In the jungles of Vietnam, some of America’s most loyal companions weren’t human at all—they were dogs. Serving alongside soldiers, these four-legged allies carried out vital missions: uncovering hidden booby traps, standing guard over camps, moving ahead to scout terrain, and even carrying messages through combat zones. Their heightened senses gave troops an edge no piece of technology could provide. Again and again, they risked danger to protect their handlers, often at the cost of their own safety. Even today, veterans honor their memory, recognizing these dogs as lasting symbols of bravery, devotion, and selfless sacrifice.
Not the first war dogs
Dogs have long played a role in warfare, but it wasn’t until World War II that the U.S. began officially training dogs for combat duties. Between 1943 and 1945, the Marine Corps began preparing dogs—especially Doberman Pinschers—for service in the Pacific, where they took on crucial responsibilities like carrying messages and guarding camps. Their effectiveness on the battlefield quickly earned them a place as essential military assets.
This early success laid the foundation for the reintroduction of K9 units during the Vietnam War. Though official documentation is limited, it’s believed that approximately 5,000 dogs were deployed from 1968 onward, supported by close to 10,000 trained handlers. Tragically, unlike their human counterparts, many of these dogs never returned home. Instead, they were either left behind or reassigned, a somber reminder of the deep but often overlooked cost of war.
Use as tracking dogs in Vietnam
Labrador Retrievers were one of the dog breeds used in Vietnam, mainly for tracking. They were trained to alert their handlers to snipers, tripwires, and hidden weapons. Vietnam War veteran Rick Claggett explained that they were especially good at following blood trails. A typical Lab team was made up of the dog, its handler, a cover man, the team leader, and a visual tracker, and they were sent out when troops needed to find a wounded enemy or a missing person.
Labradors were chosen over other breeds like Beagles and Bloodhounds because they made less noise.
In Australia, K9 units were created using 11 shelter dogs adopted from Sydney. These dogs were named after Roman emperors and were expected to serve in Vietnam for three years. While they sometimes worked with American troops, the main breed used by the Australians was the German Shepherd.
Sentry and scouting duties
During the Vietnam War, military dogs demonstrated remarkable versatility, undertaking a variety of important roles such as sentry duty, scouting, mining, tunneling, and tracking. Rick Claggett, who worked with Big Boy, one of these expertly trained canine scouts, recalled their primary task: leading patrols through fields. These dogs were meticulously trained to detect booby traps and ambushes by scent, a skill that made their position at the forefront of such missions particularly dangerous. According to Claggett, this role carried the third-highest mortality rate during the conflict.
Sentry dogs were deployed to patrol the perimeters of U.S. outposts, acting as the first line of defense against enemy forces. German Shepherds were also used in water patrols, using their keen senses to detect enemy soldiers concealed underwater, ready to attack amphibious craft. The exceptional effectiveness of these teams made them valuable targets for Viet Cong guerrillas, who offered bounties for both the dogs and their handlers, even going so far as to attack their kennels to claim the rewards.
Nemo A534
Few accounts capture the loyalty between a soldier and his dog as vividly as the story of Nemo A534 and his handler, Captain Robert Throneburg.
On December 4, 1966, while patrolling Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Nemo detected Viet Cong fighters concealed nearby and alerted Throneburg. A firefight erupted, during which they neutralized two enemies but suffered grave injuries—Throneburg was struck twice in the shoulder, and Nemo was shot through the muzzle, the bullet tearing from below his eye and out through his mouth.
Even so, Nemo refused to abandon his partner. Bloodied and struggling, he crawled to Throneburg and shielded him with his own body, snarling at anyone who approached until medics could safely intervene. That act of devotion likely saved Throneburg’s life. The captain went on to receive the Bronze Star with Valor and two Purple Hearts, while Nemo was returned to the United States. Retired from combat, he continued serving as a recruiting dog—standing as a living emblem of courage and loyalty.
Man’s best friend
These dog/handler teams were invaluable to the war effort in Vietnam. They were credited with saving the lives of around 10,000 servicemen, thanks to their various roles in the conflict. James Mulligan handled scout dog Rickey, who “never walked our patrol into an ambush or any booby traps. He alerted on 45 ambushes, five in one day.”
While these actions were appreciated by the men that served alongside them, these dogs weren’t made a priority when the war came to an end. Of the roughly 5,000 that served, around 232 were killed in action (KIA) and another 200 were assigned to posts outside of the US. The remainder were either left in the hands of the Vietnamese or abandoned. At least 2,000 were simply euthanized.
The US government viewed them as “equipment” and didn’t want to fund their trips home. Having built such strong bonds, many soldiers wanted to bring their comrades back to the US with them, but were still told no, despite repeated appeals to Congress and the press.
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The service performed by these canines never went forgotten, and there are countless interviews with veteran handlers who still remember their partnerships fondly. In 2019, they were publicly remembered when the Vietnam War Dog Team Memorial was unveiled at Motts Military Museum, Inc. in Ohio.