Picture this: an abandoned bull terrier wandering in an army training camp finds comfort and home in the arms of a soldier, and grows to become a hero in American history. Sounds kind of weird, doesn’t it? Well, believe it or not, this is a one-of-a-kind true story.

Puppy profile

In 1917, this little pup was found wandering the grounds of Yale University, campus in New Haven, Connecticut, where the 102nd Infantry (soldiers who fight on foot) was training. One soldier, namely Corporal James Robert Conroy, noticed him and took him in secretly. During the war, the soldiers were heading to France on a troop ship. Conroy smuggled him onto the troop ship going to France, keeping him hidden. But this secrecy wouldn’t last long.

The commanding officer spotted Stubby instantly, wanting him off the ship as dogs weren’t allowed. But Stubby won him over with a special trick. He stood on his hind legs, and raised his paw to his head, as if saluting him. Sure enough, the rule was overlooked and Stubby was eventually made the Infantry’s unofficial mascot. This memorable pose can be seen in the statue of him in the Veterans Memorial Park in Middletown, Connecticut.

A helping paw

Of course, loyalty isn’t all it takes to be a good hero dog. Stubby displayed specialised skills that were of great use to the Infantry. He entered combat on February 5, 1918, and served for 18 months on the field, and in about 17 attacks. He managed to adapt to the loud gunfire and the constant attacks he was under. But there’s more.

German soldiers began to use a toxic and colourless chemical gas called mustard gas (also known as sulphur mustard) on their enemies. Stubby was almost killed in a mustard gas attack, but he managed to survive. He eventually used his survival of the fumes to eventually warn others of gas attacks. He’d recognise the smell of the gas and bark loudly, alerting everyone on the battlefield.

On a separate occasion, during the 1918 takeover of Seicheprey (an area in north-eastern France), he was hit by a grenade, and injured in the chest and the leg. He was immediately taken off the field to recover, which he eventually did. Truly an epitome of the saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!”

Beyond detecting gas, Stubby also sniffed out injured soldiers on the battlefield. He would then bark loudly, alerting the others to bring them to safety.

But there is also one such incident that made Stubby the famous hero dog he is today. During his usual guard duty on the ground, Stubby spotted an unknown soldier trying to map the trenches. He instantly noticed something was off about him, and instantly attacked him, biting his leg and pinning him to the ground as he tried to escape, and alerted the American soldiers. Once the soldiers arrived, they discovered that Stubby had just taken down a German spy. This incident made him an official sergeant, and the first dog to become so.

Decorated dog

Following this incident, he was given a chamois coat (a soft, durable garment made from suede-like leather or a thick, brushed cotton fabric) with many of his medals pinned. He was also given two wound stripes (distinctions bestowed on soldiers wounded in combat, typically worn on the coat).

After the war

A dog who immensely contributed to the great war was worthy of the status of a celebrity, and sure enough, that was what Sgt. Stubby became. He went to become a part of many parades across the country and had met the then presidents of the U.S. — Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, and Warren G. Harding.

In 1921, General John J. Pershing presented a gold medal from the Humane Education Society to Sgt. Stubby.

He also joined Conroy to attend Georgetown University Law Center and became the mascot of the Georgetown Hoyas, the college’s sports team. He would be given a football at halftime, and would playfully kick it around the field, much to the delight of the crowd.

Stubby eventually died in his sleep in 1926, at the age of 10.

Legacy

Following his death, a taxidermy mount of him was also made and is placed in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. It can be seen on display at their “Price of Freedom: Americans at War” exhibit.

Sgt. Stubby received an obituary in The New York Times, and it was half a page long. Much longer than the obituary of any one else at that time. In 2014, BBC Schools used Stubby to teach children about the war in their WWI series. They also had a comic strip that illustrated his life.

He has a portrait of his own on display at the West Haven Military Museum in Connecticut, as well as a 2018 animated film called ‘Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero’, which chronicles his life.

Sgt. Stubby’s story goes to show that not all heroes wear capes, some come with four paws, a tail, and a snout strong enough to smell danger.