A Dog With a Destiny

by Isabel George

  * * *

  The day President Franklin D. Roosevelt died, a nation mourned and Harry Truman took on the mantle of President of the United States of America and Commander-in-Chief of the military. The troops looked to him to bring the war in the Pacific to a swift and satisfactory end.

  The realities of living in a war zone were often too close and Smoky and all the other adopted menagerie of animals were constantly under threat from the heat and various diseases which could descend suddenly and kill within days. The moment Bill got wind that there was another threat in the camp, he isolated Smoky from every other creature in the place. Bill was disturbed one morning at about 3 a.m. by the sound of digging. It turned out that it was his friend Frank Petrilak and another friend digging a grave. The small, deep hole in the earth was for Smoky’s pup Topper. He was only six months old when he died. The disease claimed the lives of thirty squadron dogs in one week. Only four survived; Smoky was one of them.

  On 5 February 1945, a 1st Cavalry American tank liberated over 3,000 prisoners of war being held at the Santo Tomas internment camp. The crew opened the gates with a blast from the tank’s guns and the prisoners, mostly American, poured out. They were the first Americans in the invasion force to land on Manila. Tears of gratitude and relief lined their faces. It seemed appropriate that the Red Cross should move onto the site and transform the former prison camp into a general army hospital. It was also appropriate that the Red Cross send an invitation to their old friends Bill and Smoky to come and entertain the patients. Bill and Smoky wasted no time in boarding a truck bound for Santo Tomas where they were welcomed with open arms by the Red Cross nurses.

  Taking very little equipment with him, Bill was still able to put on a show for fifteen wards. Each time, the show was a standing ovation success. Walking through the legs (the grapevine), playing dead and singing a few old Forces favourites brought smiles to many faces, providing the kind of medicine you cannot buy in a bottle. Photographs were taken and Smoky was interviewed on American Red Cross in Manila radio.

  Back home, Bill’s beloved Margi was able to see her man and Smoky in the newspapers and hear them on the radio. Others in the squadron started to receive letters from loved ones saying how they had seen the wonderful mascot dog, Smoky, on the news and once again Bill had a celebrity on his hands.

  The war in Europe was over but it continued on Luzon where the casualties of the war were evident every day. In the North, a 40,000-strong Japanese Force was defending this slice of the Philippines. It was reported that the American losses on Luzon were high with over 8,000 killed in action, almost 30,000 injured and 157 missing. Japanese losses were higher at over 170,000 killed. The campaign on Luzon was indicative of the way the war was going. And for Bill and Smoky, the American advance on retaking territory from the enemy meant a move out to Okinawa to assist the planned invasion of Japan. It was July 1945 and the men and dogs of 26th Photo Recon Squadron were being briefed by their commanding officer ahead of being shipped out.

  ‘We must strip ourselves of many personal possessions,’ they were told, ‘and no animals will be permitted to go.’

  Bill’s heart sank. But he need not have worried. Smoky’s reputation as a war dog was as well known as her profile as mascot.

  ‘… All except Smoky. She has been with us a long time as squadron mascot and she doesn’t take up much space.’

  Many of the men still smuggled their own pet friends aboard the troop ship but it was good for Bill to hear that Smoky was so highly regarded that she was now an official passenger and he no longer had to think of ingenious ways to stow her aboard. After distributing their belongings amongst the local people who had been such good friends and neighbours, the GIs boarded trucks bound for the docks and ships that would take them to Subic Bay where they would join the rest of the convoy awaiting orders for the invasion. A United States submarine guarded the fleet and smoke screens clouded the view of them from the sky.

  Okinawa, along with Iwo Jima, had witnessed some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacific War. The Japanese increased the use of kamikaze planes in an effort to save their experienced pilots for other offensives. It also achieved their other goal – to inflict maximum damage on the Allies. Over 10,000 American Marines and sailors were killed on land and in the water surrounding these islands. The more the Japanese refused to surrender, the more strategic the bombing of Japanese cities became. Under the US Army Air Forces General Curtis May, sixty-four cities were destroyed by B-29 firebombing raids.

  But the kamikaze planes had done their worst against the Allies and the mood on Okinawa was sombre and uncertain; no one knew what was going to happen next. All Bill knew was that he had to keep Smoky safe and happy until they could travel home to Cleveland, Ohio. Standing in the chow line, the only certain thing was that it would be bully beef on the menu. But that was always fine for Smoky. No one would ever hear a complaint from her about food, she just ate whatever she was given. As the men joked over their mascot’s eating habits, Bill noticed a yellow teletype message fluttering on the notice board. The message said that one B-29 Superfortress had dropped an atom bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. An estimated 45,000 people had died as a result. More teletype messages came throughout the day and the men were told how the American planes had dropped leaflets telling people to evacuate the city but the Japanese had refused to agree to an unconditional surrender. Two days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

  On 15 August 1945, Imperial Japan surrendered to the Allies. The formal instrument of surrender was signed on 2 September 1945 on the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The surrender was accepted by General Douglas MacArthur as Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers and representatives of several other Allied nations. MacArthur remained in Tokyo to oversee the post-war development of the country. But for the soldiers on the ground, there was a lot of work still to do and thousands of people to get home – including Bill and his devoted Smoky.

  The war was over. In Okinawa, Bill and his fellow GIs felt honoured to be a small part of the peace process. From their campsite, they witnessed the arrival of the Japanese envoys on Le Shima. By order of the US Army, the white bombers would have large green crosses painted on them and be accompanied by six P-38s. From Okinawa they would fly to Manila and board the USS Missouri. Standing with Smoky under his arm watching this historic moment, Bill could feel the fear and anxiety of the past two years start to ebb away. When the P-38s came into view someone close to Bill shouted, ‘It’s over! Damn – it’s over!’ Bill laughed, feeling the relief of it all. He held Smoky close to his face and she gave him the biggest of kisses. The hand grenades that lined the barbed wire fence around the camp were removed. There was no need for them now. As the reality of the surrender began to sink in it automatically brought thoughts of home.

  Leaving behind a traumatic part of your life can bring both elation and sadness. The joy brought by peace was undeniable but the recollections of friends lost in action was sometimes unbearable. Casualties incurred by 26th Photo Recon Squadron were among the highest in the 5th Air Force Recon Squadrons: thirteen dead, ten wounded or injured. Those who did make it through were thanking whoever they prayed to for keeping them safe. Bill and Smoky included.

  Once again, the Red Cross sought out Bill and Smoky to perform for the troops. Bill was determined not to let anyone down this time. It was his last chance to show the men what Corporal Bill Wynne and Corporal Smoky could do. The performance at the servicemen’s recreation hall was a hands down success and every trick, old and new, was performed perfectly. It was a good way to celebrate peace and comradeship and the contribution of the little dog who meant so much to so many people. The timing was perfect as everyone was destined for different postings. Most of the 5th Air Force was going to Japan. Some were going back to the States and others, including Bill and Smoky were assigned to Korea. A long ocean journey lay ahead and that was something he was not looking forward to. Instead, Bill decided to stay behind with t
he other dog owners and fly out later and there was still a great deal of work to do before they could leave Okinawa. The photo lab, E2 building, was left intact but the supplies were destroyed. Bill’s friend John Hembury was still there with his dog, Duke, and another GI, Zeitlin, was there with his adopted sickly puppy and Smoky had developed a sinus problem so a vet’s service would have been really really helpful. The 4th Marine War Dog Platoon was based less than a mile away so Bill decided to walk there in the hope that there would be a vet on site. The medic on duty came up with a cure for Smoky’s sinus problem: a mixture of fresh milk and eggs. Before he left, Bill decided to take a look around the kennels. He wanted to meet the other war dogs, all of whom had experienced a war far more violent and disturbing than Smoky’s. Bill was told about the one German Shepherd whose master had been killed in a foxhole; the dog had refused to leave the body. One of the soldiers managed to get the dog to move, but he had to beat him to do it.

  At the mess hall, Bill was faced with powdered eggs and milk, but nothing fresh to give Smoky. It was all he had so he gave it a try. Smoky lapped it up without a murmur. For three days Bill continued with the mixture and, like a miracle, Smoky recovered.

  The outcome was not so good for Zeitlin’s sickly puppy. His shakes and convulsions were getting worse and everyone was convinced that he should be put out of his misery. So, with great emotion, the three men set about their sombre task. They tied the puppy to a post at the bottom of a hole and then Zeitlin took out his pistol. It was over in seconds. In silence, the men shovelled earth over the tiny body.

  The trauma of war was over but there was always the force of nature to contend with in that part of the world. A typhoon was due and the remaining men had to tie everything down. When the winds hit at 11 a.m., the tent stood up to the test. By 5 a.m., the wind direction changed and everything was swept into the sky – including Smoky. Bill was carrying his cot with Smoky on top when the wind took both, spiralling into the air. He caught the cot and Smoky, trapping the cot against a wall to stop it taking flight again. Sheets of corrugated metal sliced through the air and everyone kept their heads down as they staggered to take shelter in the mess hall. Typhoons always came in twos and the second hit with a force of wind and rain that kept everyone wet for days.

  The island was littered with caves and this seemed a good time for Bill and Smoky to check one of them out. They had to be the perfect shelter in a storm, after all. Bill knew that some of the caves were used as family tombs so wasn’t surprised to find a selection of ceremonial pots laid out inside. He felt slightly awkward moving them but he needed to make room for himself and Smoky to lie down. What seemed like a good idea at the time turned into the most disturbed night’s sleep Bill had known for some time. Smoky sensed something in the cave and had fits of barking all night and Bill could hear voices. They were happy to get back to the mess hall for some peace and quiet. There was a general sense that it was time to go and so Bill and the others decided to hitch a lift to Korea on any plane going. Most of the C-46 cargo planes were damaged in the typhoons but there was one with wings intact that was flying out that day. Bill and Hembury, Smoky and Duke made sure they were on it and bound for Seoul.

  Bill and Smoky landed at Kimpo Airfield to discover their squadron had been billeted in barracks vacated by Japanese troops. It was October and the new accommodation felt luxurious in comparison with their digs in the Tropics. An escort Jeep had transferred them to their new temporary home, deep in the countryside. The cold was as difficult to live with as the intense heat of the jungle had been. The copious blankets and the two pot-bellied stoves in the dorms were a godsend. Smoky hated the cold and spent most of her time in Bill’s arms or in his cot. Korea was now a holding station for US servicemen waiting to receive the long-awaited order to go home. There was time to fill and as always Bill used some of it to teach Smoky new tricks. In tidying his bag to make room for a few Japanese souvenirs (swords, bayonets, rifles and pistols were on offer) he rediscovered the large cardboard letters that he had made to teach Smoky how to spell her name. He took it as a sign to try it all over again. But this time Smoky had a surprise in store for her master. He might have tried to fool her by mixing up the letters for her to find but this time she was on the ball. S-M-O-K-Y … there it was, every letter selected perfectly. Bill was so proud and there was a round of applause from the small but appreciative audience. Bill hugged Smoky so tight that he left her in no doubt that he was delighted with her performance which she repeated again and again each time to a standing ovation.

  On the way home, Bill’s main fear was concealing Smoky for the journey. This time, a gas mask bag came in handy and with some adaptation – zippered openings back and front – Smoky was able to practise going in and coming out of the bag to order. Bill wanted to take most of the show equipment back home too but the new barrack bags were not made with transporting circus equipment in mind. It was one bag per man and that was going to be difficult for some. Orders to depart came and went for Bill and Smoky but finally on 1 November 1946 it was their turn. Bill wrote home to say they were lining up for their last serving of army chow – it was quite a moment for the men and, if Smoky had realized the significance of the moment it would have been for her too, especially as all the meat she had known for the past two years was bully beef from a can. Getting to the US would mean a whole new life for Smoky and a new diet too. But first she had to get aboard the troop ship which was due to leave at 7 a.m. The excitement in the camp was almost tangible. Bill was understandably nervous – after all, army regulations stated, ‘No dog or mascot will go back to the US on a War Department ship.’ It was that clear. And it was the clarity that scared Bill the most. But he had a plan and Smoky had the routine in hand so he could not do any more. When the call to move out came at 3.30 a.m., Bill and Smoky were ready for their breakfast of pancakes and salty bacon before joining the horde of jolly GIs ready to board the collection of motor pool trucks waiting to take them to the Air Corps meeting point. From there they would change trucks for Inchon Harbour.

  Bill spent the twenty-five-mile journey to the harbour worrying about Smoky. For weeks he had heard how some dogs had been ordered to stay behind and others thrown overboard when discovered on a troop ship. And she wasn’t the only mascot being smuggled out. The big dog, Duke, was with Shorty Randall, as Hembury did not have a home suitable for such a big pet. Another GI had a monkey in his ammo box. To help bolster Smoky’s case, Bill had a collection of photographs showing her visiting hospitals, with the men around the camp and entertaining the troops. Maybe all of this would allow this special dog to travel home in peace. Lining up to go aboard the landing barges, Bill handed his friend the bag with Smoky hiding inside. The man had hurt his back so could not carry his barrack bag but he could hold Smoky. She was wearing her specially adapted turtleneck jumper made from a sleeve so she would be warm for the journey. As the launches approached the troop ship USS General W.M.H. Gordon it dawned on them that they were really going home. Now was the moment of truth. He watched Randall stagger with Duke in his arms as they transferred from the launch. The officer in charge was shouting something but Bill could not hear what and feared the worst. Moments later, he saw the same officer gesture Randall to board the ship. Bill breathed a sigh of relief. All he needed now was for Smoky to stay still as his friend Piwarski took the bag through. Everything was going fine until Bill stumbled. He dropped one of the barrack bags but just about managed to trap it between his knees. Everyone was eager to get aboard and Bill was heckled to get a move on! The officer moved forward to help and in all the confusion Smoky came aboard without a hitch. The sleeping quarters were three decks down, so taking Smoky back from his friend, he went in search of the bunk furthest away from everyone and let Smoky out of her bag for a scamper on the bed. Few people knew Smoky was on board and Bill wanted to keep it that way until they were well out to sea. It took all night to load 5,000 men and their equipment.

  Eventually they set off, th
e horn sounding their departure. Not far out to sea, the weather turned and the ship was tossed on the waves like a toy in a bath. Bill could not find his sea legs and for the next three days out of the twelve-day journey he was unable to eat or sleep. He heard that Randall had been summoned to the troop commander’s office and told to take his dog ashore. Fortunately, the ship’s captain was a dog lover and intervened before Randall was forced to carry out the orders. It turned out the crew had a few stowaway dogs stored safely below decks. Now Duke had joined the lucky ones. But it wasn’t all over for Bill and Smoky yet. The ship’s address system bellowed: ‘All men on board who have brought either dogs or monkeys, report to the ship’s office immediately.’ It seemed that their time was up and Bill felt too ill to put up a fight.

  Five men stood before the troop commander. ‘No dogs and especially no monkeys go back on this ship,’ he said. These dogs had meant so much to their individual units that the men were not going to let this beat them. The troop commander had tried all he could to put the men off but it did not work. It just made the men more determined than ever.

  By chance, Smoky was seen by a Navy lieutenant walking around below deck. He asked to see her master and then her papers. Surely this was the moment Bill and Smoky’s luck would finally run out. But no, with an agreement to pay the bond and to sign an oath stating that the General Gordon was cleared of any responsibility for the dog, they got away with it. It was a very lucky break as all the pet monkeys were put to sleep and only the dogs allowed to sail on.

  The rest of the journey was more enjoyable than before and Bill felt well enough to put on the odd show or two to make the journey go much faster. Duke was allowed on deck every day and Smoky enjoyed scampering around with him as they had always been great friends. She would miss the big, old dog for sure. The General Gordon had been at sea for twelve days and, as they passed the islands of Puget Sound, they knew their journey was almost over. Local people brought out their tiny boats to meet the mighty ship that was bringing the troops home. The order came to disembark and Bill knew that he would be carrying Smoky off the ship this time and so reorganized his bags accordingly. His souvenir Japanese rifle and bayonet could go in the barrack bag and Smoky would once again be safe in the green bag with the straps and flaps. She knew her way around that one and its familiarity would be safe and comfortable. As the men queued up and through the ship, Bill reflected on the past two years and how a terrifying time had been made bearable only with the company of his little canine companion. As he strutted down the gangplank leaving behind the last piece of territory that linked him with the war, Bill was hit with the thought that he still did not know where Smoky had come from or how she had found herself in the New Guinea jungle and who had scripted the chain of incredible events that brought Bill into her life.