917 when he began hanging around a group of soldiers, members of the 102nd Infantry Regiment, as they trained in the grounds of Yale University. One of the men, a 25-year-old private named Robert Conroy, took a shining to the young dog and began to take care of him, naming him ‘Stubby’ for his stature and tail.

Although the US military didn’t yet have an official ‘military working dog’ programme, Stubby’s instincts and charm made him a firm favourite with the men of  the regiment, who taught him how to raise his paw ‘in salute’. By the time the unit had left for France, Private Conroy had become so devoted to his new furry friend that he stowed him on the ship. When a commanding officer discovered Stubby’s presence, the dog responded by saluting him. The officer was reportedly rendered speechless by the gesture, and the incident secured Stubby’s place as the official mascot of the Yankee division.

Stubby was involved in many battles while stationed overseas, including the second battle of Marne (July 1918) and the battle of Chateau-Thierry (July 1918). His sharp ears and ability to hear the whine of artillery shells before they landed were extremely useful, and Stubby was particularly helpful in locating wounded soldiers in no man’s land. His sense of smell, too, meant that he could readily detect mustard gas attacks: he once saved an entire company by alerting the men to don their gas masks. He was present for four offensives and 17 battles in total, serving for around 18 months.

One of Stubby’s greatest recorded achievements occurred late one night on the western front. The incident was later relayed in Stubby’s half-page obituary in the New York Times:

“In the Chemin des Dames, Stubby captured a German spy and saved a doughboy [slang for a United States infantryman] from a gas attack. Hearing a sound in the stillness of the night, the dog, who guarded sleeplessly, stole out of the trenches and recognized–a German. Attempts by the German to deceive the dog were futile. Seizing his prisoner by the breeches, Stubby held on until help arrived.”

Alerted by the commotion, Stubby’s fellow soldiers were then able to capture and imprison the spy. For his efforts that night, Stubby was issued an Iron Cross medal that had originally been given to the German spy. The obituary (in full here) was given a great deal more column space than many other notable people of the time.

Following the war, Stubby returned home to America. He was honoured with a medal for heroism from the Humane Education Society – an animal protection organisation – and met with presidents Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge and Warren G Harding. After the war, he went on to become the mascot for a sports team at Georgetown University, Washington DC, where Conroy studied law, and was given the unofficial rank of sergeant – a rank higher than that of his master. In 1926, Stubby died at home, reportedly in Conroy’s arms.

Stubby’s story remained relatively untold until recently, when he was immortalised in a new animated film. Featuring the voices of Helena Bonham Carter and Gérard Depardieu, Sgt Stubby recounts Stubby’s heroic journey from a stray on the streets to becoming the most decorated dog in military history.