was told to report when the terrier seemingly went crazy for no reason. Each time it happened, it proved to be a warning of an approaching enemy.
Americans were engaged in almost hand-to-hand combat in the Argonne when Stubby stepped forward in a new capacity. Conroy was catching a nap in a foxhole when the dog jumped on his chest and began barking. Leaping to his feet, the soldier followed the dog through a maze of trenches to discover a German sniper who had infiltrated the American lines. Before Conroy could react, the dog sunk its teeth into the enemy’s leg and clamped down. He didn’t let go until the German threw down his gun and surrendered.
Frenchmen came to marvel at the dog that, in their minds, defined courage, determination, and grit. As he proudly strolled through villages, men, women, and children clapped and cheered for the canine. Some even rushed forward with treats.
After retaking the town of Chateau-Thierry, the 102nd was given the chance to rest for a few days. During their stay in the city, a group of French women turned an army blanket into a small uniform. They presented this specially made jacket to the terrier. Conroy accepted the gift and put it on the dog. Stubby seemed genuinely proud to finally be wearing the colors of his company. Several of the men showed their great admiration by taking off their medals and pinning them on the new jacket.
In a year and a half of combat duty, Stubby participated in seventeen major battles including Chateau-Thierry, the Marne, and Saint-Mihiel. He also took part in four different offenses with his group, the 26th Yankee Division of the 102nd Infantry. As the days of the war wound down, officers ordered an official sergeant’s jacket made for the canine hero, complete with his name. Pinned to that jacket were a Purple Heart, the Republic of France Grande War Medal, the Medal of Verdun, and ribbons and medals for every battle in which he participated. The wire services, which had briefly written about the dog a year before, now gave him the full hero treatment. Stubby’s story of bravery found its way into almost every newspaper in the free world. By the time the armistice was signed, the once unwanted Boston terrier had become the most celebrated dog in American history.
Stubby had been smuggled to France and now, with the war over, an army rule stated that no dog, even if that canine was a decorated hero, could accompany the soldiers back home. Conroy went to several officers and all of them pointed to regulations and suggested the G.I. find a home for Stubby in France. Just like he had done when he left the United States for Europe, Conroy opted to smuggle the terrier back home. And this time the military police turned a blind eye allowing the dog and master to bend the rules.
Once back home, Stubby was greeted as a genuine war hero. The dog that had saved hundreds of American men was honored at scores of banquets and headed up many victory parades. The American Legion inducted him as a full, voting member. The YMCA offered him food for life. New York City’s finest hotels welcomed him with free food and lodging.
Though the Army had cited rules as the reason he could not return to the States on a troop ship, with Stubby back on American soil they made an abrupt about-face and used the dog to recruit new men, sell victory bonds, and even lobby for funding from Congress. Stubby was invited to the White House and General “Black Jack” Pershing saluted the dog and pinned a medal on the canine’s army jacket. The dog also found himself representing the Humane Society’s goal for better treatment of animals and advocating for the Red Cross’s blood drives.
When Conroy finally grew tired of the road, he and Stubby returned to Washington not as guests of the president, but so the man could attend Georgetown University Law School. As Conroy studied, Stubby hung out on the football field, getting to know the players, coaches, and cheerleaders and, because of his antics and tricks, was quickly adopted as the school’s mascot. At halftime he entertained crowds by pushing a football all over the field. When the team raced back into gridiron for the second half, Stubby would stand and salute the men.
In 1926, Stubby’s age, combined with the effects of his war injuries, caught up with him. He no longer had energy in his step and it became an effort to stand and salute. He spent most of his time sleeping. One day he crawled up into Conroy’s lap, and as the man petted his now graying head, the dog died.
Unlike many who fought in World War I, Stubby’s death did not go unnoticed. Newspapers all around the country ran news of his passing. The nation’s leading daily, The New York Times, cited an often-dismissed element of the dog’s personality. The story the paper ran noted he was a cheerleader. He didn’t just save lives; he lifted spirits, inspired courage, and led a charge to victory. In his obituary the Times closed with these thoughts, “The noise and strain that shattered the nerves of many of his comrades did not impair Stubby’s spirits. Not because he was unconscious of danger. His angry howl while a battle raged and his mad canter from one part of the lines to another indicated realization.” What the obituary writers missed was the dog’s amazing determination to adapt and change. In every situation he was always looking to become more than what he had been and, over time, grew to become more than anyone could imagine.
America’s devotion to Stubby was so great that the nation would not allow the war hero to simply be buried. They had this symbol of freedom and courage mounted and placed in an exhibit at the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History. Yet the real monument to this dog’s courage is not found at the Smithsonian; it can only be realized when imagining the hundreds of men who came home from World War I who otherwise would have—without this dog’s actions—died on battlefields in France. Not a bad legacy for an unwanted pup that had once been turned out onto the streets to die.
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