War Dos Also Served with the 33rd
by Bill Endicott

Luzon -1945 - "More than 200 combat patrols during the period of March 9th to May 23rd - More than 200 known enemy killed by patrols after advancing into areas alerted by dogs. Any number of times, patrols were saved from ambush by the alertness of the dogs and their handlers. " Thus reads the citation of the 39th Infantry's Scout Dog Platoon, made by the 33rd Division. Two deaths in action, one of handler and one of a dog, are on the 39th's Roll of Honor.

Point men on patrol with a dog lead. Photo: Henry van Westrop.

"Jap spider holes were well covered," van Westrop remembers. "One could walk over one and not know it. Then they would stand up and shoot you in the back. The dogs solved that problem. I was on patrol with a company one day and we were walking a ridge line, that I thought was kinda nuts. The dog handler leading the patrol said don't worry, the dog would let us know if Japs were around. Later we flushed a bunch of them who took off down the side of the mountain. The patrol opened up on that one Jap; then plastered the area with mortars to get the others."

When an assault patrol was given the mission of locating and destroying an enemy machine gun emplacement, Sgt. Knisley and his German Shepard, Danny, took the point. Twice the dog alerted, and scouts moved forward but were unable to spot the well-hidden nest. Then the handler volunteered to lead the patrol as close as possible. Slowly and cautiously they moved up. Danny alerted very strongly, and the sergeant pointed out the gun's exact position. But, in the fight that eliminated it, Knisely was killed. He was awarded the Silver Star posthumously.

Wolf, another shepard, was leading an infantry patrol through the Caraballo Mountains toward the strategic Balete Pass, when he scented a Jap party entrenched on a hill about 150 yards distant. The patrol launched a surprise attack. In the engagement that followed, Wolf was severely wounded by shell fragments. Since he never whimpered or showed signs of pain, the men around him failed to notice that he had been hit. As the firing increased in intensity, the troops realized they were heavily outnumbered and were being encircled. Again Wolf and his handler took the point. Three times Wolf's alerts enabled the patrol to avoid Jap columns closing in on it. Wounded though he was, Wolf finally guided the troops out of the trap and back to their CP. When the gallant animal's wounds were discovered, an emergency operation was performed but could not save him.

Dutchess #7H74 also was a member of the 39th Scout Dog Platoon. On April 30,1945 Dutchess, handled by Sgt. Knight, was on patrol with the 123rd's 3rd Battalion. Their mission was to inspect Jap cave emplacements. On approaching a large one, the dog was loosed to go to the entrance. At this point she gave a strong alert. Grenades were tossed into the cave, after which the patrol moved on. A return to the site the next day revealed 33 Japanese dead in the cave.

On another patrol Dutchess and Sgt. Knight were with the same unit. Dutchess alerted on some Filipino huts, 800 yards away. Cautiously moving up, the patrol discovered the presence of the enemy. Mortar and machine gun fire accounted for nine Japanese killed.

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