This week saw the second presentation of the Animals in War and Peace Medal Presentation which highlights and recognizes the bravery and sacrifice of animals in our society.

  The Medal of Bravery, which was instituted in 2019 and the newly inaugurated Distinguished Service Medal were awarded to six recipients at the ceremony on Capitol Hill on Wednesday afternoon (March 9 2022).

  The medals were presented by members of Congress and were followed by a procession of service animals from a wide range of sectors, including law enforcement, the fire department, therapy and search and rescue dogs.

  Our own president, Chris Willingham, played a key role in this year’s celebrations, as a member of the leadership committee. On the awards, Chris said: “These awards align with our mission at US War Dogs as they shine a well-deserved spotlight on the incredible role of animals in society, including that of military working dogs. The event highlighted a number of awe-inspiring stories spanning over 70 years, from World War II and Vietnam to the actions of dogs serving our country today.

  “A number of the US War Dogs team joined me at the event and we were honored to be a part of this historic occasion.”

  War Dogs Honored

  Three military working dogs were awarded the Medal of Bravery, including Nemo – the US Air Force scout dog who served in Vietnam. While charging an enemy ambush in 1966, Nemo was shot twice. Despite his horrific injuries, he managed to crawl back to his handler – who had also been shot – and protect him until help arrived.

  US Marine Corps multi-purpose canine (MPC), Ziggy was also honored for his actions across five international deployments. Ziggy’s owner and former Marine Corps dog handler, Sean Hemphill, accompanied him to the ceremony and was proud to witness his decoration.

  Also added to the Medal of Bravery’s roll of honor was Navy Seal Dog, Cairo, who was posthumously awarded for his distinguished career, including the role he played in Operation Neptune Spear – the world-famous operation that successfully eliminated Osama Bin Laden.

  Previous MWD recipients of the Medal of Bravery include US Marine Corps specialized search dog (SSD), Lucca and MPC Bass – handled and owned by our very own Chris Willingham and Alex Schnell, respectively.

  New Silverware

  The Animals in War and Peace Distinguished Service Medal was awarded for the first time this year, to three recipients, including former US Secret Service dog, Hurricane, who successfully stopped a fence jumper from entering the White House, during a security breach in 2014 and US Coast Guard bomb detection dog, Feco. Hungarian Vizsla, Feco has completed over 1,300 separate searches across the Bay area – helping to keep the California coastline safe and secure.

  WWII dog, Smoky, was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for the role that she played as a constant companion to Bill Wynne, who served with the Fifth Air Force Battalion, in New Guinea and the Philippines. The tiny Yorkshire Terrier, racked up 12 sorties and was labelled the ‘first therapy dog of record’ by Animal Planet.