War Dog Reference Material

[Abby K-9]

I don't know if anyone else has an interest in War Dogs besides myself and Jeff (hi Jeff!), but I've slowly been scanning the war dog-related books in my collection and putting them into online albums to share with others who find the subject equally interesting. I can't scan all the books I have as it would require me to take some of them apart (not willing to do that), but what I can scan, I will.

They're online at http://abbyk9.fotki.com/historyfile/vintagebooks/mwdbooks/ for anyone who'd like to use them for reference.

[ehrentitle]

I took a look and was impressed with your scanned publications. I put together a set of web pages for the Quartermaster Museum on War Dogs a decade ago that includes some articles: http://www.qmfound.com/War_Dogs.htm

 

It's only a fraction of the material I collected for the project. I probably have several of the publications listed in the Bibliography

on the site. I'll take a look and see if I still have the files here somewhere.

[Abby K-9]

If you still have any of the materials and they're scanned, would you mind passing them along to me so I can upload them to that website for others to use as reference as well? I love sharing reference materials when I have them available - it's what got me started on the history website I run (Axis subject, not US), too. There are all too many things hidden away in collectors' drawers that researchers can't access, IMHO.

 

Do you have a better / bigger version of the Dogs for Defense logo that's on the Quartermaster Foundation website?

[ehrentitle]

If you still have any of the materials and they're scanned, would you mind passing them along to me so I can upload them to that website for others to use as reference as well? I love sharing reference materials when I have them available - it's what got me started on the history website I run (Axis subject, not US), too. There are all too many things hidden away in collectors' drawers that researchers can't access, IMHO.

 

Do you have a better / bigger version of the Dogs for Defense logo that's on the Quartermaster Foundation website?

 

 

I'll try to dig the material out, but none of it is scanned, otherwise it would already be on the website. As for the Dogs for Defense logo, it came out of a book in the QM Museum collection. Attached is the original raw scan before I cleaned it up:

[Abby K-9]

If you ever feel like scanning the material, let me know. Or if you need someone to scan it for you ... hint, hint.

 

I'm actually off to buy a new scanner this weekend, as I currently only have an all-in-one, which really sucks for scanning. I'm hoping to get some of the other stuff I have (vintage Montgomery Wards catalogs) scanned in the near future, plus I have some civilian dog books I want to scan as well. I have one book that might be of interest to you - it's called "The Dog in Training" by Josef Weber, and was published in the mid-1930s. It has photos of soldiers experimenting with dogs laying cables and tracking. Interesting because the US didn't really have a war dog program at the time the book was published.

 

Here's one of the photos from that book -

[ehrentitle]

I'll see what I can find this weekend. As a recall it mostly photocopies of articles from the museum archives and other sources. It's all buried in the garage somewhere, I brought it all home from work when I retired from the Army 6 years ago.

 

As for a scanner. I had an outstanding HP scanner that I bought shortly after I PCSed from Fort Drum to here in Virginia 13 years ago. But two years ago when I bought a new Vista equiped computer it was no longer compatible. I bought one of those cheap multi scanner, fax, printers and I was unsatisfied with the image quality.

 

I'm also a member of a UK collectors forum, The Gentleman's Military Interest Club. One day I stumbled across a thread on scanners. Over 90% of the folks on the forum swore by the higher end Epson scanners they had. They liked them because you could scan more than a flat piece of paper, because they have a greater depth of field. Ideal for scanning medals and insignia.

 

After some price comparison I ended up buying a reconditioned Epson Perfection V500 Photo directly from Epson. I love it, it's great a scanning everything and does a great job with photos, slides and negatives as well.

[market garden]

Check out "The well dressed GI" Tim the owner has did research on the subject. Market garden

[NobleLoyalGSD]

I don't know if anyone else has an interest in War Dogs besides myself and Jeff (hi Jeff!), but I've slowly been scanning the war dog-related books in my collection and putting them into online albums to share with others who find the subject equally interesting. I can't scan all the books I have as it would require me to take some of them apart (not willing to do that), but what I can scan, I will.

 

They're online at http://abbyk9.fotki.com/historyfile/vintagebooks/mwdbooks/ for anyone who'd like to use them for reference.

 

Hi Chris! Excellent start on your war dog book/reference database. If there is anything I can do to help or add, I'll certainly try.

 

~Jeff

[Abby K-9]

As for a scanner. I had an outstanding HP scanner that I bought shortly after I PCSed from Fort Drum to here in Virginia 13 years ago. But two years ago when I bought a new Vista equiped computer it was no longer compatible. I bought one of those cheap multi scanner, fax, printers and I was unsatisfied with the image quality.

 

Funny ... we just PCS'd from the Virginia Beach area (Fort Eustis) to Fort Drum. It's definitely a change ...

 

As for the all-in-one scanner/fax/printers, I definitely second your opinion. I previously had a Canon CanoScan, which served me very well for several years, until it was no longer compatible once I went to Windows Vista. It ended up going to my husband's office where they used it to scan documents until the lid hinge broke. I also bought an all-in-one, HP Photosmart C5550, which does beautiful photo prints but is slow in the scanning department and does not produce great quality scans.

 

I ended up going out and buying another Canon CanoScan, LiDE200, this weekend and I'm really liking it. I don't really scan anything other than paper goods, and this is one heck of a scanner, especially considering it's the cheapest one Staples had (they also carry a variety of Epson and HP scanners).This Canon has a lid with a hinge that allows scanning of thicker books, a function to remove the center "seam" when scanning two book pages at a time, and an option for presets to adjust image quality, dpi, etc. It's wicked fast, too. I spent an hour playing with it tonight and scanned two Boy Scout equipment catalogs (1957 and 1958, respectively), the rest of my 1933 Montgomery Wards catalog, and a 1943 manual on home canning, all in under an hour.

 

Check out "The well dressed GI" Tim the owner has did research on the subject.

 

I've been hoping they would have the dog blankets available in the near future, but it doesn't look like that worked out? I would love to add a (reproduction) World War II dog blanket to my collection. I have two originals in my collection, one from the Vietnam era (dated 1967) and one more modern one (dated 1980), both made by Ray Allen. The modern one has SGT stripes sewn to it.

 

Excellent start on your war dog book/reference database. If there is anything I can do to help or add, I'll certainly try.

 

If you have any scanned manuals, or the ability to scan manuals you have, I'd LOVE to have them!

[ehrentitle]

So far no luck finding my War Dog file. All I've found so far is my Remount file which is focused on horses and mules. I'll check to see if the War Dog file is at work on Tue. Congrats on the scanner.

[Abby K-9]

Thanks so much for looking! I definitely appreciate it.

[ehrentitle]

No problem. I checked this AM, it's not here at work, so I'll have to do some more digging in the garage.

[Cottonbalers]

Hi,

I am not really interested in this subject, but I have this photo.

If that can interest?

 

It is real "Rintintin"

[cszakolczai]

awesome link abbey, thank you.

 

I've always had an interest in war dogs, just never really knew much about where to read about them. Thank you for the link I will be reading through all the pages.

[Abby K-9]

That's a great photo - I have a copy of it as well. I believe it's part of a group / series of pictures that were done, all in color.

 

It is not the original Rin Tin Tin in the photo, though. The original Rin Tin Tin died in 1932. However, they have been breeding his line and his sons, grandsons, etc. picked up the movie roles, posed for photos, etc. The dog in the photo above is Rin Tin Tin III. (Getty Images has the picture with appropriate caption.) Rin Tin Tin's line is still being bred - http://www.rintintin.com/

[Cottonbalers]

OK,

Thank you for the explanations and the link... :thumbsup:

[fortworthgal]

I'm an animal lover and am always interested in war dogs and pigeons. Very nice page of information that you've put together!

 

I wish the repro dog coats were available as well, but the "coming soon" has been up for like 3 years now, so I doubt it'll happen. I'd love to get one for our basset hound.

[Abby K-9]

I would also love to get a reproduction World War II dog blanket. Design-wise, they're pretty much like the more modern ones - after all, there's only so much you can do with a dog blanket - but they're khaki and have leather straps with buckles. Not sure what type material the outer fabric is, either. But I guess, if nothing else, you could always make a look-alike.

 

This is my Vietnam one.

 

And then the 1980s one.

 

They're the same pattern, same liner, etc. but the edge binding and straps are different. Old webbing vs. modern nylon.

[market garden]

I sold a WW 2 FM or TM on dog handeling to a friend several years ago. I'll see if my friend can copy it. Market garden.

[Abby K-9]

Thanks, Market Garden! I have the WWII one on War Dogs and also on Dog Transportation, but my War Dog one is a copy and it's bound so tight, I can't scan it for the website without taking it apart.

[Cottonbalers]

Hello Abby,

Can one find the same that the photo number 2?

It is for my dog...

 

A small photo.

[Abby K-9]

Cottonbalers - I'm sorry, I don't understand your question?

[ehrentitle]

Chris - Good news is I can across my War Dogs file while cleaning out the garage yesterday. It's a mixed bag of photocopied article and various QM correspondence. Some of which has been published on the QM Foundation website, some not. I'll scan a few items tonight.

 

Here is a cartoon that I believe came out of the Quartermaster Training Journal:

 

[ehrentitle]

Here is another interesting one. It's a notification to the owner for return of a donated dog. I've deleted the individual's name and address as I believe she is still alive:

 

[Abby K-9]

Thanks so much for posting them, I really appreciate it and they'll go into my War Dog File.