Ep. 20 Smoky The War Dog - Part 1

Greetings everyone, this is Dave with Mighty Line Minute. Today, I'll be talking about a story some of you may know about others will not. And that's the story of Smoky The War Dog. 

“In the context of the greatest devastation in planet Earth’s history, and the subsequent eradication of over 100 million human beings peopling it, the story about a dog in World War Two is indeed insignificant.”

“But wars, large and small, are made up of millions of stories experienced by those involved in the war itself, or by those remaining at home;” 

And so begins the story of William A Wynne in his 1996. Memoir, Yorkie Doodle Dandy. Bill Wynne from Cleveland, Ohio, was the U.S. Army Air Force Lieutenant who nurtured and became best friend to a four-pound Yorkshire Terrier known as Smoky. Smoky had been found trapped in a foxhole near Nadzab, New Guinea in early March of 1944. 

So why am I telling this story? There are reasons that this will soon become apparent. And at the end of the series, you will understand why Smoky and Bill's role in history is so important.

I met Bill for the first time, 50 some years ago, and remained his close friend throughout the remainder of his life. Bill passed in 2019 at the age of 99, though not before he was able to encourage the Governor of Ohio to reopen a VA care facility. It had been closed to new residents due to short staffing. And he accomplished this from his hospital bed.

Bill was one of those people you would instantly enjoy from the moment you met him. He developed many relationships as everyone wanted to be his friend. His heart of gold seemed to find the best in all. And he enjoyed and found value in each and every day of his life, no matter how difficult. 

Like my own father, they both answered the call to serve during World War II and were raised similarly. My father was deployed in the U.S. Army Infantry in the Philippines. Bill served in the Army Air Force, where he was an aerial reconnaissance photographer throughout the Southwest Pacific. 

Bill had the rare opportunity to keep his personal collection of rare photography that later became an important part of his legacy. 

Smoky's final resting place is only about a mile away from Mighty Line's headquarters in Rocky River, Ohio. It's a lovely walk on a beautiful day and the Smoky Memorial can be located on a map search if you'd like to visit the Cleveland area MetroParks.

Other memorials to Smoky exist throughout the world, including Brisbane, Australia and the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. 

Smoky was aptly named by Bill for her smoky-gray hair, and soon became an entertainer trained by Bill. She was a fast learner, able to select her own name from disarranged letters, ride her own scooter, and walk on a carefully and safely constructed two cable tight wire. Comfort and healing were soon provided by this dynamic duo to servicemen who were recovering in military hospitals. A serviceman who had been unable to speak for many months began to speak once again after Smoky was handed to him, put in his arms as nurses cried. 

Smoky flew on numerous combat and reconnaissance missions with Bill, and was soon named Mascot of the Southwest Pacific by YANK Magazine Down Under in its July 1944 issue. 

Post-war Bill and Smoky continued their service by visiting hospitals, orphanages and performing at live events and many venues. After a stint in Hollywood training dogs, including a film with Ronald Reagan, Bill returned to Cleveland to appear with Smoky on weekly live television that featured many of Smoky's tricks.

Bill was proud to say that with every show Smoky appeared with a new trick. Bill was always pleased to note that with every show on those Sunday mornings a new trick was performed by Smoky. 

Smoky, however, may be best known for her role in delivering a critical communication line. This line was delivered through a silt-laden, 70 foot drain pipe located beneath an active Lingayen Gulf airstrip. Large number of planes and personnel would otherwise have been exposed to certain enemy aircraft fire in the event of the excavation that would have otherwise been required to deliver the communication line. 

Bill was proud that Smoky became known as the first therapy dog of record. This was due to her early well-documented and photographed roles in military hospitals. Especially as she served to support those suffering from PTSD. 

You can actually hear Bill with Smoky, communicate from the Philippines, along with the American Red Cross in the short film "Angel in a Foxhole" that was produced and now streams on Vimeo.

So why is Smoky's story important? Smoky has certainly generated an immense following in the dog world. Even more importantly, in the human caring for mankind. Smoky through Bill provided a means by which Bill himself was able to move through a difficult time in World War II, including times where Smoky saved his life. You can read Yorkie Doodle Dandy to learn more about those stories. 

Smoky and Bill went on to serve and further encourage the therapy dog movement, providing significant support to the PTSD support world. 

In the words of one film festival reviewer, "God sent down one of his angels in the perfect disguise as man's best friend." And so we have it. Smoky's mark on the world, summed up in 15 words.

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Have a safe day, and as Smoky did, make sure it's a pleasant one and meaningful one for all whom you'll be with. Take care.