Smoky and the Army Airborne

I just read this fantastic story about a Yorkshire named Smoky on Pacific Paratrooper. This story begins in 1944 on the island of New Guinea, where Smoky was found in an abandoned foxhole. She weighed 4 pounds and stood 7 inches tall. More than a dog, Smoky was a dedicated soldier, the first therapy dog, a morale booster for injured soldiers, an entertainer, and perhaps most importantly – Smoky was a hell of a loyal friend! You will want to read this post by GP Cox.

Pacific Paratrooper

SMOKY

At the beginning of of 1944, Smoky, a Yorkshire terrier, was found by an American soldier with a stalled jeep in the New Guinea jungle where she had been abandoned in a foxhole. She did not respond to either English or Japanese commands. After taken to the soldier’s camp, in need of cash for a poker night, she was sold to Cpl. William A. Wynne for 2 Australian pounds. Smoky weighed 4lbs. and stood 7 inches.

Bill Wynne & Smoky

For the next 2 years, Smoky accompanied Wynne on combat fights in the Pacific where temperature and living conditions were deplorable. Smoky shared his C-rations, and fearful of her contracting scrub typhus, was bathed in his helmet daily.

Wynne had a knack for training dogs and taught Smoky tricks like climbing ladders, going down slides, and walking tightropes while blindfolded. She entertained the troops in her spare time. “Yank…

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