Chips, the Hero Dog of WWII

Chips

By Shirley Raye Redmond

A few months ago, I wrote a piece for this blog about Stubby, the most decorated dog of World War 1. It seems appropriate then to write another post about the most decorated canine hero of World War II, especially since the formal end of the war took place 72 years ago this month on September 2, 1945, when the Japanese signed surrender documents. Chips was the most famous dog of the second world war.

 A family in Pleasantville, New York, donated him to the Army. Chips, a German shepherd mix, was trained to be a guard dog. If you watched the recent movie Megan Leavey, about a female Marine and her combat dog Rex, then you know that the training of a combat canine can last from one month to fourteen weeks. Soldiers called handlers are paired up with the dogs, and as they work  together, they learn to trust one another and to become good friends.

Combat dogs are taught basic commands like “Sit” and “Come” and “Get him!”
Training also includes getting the animal used to gunfire and loud explosions. Most importantly, the dogs learn not to bark or whine. Noisy dogs could alert the enemy that American soldiers are near. The dogs are taught to give only silent alert signals. These included standing very
still and becoming rigid. Chips and his handler were sent to Italy in 1943 when American troops invaded Sicily. During one particular battle, Chips pulled away from his handler with a quick jerk. The dog ran toward a concrete hut, his long leash trailing behind him. Suddenly, there was machine gun fire. The Americans dropped to the ground. Chips kept running straight into the
concrete hut. The gunfire stopped abruptly, and four enemy soldiers came out with their hands in the air. They wanted to surrender. Chips was right behind them, barking and biting the men on their legs and arms.

The dog had a scalp wound and powder burns from the enemy gun fire, but he was a hero! The newspapers printed stories about him. Politicians made speeches about Chips in Congress and praised his courage. Chips was even awarded the Purple Heart medal for his wound and the Silver Star for
courage. General Eisenhower came to meet the canine war hero and have his picture taken with the famous dog. But some people complained that defense dogs should not receive medals made for soldiers. They demanded that Chip’s medals be returned to the War Department. The medals were returned, but American soldiers working with Chips held a special ceremony for their dog hero. They presented him with medals they made themselves. To them, Chips was as brave as any human soldier.

After the war, Chips was discharged from the Army and returned to his proud family in New York.