War Dog Display at Museum

[Pegasus6]

Hey gents,

 

Follow-up for my War-dog Grouping. Setup a display at the Illinois Military History Museum to complement its new exhibit "Animals and the Great War"

 

Have USMC SS winner George Goderres' Helmet and Jacket, his copies of his dog Czars record book (From Nat. Archives, they both served Guam and Iwo.

 

USMC Messenger dog Dukes' Collar and Tax Tag, USMC Messenger Dog killed on Iwo Jima and copies of his record book (From Nat. Archives.)

 

A bunch of other related items- Dogs for Defense, training/collars/leashes harnesses from WWII-Vietnam Era. I pasted in the side description as well.

 

- Here is a link to where I originally posted about the Helmet and Jacket of Goderre.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/307700-usmc-silver-star-helmet-jacket-war-dog-handler/

 

-Peg6

 

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Top Shelf - Through it all together

 

 

Marine George P. Goderre and his scout dog a german shepard, named Czar served with distinction on Guam and later Iwo Jima as Members of the 3rd USMC Wardog Platoon. Goderre was awarded the Silver Star actions on Guam, while Czar and Hans (another scout dog) with Handlers Goderre and Charles Peake made headlines in the AP news for sniffing out Japanese forces. Goderre and Czar are documented with 50+ patrol actions, no less than 20 enemy killed and saving countless marines having never led a patrol into an ambush.

 

Goderre and Czar would both be Honorably Discharged after the War. George would serve again during the Korean War in 1951. He separated as a Staff Sergeant in 1952. Czar was Honorably Discharged as a Sergeant 21 June 1946. He was adopted by a new family and lived a happy life with Mr. and Mrs. Ward of Alameda California.

 

On display is George P. Goderre M1 Helmet and P41 Jacket. Also, on display is Czars dog record book. The book is currently stored within archives record group 127, dog service record books, records of the USMC at the National Archives, located at the National Archives campus at college park, Maryland. RG 127 contains along with Czars book another appx 1000 USMC wardogs record books from WWII.

 

 

Middle Shelf 2 Paths to V-day

 

Fritz E. Regelmann of Cranston Rhode Island enlisted in the United States Army in 1944. He had a problem however who would take care of his 3-month-old Doberman pincher named Duke? Fritz solved the problem by donating him to Dog to Dogs for Defense; enlisting him on 24 May 1944. Fritz himself enlisted the following day 25 May 1944. Duke would be trained in Obedience, and then as a Messenger Dog of which he qualified for on September 20th 1944. Fritz served in European theatre through VE-Day and into Germany.

 

Meanwhile Duke was off to the front lines in the Pacific a member of the 6th USMC Wardog Platoon. Under Marine Handlers Joseph Smylski and James R. Cannon the trio landed on Iwo Jima in March of 1944. One handler would be on patrol the other handler at a check-point or headquarters; delivering messages was vital during operations when radios were not functioning. Dogs compared to human runners were able to navigate 600 -1000 meters of rough terrain faster while presenting a smaller target to the enemy. Messenger Dogs were known to be able to operate at 1 mile plus distances. Sadly, on 21 March 1944, nearly 1-year old Duke, was killed in action. His handlers would both survive the war and keep Duke in their memory.

 

On display is Dukes collar. It was sent to Fritz along with a letter notifying him of Dukes being killed in action. The collar inscribed Duke Von Altwied and his home address. Attached to the collar Dukes original 1944 Cranston Rhode Island dog tax tag. Part of Duke had made it home. Fritz treasured the collar, he displayed and shared with friends and family until his passing 2 June 1995. A copy of Dukes record book. Other items: WWII manuals for training and transportation of dogs/animals. A Dogs for Defense Certificate of appreciation for funding a Wardog with a $1.00 Donation by Dorothy Shaffer and her dog The Duke of Windsor in 1943. Volcanic Beach sand from Iwo Jima collected from the invasion site beach Red below Mount Suribachi. Dogs for Defense media: books for Children, History and Purina Dog food advertisement.

 

Bottom Shelf: 1960s Vietnam Era

 

Artifacts on display: 1960 revised Military Dog Training and Implementation: FM 20-20. 1960s original items, collars leashes, muzzle, scout harness and Vietnam era M1 Helmet.

 

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[Pegasus6]

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[Pegasus6]

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[Pegasus6]

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[Brian Keith]

Excellent items and Excellent display! Museums can only hold so much stuff, when a focus exhibit is created, often they look outside their walls to populate it.

Thanks so much for going the extra mile, sharing your collection with others and posting the photos!

When I was deployed, I only worked with a War Dog once, on one of our "Market Walks" we had an USAF bomb detecting dog and handler with us. He got a lot of attention from the troops he was working with that day, and you could tell he was all business when it was time.

BKW

Yes, I do work in a museum.

[skautdog]

Pegasus6,

Thank you so much for sharing your collection. I trained Scout Dogs before deploying to VN and was a Combat Tracker Dog PLT leader in VN. Authentic MWD items are Very difficult to come by. Wish I could find more.

 

You have a true treasure.

[Blacksmith]

Remarkable display, great job honoring our veterans of all paw counts.

[Robbie]

very well presented, I really like

[Pegasus6]

Found Joseph J. Smylski/Smylie known to his fellow Marines as "Smiley" (also due to personality not just the naming convention) and his dog Duke today!

 

Thank you for the comments gents!

 

-Peg6

[KRIS FORD]

Totally awesome!

 

We have a very nice War Dog Memorial/cemetary close to where I live, and I plan on checking it out when the weather finally gets nice here in Michigan...

http://www.mwdm.org/

[Pegasus6]

George Goderre - 1943

[Pegasus6]

Joseph Smylski 1944

[Pegasus6]

James R. Cannon 1944

[Pegasus6]

Cannon and Smylski were Dukes' handlers on Iwo Jima.

[Pegasus6]

Thank you for the Kind words as well everyone. I have gotten a lot of great feedback on the display here and at the Museum.

 

-Peg6

[mes]

Really well done An often overlooked part of military. thanks for posting

Mark

[ken1967]

Thanks for posting. Great collection!

[Pegasus6]

Pegasus6,

Thank you so much for sharing your collection. I trained Scout Dogs before deploying to VN and was a Combat Tracker Dog PLT leader in VN. Authentic MWD items are Very difficult to come by. Wish I could find more.

 

You have a true treasure.

I appreciate your service! From one new generation vet to an older brother! Cheers!

[Rakkasan187]

Like the names of the Dogs: Czar and Duke...

 

Well done..

 

Leigh

[Pegasus6]

Thank you all! Some awesome news, The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum here in Springfield Illinois are looking to have the display appear in their upcoming WWII Exhibits in TY19. I also found a picture of my grandmother with her "Duke of Windsor" that she sponsored in front of her house with the address showing. Her Dogs for Defense Donation and letter started the whole wardog part of my collecting. That's the middle document in the middle case.

[Eric Queen]

Not the best resolution but here is a period newspaper clipping of Goderre with Czar. Front row far left (seems they spelled his name wrong). 

 

Standing 3rd from left is Alfred N. Edwards (3rd Marine War Dog Platoon). Saw action on Guam and Iwo Jima. After the war he adopted his dog Fritz. 

[Pegasus6]

On 3/15/2022 at 11:06 AM, Eric Queen said:

Not the best resolution but here is a period newspaper clipping of Goderre with Czar. Front row far left (seems they spelled his name wrong). 

 

Standing 3rd from left is Alfred N. Edwards (3rd Marine War Dog Platoon). Saw action on Guam and Iwo Jima. After the war he adopted his dog Fritz. 

I was able to get a much higher resolution photo from George’s daughter. Unfortunately, she has now passed. I do have his sage uniform now as well.