480-675-0112

One of the most important roles for dogs in wartime was to enhance moral. Soldiers missed their own pets and were eager for a distraction – specially a furry one. These dogs were not officially sanctioned or trained but were adopted by various units for their companionship. One such dog was the chief morale officer on a Coast Guard-manned medical transport ship that brought back casualties from Europe in WWII. “Doc Sunshine” helped the wounded soldiers forget their injuries and the war. All day long, “Doc” made his rounds from bunk to bunk, generating smiles as he visited the injured men. In the picture he is cheering up returning soldiers with shrapnel and German machine-gun wounds.