Missy - the War Dog

Believing it would make a man of his son, Norm’s father signed for him to join the army when he was 17 years old.  Shortly after his 18th birthday, Norm was sent to Vietnam to fight in what would be the final 10 months of the war.  Trained as a dog handler, he spent nine months of that time working with Missy, a silver and black, 55-pound German Shepherd.

Missy and Norm were one of 30 dog teams serving with the 1st Calvary Infantry Division in South Vietnam.  Their missions lasted five days, with three days of rest before going out again.  They went wherever they were needed when it was their turn and repeated this routine throughout the war.  

When Norm and Missy arrived on a mission, Norm met with the Lieutenant or Captain in charge, received a situation report, and proceeded to walk point with Missy leading the way.  Missy’s job was to alert Norm to potential danger, including booby traps, trip wires, and ambushes.  With her heightened canine senses, Missy served as the eyes and ears for everyone.  When she stopped, ears and tail raised, everyone stopped.  Missy could not communicate the exact danger - only the direction from which it came.  

The lives of every soldier on the mission depended on Missy, who had already seen four years of combat.  Yet she developed a special bond with Norm despite having served with several handlers.  The young soldier who had never been away from home before developed an even stronger bond with her.

Norm’s 80-pound rucksack, which he carried on his back, was essentially a survival kit for their time in the jungle.  It included ammunition, first aid supplies, a rain poncho, food rations, and enough water for both to remain hydrated in the stifling heat and humidity - 35 quarts for Norm and 10 quarts for Missy.

The ethos of a dog handler is that the dog comes first.  Like handlers before him, Norm fed and watered Missy before tending his own needs.  At night she slept next to him.  Twenty four hours a day she stood at the ready to save his life, defending it with her own if necessary.  “Missy was a true combat Scout Dog who ultimately gave her life for her handlers, fellow infantrymen (grunts) and her nation,” he says.

Norm did not return the same boy who left home to join the army but, thanks to Missy, he was not alone on his perilous journey to manhood.  Her memory both haunts and comforts him.  Her spirit lives forever in his heart.

Come back next week and read about Layla, Norm's dog in the post-war years.

by Elizabeth Sundstrom