The newly unveiled U.S. Military Working Dog Teams National Monument is seen at Joint1 Base San Antonio-Lackland, in San Antonio, Texas October 28, 2013.
为表彰军犬在战时所做的牺牲与贡献，10月28日，美国军方为这些和军人一起出生入死的“挚友”竖立的首座国家纪念碑揭幕。
JBSA-Lackland is the home to the Department of
Defense2 Military Working Dog Program and is where the U.S. Armed Forces has been training its military working dog teams since 1958. The United States' first national monument to a soldier's best friend, recognizing the sacrifices of dogs in combat, was
dedicated3 by the U.S. Military on Monday. SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - The United States' first national monument to a soldier's best friend, recognizing the sacrifices of dogs in combat, was dedicated by the U.S. military on Monday.
Inscribed4 with the words "
Guardians5 of America's Freedom," the nine-foot tall bronze statue at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, features four dogs and a handler.
"These dogs were
patriots6 just as much as anybody else who served," said military dog handler John
Baker7 of Fallon, Nevada, whose 212th Military Police Company Detachment A was known as "Hell on Paws."
Lackland is home to the U.S. Armed Forces center that has trained dogs for all branches of the military since 1958.
The sculpture, built with private donations, features the four major breeds used since World War Two: Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, and Belgian Malinois.
In World War I, a bulldog named Stubby helped
sniff8 out poison gas, was promoted to
sergeant9, decorated for bravery by General John Pershing, and became the
mascot10 for Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
During World War II and in Korea and Vietnam, dogs were used as
sentries11,
scouts13, and trackers. In Iraq and Afghanistan, dogs have detected
improvised14 explosive devises (IEDs) and roadside explosives.
Larry Buehner, who served in Vietnam as a platoon
scout12 with the Army's First
Cavalry15 Division, said he is alive because of his military dog.
"Callie saved my life on at least one occasion," he said on Monday of the dog that accompanied him and his unit on jungle patrols.
John Burnam, who handled dogs during the war in Vietnam, said he got the idea for a memorial after military officials
decided16 not to let dogs working in Vietnam return to the United States with their handlers.
"They were heroes, and they were left to die," said Burnam, who has written two books about combat dogs.
"Dog units are worth a million dollars for everything they do ... You can't say enough, you can't give enough
accolades17（赞美，表扬） to them."
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