The World War II Marine Corps War Dog Handlers

During World War II, there were a total of seven Marine War Dog platoons, trained at Camp Lejuene, North Carolina. All of the dog platoons served in the Pacific in the war against the Japanese.

By war’s end, 1,047 dogs served as ‘Devil Dogs’ stateside and in campaigns from Bougainville to Okinawa and in all Marine Corps divisions; 29 dogs were killed in action, 25 on Guam alone. They all served honorably.

The dogs were only one half of the “team,” the other half, a man. More than 60 years later, we are in 2008, celebrating the Centennial of the Doberman Pinscher as an AKC recognized purebred dog in the United States.

These dogs are all long since gone from this life, and so too, are many of the Marine Corps War Dog handlers.

However, we are fortunate to have many of those still alive, to join us, honoring this most spectacular breed. No two stories are alike. Each man, and dog, different in their upbringing – brought together to fight for America’s honor. All did so with distinction.

They may not have gotten the recognition by medals or awards at war’s end, but each one is a true hero. We, members of the Doberman Pinscher Club of America, want to honor them now.

Here in these pages you will get a glimpse of each one. We hope to help tell their story. We wish you to appreciate these first hand accounts of our dogs in action.

You can click on any of the names below to read their amazing stories

Lawrence Schurz · Francis Pastusic · Bruce Wellington · Thurman Clark · Kenneth Shepperd · Samuel Harvey Winstead · Robert Forsyth · Ed Adamski · Frank Sutton · Dale Quillen · John Mahoney · Walter Marx · Ivan Hamilton · Richard Reinauer · Earl Wright · Cyril O'Brien