Celebrity Dog (10)

Hi Everyone.

Today we remember four celebrity dogs. Rebel, Cubby, Toby and Nemo.

Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam was attacked by a large force of Viet Cong commandos. Once inside the base, the enemy divided into smaller groups to attack their targets. Several sentry dog teams stationed on perimeter posts gave the initial alert and warning almost simultaneously. This early warning enabled security forces to successfully repel the attack, minimizing damage to aircraft and facilities.

During the initial assault, one handler George M Bevich Jr and three sentry dogs were killed.  Sentry Dog Rebel, was the first to be killed. At an adjacent post, Sentry Dog Cubby, alerted and was killed by gunfire. Another sentry dog, Toby, also alerted as the infiltrators advanced, and was killed by gunfire. The attack had been thwarted.

Just before total darkness on December 4th, 1966 after Sentry Nemo and his handler were posted, Nemo alerted to an attack by Vietnamese troops who had evaded earlier detection. Nemo and his handler were both wounded. Nemo's injuries included the loss of one eye and a gunshot wounded that ripped into his nose. 

Nemo in Recovery

Before help could arrive, Nemo, an 85 pound German shepherd, although severely wounded, protected his handler by crawling across his body, and guarding him against anyone who dared to come near. When help arrived, they were able to convince Nemo to leave his handler, who was then given first aid. Nemo, suffering from a gunshot wound to his face, and the lost of his right eye, was relieved of sentry dog duties.

Nemo A534 Returns Home

On 23 June 1967, Headquarters, USAF, directed that Nemo be returned to the United States as the first sentry dog officially retired from active service. His permanent retirement kennel was located at the Department of Defense Dog Center, Lackland AFB, Texas.  Sentry Dog Nemo was one of the few Military Working Dogs that returned home. Nemo died in December of 1972 at Lackland AFB shortly before the Christmas holiday.  The Vietnam War Hero was laid to rest on March 15, 1973 at the DoD Dog Center at the age of 11. 

Later the United States began to pull their armed forces from Vietnam. But, there would be no homecoming for the dogs.  Military regulations prohibited the return of these heroes to the United States.  It was against military policy for war dogs to re-enter civilian life after they had served in combat. It was also declared that the dogs were military equipment, thus classifying them as expendable.

The dogs that had so valiantly served their country and survived were abandoned in Vietnam and Thailand.  Many were given to the Thai military who already had an excess of dogs. No one truly knows what happened to these heroes.

Today we salute four celebrity dogs. Rebel, Cubby, Toby and Nemo.

Yip Yap.

XX Poppy

Words fail me.

Hello Everyone.

Me and dad are very angry today by this despicable joke for a human being. The RSPCA have revealed that a man who was banned from keeping animals for 10 years after being caught on camera kicking and punching a dog was jailed yesterday after the same dog was found in his flat.



Thug Major

Simeon Major, 20, was given the ban, as well as a custodial sentence, in August 2010 after he was caught on CCTV attacking his Staffordshire bull terrier-type dog, named Dream. The attack, which happened in Brantwood Road, Luton, in March last year, lasted 15 to 20 minutes. CCTV footage showed Major kicking and punching the female dog, which was around seven-months-old at the time, in front of a group of friends. The dog was kicked against a wall and punched, and dragged onto the wall only to be punched down again. The RSPCA said yesterday that Major, of Buxton Road, Luton, was jailed again at the town’s magistrates’ court yesterday after the same dog was found in his flat. Major pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to breaching a ban on keeping all animals for 10 years.

The court was told that the same dog was found in Mr Major’s home by police investigating an unrelated matter, and it was clear she was being looked after there. Major admitted the dog was the one which he had been caught attacking on CCTV. Thug Major sobbed in the dock as a four-minute edited version of his savage attack was played to the court.

The court was told Major had given Dream to a friend to be cared for while he was in prison, but she was returned to him afterwards because the friend could no longer look after her. He was jailed yesterday for 136 days, and had already served 68 on remand.

Dream the Staffy

Inspector Peter Warne said: “The original offence was a prolonged and disturbing attack. It wasn’t just one kick and punch, he repeatedly attacked the terrified dog over a sustained period of time.”

The RSPCA said it was currently looking after Dream, and said centres up and down the country were full of “Staffy-type” dogs like her in desperate need of loving new homes.

Our thought today are with our canine sister Dream. A very brave, beautiful and gentle Staffordshire Bull Terrier.


Yip Yap.

XX Poppy