Tails of Bravery

As long as there have been wars, animals have joined their human companions on the battlefield. But a few have served so bravely they’ve been memorialized at the Smithsonian. In honor of these furry and feathered war heroes, we bring you the tales of dogs, cats, and birds who went above and beyond the call of duty.

Transcript

Guests: 

• Jennifer Jones, curator of military history at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History 
• Frank Blazich, curator of military history at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History 
• Ann Bausum, author of Stubby the War Dog and Sergeant Stubby: How a Stray Dog and His Best Friend Helped Win WWI and Stole the Heart of a Nation 
• Scot Christenson, author of Cats in the Navy 
• Chris Willingham, president of the United States War Dogs Association 

Smithsonian Links:

• Discover more details about Cher Ami and the "Lost Battalion" from Smithsonian Magazine and season seven of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum’s AirSpace podcast.
• Cher Ami may arguably be the most famous pigeon in the world, but for many years it was unclear if the bird was male or female! See how scientists from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute got to the bottom of the case in 2001.
• Take an up-close look at Sergeant Stubby’s uniform and decorations with photographs from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
• While Stubby was a stowaway, thousands of dogs were recruited by the U.S. Army during World War II. Learn about the Dogs for Defense program and see related objects from the Smithsonian’s collections.