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2nd out of 65 books
—
10 voters
Always Faithful: A Memoir of the Marine Dogs of WWII
As a twenty-three-year-old veterinarian, William W. Putney joined the Marine Corps at the height of World War II. He commanded the Third Dog Platoon during the battle for Guam and later served as chief veterinarian and commanding officer of the War Dog Training School, where he helped train former pets for war in the Pacific. After the war, he fought successfully to have U...more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
October 1st 2003
by Potomac Books
(first published May 16th 2001)
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I'd love to meet this guy and shake his hand. I'm not a cryer... no real reason, I just don't "do" crying from books or movies.... usually. I teared up numerous times while reading this.
Putney managed to make me feel like I knew each dog he wrote about. His love for this animals shone like a beacon and that goes right to the heart of any animal lover.
I wish I could say that I'd recommend this to anyone but I wouldn't. Almost, but not quite. I think a love of the military or interest in WWII or...more
Putney managed to make me feel like I knew each dog he wrote about. His love for this animals shone like a beacon and that goes right to the heart of any animal lover.
I wish I could say that I'd recommend this to anyone but I wouldn't. Almost, but not quite. I think a love of the military or interest in WWII or...more
view all 7 comments
Dec 19, 2011
Tasha
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
dogs,
world-war-2-military
The writing itself was a 3 star read, so that's what I chose to rate it. A good read but not spectacular. However, the story itself and the author's love, bravery and tenacity towards these brave dog heroes is a 5 star rating in my book. A great story and one that I think many may not be aware of today. MANY dogs were shipped overseas and naturally played the role of protector, warrior, hero and friend to our brave soldiers, literally saving many lives. Not all returned but because of William Pu...more
I read this after seeing it referenced in Sergeant Rex. It's the story of the Marine Working Dogs unit developed in WW2 to keep the Marines from being surprised by Japanese ambushes and attacks. The author enlisted in the Marine Corps before the war and was assigned to the Dog Corps to develop the first scout dogs used by the Marines. With the help of a Hollywood trainer and their ingenuity they developed the training practices that led to the Marines using the dogs in the invasion of Guam. The...more
All in all an enjoyable book although the content is the draw here, as opposed to the actual prose. It would also be a good idea to have a fairly good working knowledge of WWII history, as the author hits on many places and events but doesn't go into explicit detail explaining them.
The animals the book focuses on are truly some amazing creatures. The danger they faced was incredible, as it was usually the dog and his or her handler leading patrols. Even the environment was dangerous, Dobermans a...more
The animals the book focuses on are truly some amazing creatures. The danger they faced was incredible, as it was usually the dog and his or her handler leading patrols. Even the environment was dangerous, Dobermans a...more
No offense to Capt. Putney - he has a great story to tell, he just doesn't know how to tell it. Harris Done's documentary film, War Dogs of the Pacific, tells the same story and breaks your heart. Putney seems more concerned about recording the details. From his actions, it's obvious he cares very deeply about the dogs and the men who worked with them in World War II but he has a difficult time expressing his emotions in the printed word. Still, it's an interesting part of history and carried a...more
Apr 02, 2013
Christie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
world-war-ii,
biography
This is such an extraordinary account of the role that Marine Dogs played in WWII. More than that, this a heartwarming and, at times, a heartbreaking journey that explains how the bond between a soldier and his dog was forged from training through deployment and then battle. Dr. Putney's role in the training and care of these dogs was crucial in the success of the Marine War Dogs Corps. Throughout history dogs have served gallantly in battle and during the deadly battles that took place in Guam...more
I really enjoyed this book because it combined two of my favorite subjects: dogs and WWII. It was so interesting to go through all the months of hard training the dogs were put through with combat simulation, and the wonderful care that Putney, a veterinarian/Marine, gave to the dogs. The dogs weren't always treated with the greatest respect by the higher command levels, as they were considered to be property, not living creatures with needs. And, finally to get shipped into the Pacific with the...more
Great look at the first War Dogs used in the Military. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much positive training was used on the program! Heartbreaking at times as expected for a book about war.
Mar 20, 2011
Shayla
added it
This book told the amazing true story of men and their dogs and the close bonds they formed. From the long-lost mascot Bobby to the couragous messanger dog Missy, this book had many tales to tell.
A delightful and factual book about the dogs used by the U.S. Marines in the Pacific during World War II. It also tells what happened to many of them after their combat days were over.
Didn't know about the Dog Corps. Teared up a bunch of times in this book.
Amazing to think how these dogs saved so many lives. A very interesting book, well worth reading
Recommended by author MikeDowling, Sergeant Rex.
very interesting
The untold story of Marine war dogs and their handlers in the Pacific during WW II. A good read for those who want to understand what military dogs undergo. The dogs and their handlers become like married couples.
Wonderful story of the Marine Corps dogs that served during WWII
I love animals and loved this book. It was really amazing to learn about the part that average american pets (dogs) played in World War II. This was a real tear jerker.
May 04, 2013
Erin
marked it as to-read
Apr 22, 2013
Joyce
marked it as to-read
Mar 23, 2013
Vicki Umphlett
marked it as to-read
Mar 03, 2013
Glen Watanabe
added it
Feb 02, 2013
Laura Batten
marked it as to-read
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