Today, March 13, is National K9 Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor commemorate the service and sacrifices of American military and working dogs throughout history. The Army began training for its new War Dog Program, also known as the “K-9 Corps” on this date in 1942, according to American Humane, marking the first time that dogs were officially a part of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The top canine hero of World War II was Chips, a German Shepherd who served with the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division. Trained as a sentry dog, Chips broke away from his handlers and attacked an enemy machine gun nest in Italy, forcing the entire crew to surrender.
The Haus of Dcaligari 