By. The Vietnam-Era Military Personnel Records is a huge archive that holds as many as 4,638,952 records in its massive collection. . (210) 671-5178. Promote veteran causes and memorials, including recognition of retired military K9s. Each year the dog school trains about 300 detector dogs a year. Military Working Dogs Were the Elite Weapon in the Vietnam War I was a sentry dog handler in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, a member of the 212th Military Police Sentry Dog Company stationed in Tay Ninh. The success of these teams, combined with those working in U.S. law enforcement . Dog handlers, SP4 Dennis Fraizer and SP4 William Harding of the 49th Scout Dog Pltn., take a break with their dogs prior to searching the village of Long Trung. Landsharks. A dog and his master, from the 38th Scout Dog Plt., 25th Inf. Sentry dog /handler posts ("Kilos"s) were assigned forward of the tower (and later bunker) line to patrol between the first and second defense lines to provide early warning of intrusion. In the 1970s, the US Air Force used over 1,600 dogs worldwide. Air Force sentry dogs and handlers march in review at Vietnam's Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon, Vietnam, April 26, 1966. United States War Dog Association (USWDA) was established in 2000 by 5 dog handlers (Ron Aiello, Bucky Grimm, Bob Cicero, Bob Thompson, and Al Gunderson) who served in Vietnam. Air Force. Staff Sgt. The success of these teams, combined with those working in U.S. law enforcement . Here are the basic "rules" to get the presumption of Agent Orange exposure if you served in Thailand during the Vietnam War: 1) Service at U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Phanom (aka, NKP), Udorn, Takhli, Korat, and/or Don Muang, between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975. The Vietnam War era was a time of change and Dog Tags were no exception. These Air Force personnel were originally responding to the to the Mayaquez incident some "Real Vietnam Veteran" sites cite only approximately 3-5000 Air Force personnel were in Thailand/Guam . A trained dog will be either a bomb detection dog, or a drug dog. Total: 37 12th SPS (Cam Ranh Bay & Phu Cat) Read More: 14th SPS (Nha Trang) Read More Sentry dog teams were deployed as the first line of defense guarding American base camps day and night. The school is responsible for procuring all dogs for the DoD and training dogs and handlers for all branches of the military. Delaware War Dog Memorial . Click on the following links to learn more about the Southeast Asia War. Vietnam Era Veterans that served in Thailand (as well as those in Korea, the Philipp . The dogs are trained at a training center on Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio. ; Holmdel . I added other services because all dog handlers share a common bond. As the U.S. began turning the war over to the South Vietnamese in 1969, U.S. Air Force Security Police numbers in Southeast Asia declined. His DD214 states he served in the 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron (TASS) in Thailand; Saigon, Pleiku, and Da Nang, Vietnam. Some of these dogs and dog teams are members of the air force, security police forces, and have dog handlers that would do anything for . Dog handlers from the 1ATF move towards a RAAF Iroquois helicopter of 9 Squadron during operations against the Viet Cong, 1967. . The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test determines where a prospective service member might excel in the military. Military Working Dogs: Facts & Figures. Many more followed, with the U.S. Air Force sentry force in Southeast Asia peaking in early 1967 at nearly 500 dogs. 2) You have a buddy statement from someone that manned a bunker on the perimeter with you on a frequent or regular basis. I was a dog . He became a handler shortly after his first assignment with security police at Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio. Family members and friends gather at Cpl. The "Not Forgotten Fountain" is a bronze sculpture depicting a Vietnam War dog handler pouring water from his canteen into a helmet. This exercise helps build trust, loyalty, and teamwork for Sergeant Martinez and Argo II, who have only been working together for two months (above). According to a release from Animal Planet, camera teams acquired specialized training before . 332D AIR EXPEDITIONARY WING -- Staff Sgt. Marker Text: Military Working Dog Teams National Monument Doberman Pinscher German Shepherd Labrador Retriever Belgian . While his war dog partners died in Vietnam he wanted to keep their memories alive and mounted a campaign to create the monument. ; Holmdel . Erick Martinez, a military dog handler at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, uses an over-the-shoulder carry with his dog, Argo II. While official records weren't maintained in the early days of the war, estimates suggest nearly 5,000 canines were deployed across all four branches of the US Military, with 10,000 total handlers. Flight Patch - F1 MIRAGE - French Air Force - Vietnam War Era, Arrow Head - 5667. Search-and-destroy missions used a handler and his scout dog to walk point, out in the jungle, able to raise an alarm about an ambush long before. a fallen U.S. Air Force military working dog that served in the Vietnam War, during a three-mile ruck march at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, April 20, 2017. Many of the lessons learned during this time are the basis of today's Force Protection doctrine. Air Force Tech Sgt. By 1971, responsibility for the defense of air bases in South Vietnam reverted to the South Vietnamese military. 1) Your MOS required perimeter duty - i.e., military police, dog handlers, air operations crews responsible for maintaining runways, etc. Their duties were widespread - scout, sentry, patrol, mine and booby-trap detection, water and combat. We are the members of an elite group of individuals, who with pride, have had the opportunity to serve our country, with the finest soldiers that has ever walked the earth W e are the members of an elite group of proud individuals, who served our country alongside the finest soldiers that have ever walked the earth on . In the predawn hours of December 4, 1966, Tan Son Nhut AB was attacked by a large force of Viet Cong (VC) commando raiders. Defenders and military working dogs from the 75th Security Forces Squadron at Hill Air Force Base gathered with the community on K-9 Veterans Day, March 13, to dedicate a Vietnam Veterans War Dog Memorial at Layton Commons Park. Christopher Kench, a military working dog handler with the 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, carries his military working dog Beta towards the end of a three-mile ruck march at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, April 20, 2017. Honoring Fallen. Representing the Marine Corps, Army and Air Force, they found a common bond through K-9 and formed an organization to honor war dogs; past, present, and future. $64.99 previous price $64.99 20% off 20% off previous price $64.99 20% off March 19, 2021 75th SFS MWD handlers honor war dog heroes . The sculpture represents a Vietnam era dog handler and his working dog. Obtain a paver around either the Airman's Museum or Military Working Dog Memorial at Lackland. . US Army Vietnam Veteran USA Made Hat (G1171) $32.99. There, in 1969, he met a handler who told him that more handlers were needed because so many had deployed to Vietnam. At its peak strength in 1970, Phù Cát AB's military war dog section had 66 dogs authorized, and 45 dogs assigned. (Photo by US Air Force/PhotoQuest/Getty Images) Please note: images depicting historical events may contain themes, or have descriptions, that do not reflect current understanding. Contact Information. Air Force dog handlers provided a unique and critical capability in defending air bases against attack. Air Force sentry dogs and handlers march in review at Vietnam's Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon, Vietnam, April 26, 1966. . American airman Clifford Davies and his guard dog, Dutchess, standing guard on the flight line at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in Vietnam. $51.99. . Add to Cart. Reeves was a dog handler in Vietnam. This refers to MWD's whose speed, strength, and bite are a cut above the rest. The Handlers & Dogs of SEA Worksheet list all known dogs assigned to Vietnam & Thailand Air Force/Navy bases and some Army dogs used in Vietnam and . All military working dogs and their handlers are trained at the 341 st Training Squadron located at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. She remembered some of the dogs she trained and nights patrolling the base perimeter. Show your Air Force K9 Handler pride with the Air Force K9 Working Dog Handler Performance Digital Camo Hooded Sweatshirt . Air Force dog teams (Kilo Teams) might not be well known outside of Air Force circles, but these dogs and handlers were an important part of America's fighting forces in Vietnam. Alfredo Salazar. She also discussed her struggles with . The two year old black and tan German Shepherd received sentry dog training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Due to lobbying efforts by veteran dog handlers from the Vietnam War, Congress approved a bill allowing veteran US MWDs to be adopted after their military service. Base Diagram in the Welcome to Da Nang Booklet. U.S. Air Force Dog . The U.S. military is increasing its reliance on working dogs. Show your Service Pride with this comfortable and vibrant Hooded Sweatshirt. Charlotte Henry was a U.S. Air Force dog handler during the Vietnam War. He says that if it wasn't for Prince on those two days, his name would be on the monument. National Archives. These dogs are credited with saving more than 10,000 lives. Housed. Type of Memorial: Multi-War Memorial Wars mentioned (Multi-war only): World War II Korean War Vietnam War Iraq Afghanistan In Honor Of: Dedicated to all U.S. Military Working Dog Handlers and their beloved dogs who defend America from harm, defeat the enemy, and save lives. I was 20 years old and weighed 135 pounds; Smokey weighed 90 pounds. At 8 p.m. this Thursday, Feb. 21, Animal Planet will debut GLORY HOUNDS, a two-hour, first-of-its-kind special with Animal Planet's filmmakers and camera crews documenting handlers and military working dogs in some of the most volatile regions of Afghanistan.The show repeats 9 a.m. Feb. 24 ET/PT. Whenever he visits the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., he looks at the names of the soldiers who died on September 12, 1970, and on February 14, 1971. 1320 Truemper Street, STE 2. It's a 120-day course, where basic skills are learned and, at the unit, they learn more. "I said, 'I love dogs.' I've always had a dog … I put my name in, and they sent me to dog school," McClouds said. These service dogs are used in both abroad combat operations and installation security in the U.S. Additionally, other branches of the military ( including the Marine Corps ), also employ dog handlers for various reasons. Vietnam Sentry Dog Alumni. Host events to educate the public about the importance of MWD teams. German Shepherd scout dog "Chief" on patrol in Vietnam.