Angel Smokey: dog of World War II (7 photos)

It was February 1944 when an American soldier accidentally found a Yorkshire terrier in the jungles of New Guinea. At first they thought that this baby belonged to the Japanese, but after the soldiers brought it to the prisoner of war camp, it became clear that the dog did not know commands in either English or Japanese.





The soldier decided to sell the Yorkie to Corporal William Wynn for a couple of Australian pounds. The corporal named his ward Smokey and for the next two years she became his faithful combat friend. It was very difficult for Smokey to survive in the hot jungle of New Guinea, but she did not give up. But she didn’t have anything that the dogs of World War II officially taken into service had: no special food, no veterinarians. She ate what the corporal ate, but never got sick, despite the fact that this breed is quite delicate and requires special care.



Every day, Smokey ran along the coral islands, crippling the paws of other dogs, larger in size, but it was easier for her small paws to run around some obstacles.

Wynn wrote: "Smoky served in the South Pacific with the 5th Air Force, 26th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, and participated in 12 air and sea rescue and photo reconnaissance missions."





Smokey hung for many hours in a soldier’s backpack, next to the machine gunner, who was repelling fighter attacks. The baby received eight military awards for her missions, survived 150 aerial bombings, and overcame Okinawa typhoons. Not without parachute jumping, which was specially designed for her by military craftsmen.

Smokey, with her barking and restless behavior, always unmistakably warned that the bombing was about to begin and, according to William, saved his life at least three times. He affectionately called her "angel from the trenches."

In 1944, Yank Down Under magazine dubbed Smokey "The Best Troop Mascot in the Southwest Pacific."



William Wynn with Smokey

During the rest between battles and transitions, Smokey learned various tricks with which she entertained the wounded in hospitals.

But Smokey helped the soldiers take their mind off the sad everyday life. She took part in the construction of an air base in the Lingayen Gulf. This airfield was very important for Allied aircraft and at the very beginning of the military campaign it was necessary to stretch the wire into the pipe, which was 21 meters long. And the pipe was only 20 cm in diameter. They attached a wire to Smokey, and at that time Vinny ran to the other end of the pipe:

"I couldn't see her in the pipe, I didn't know if she was stuck and could crawl out. I called and begged, not knowing for sure whether she would come or not. Finally, about 20 feet away, I saw two small amber eyes and heard a little whimpering sound, about 15 feet away she ran. We were so happy with Smokey that we clapped and praised her for a full five minutes."



But to lay the cable, if not for Smokey, it would have been necessary to use 250 people and 40 combat aircraft. This would have taken several days, but instead the team and Smokey completed it in minutes.



Upon returning from the war, Smokey and Winn were published as a centerfold by the Cleveland Press, and on December 7, 1945, Smokey went from a small dog to a national treasure.

Over the next 10 years, little Smokey conquered first Hollywood and then the whole world, showing the tricks she was taught during the war. After the war, Smokey brought joy to millions of people by appearing on television.



Smokey died on February 21, 1957, at the very respectable age of 14 years. William buried his friend in Ohio in a World War II ammunition box.