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Vietnam
Vet who handled scout dogs
returns to Fort Benning for dedication
By Joel Taylor
Senior Vice President
Embry Bank
Special to GwinnettForum.com
MAY 17, 2002 -- My wife, Beverly, and I took a day trip to Ft.
Benning this past Saturday to attend the War Dog Pedestal dedication.
The Vietnam Dog Handler's Association web site had publicized this
dedication. Ron Martz also had a recent article about military dogs
and this dedication in the Atlanta newspaper.
These pedestals are located at The War Dog Memorial site (at Sacrifice
Field) which was dedicated October, 2000. There were five pedestals
dedicated: for World War II, Korea and Vietnam Scout Dogs, Army
Tracker dogs, and Medal of Honor recipient Robert W. Hartsock.
The widow of Bernie Zika, World War II scout dog handler in India,
Burma and China was there. Leo Suiter was a scout dog handler in
Korea. John Dupla had a tracker dog unit.
Col. Robert Nett spoke. He got the Congressional Medal of Honor
in 1944 on Guam. He talked about how scout dogs saved a lot of men.
The brother and father of Staff Sergeant Robert Hartsock were there.
Hartsock is the only dog handler to receive the Congressional Medal
of Honor.
The plan is to add pedestals for honoring the Marines, Coast Guard,
Air Force and Navy Sentry and Security Dogs, Veterinary Corps, and
KIA Handlers and dogs from World War II, Korea and Vietnam. They
also plan pedestals for war dog teams that served in Panama, Libya,
Bolivia/Peru/Columbia and the
Philippines.
During the Vietnam War, I was a scout dog handler assigned to the
38th Infantry Platoon Scout Dog, which supported the 25th Infantry
Division's 2nd Brigade in the III Corps area of South Vietnam. This
area ran approximately from the Cambodian border to Xuan Loc.
My first adventure at Ft. Benning began on June 22, 1969 when I
was drafted. A bus load of us 1-A's left the old induction center
on Ponce de Leon next to
the former Sears location and proceeded to Ft. Benning for basic
training.
Later I returned to Ft. Benning and attended scout dog training.
After training my unit deployed from Ft. Benning and we traveled
to Vietnam with our dogs. I still keep in close touch with three
former members of my outfit and hear from others occasionally.
I saw one of these guys this past Saturday. Steve Flikke had traveled
from northern Minnesota to attend the ceremony. It was a typical
day at Ft. Benning. It was in the 90's with high humidity. Steve
told me it had been snowing when he had left Minnesota a week earlier!
This trip stirred a lot of memories, both good and bad, but I am
glad I attended. It was worth the trip to see Steve and to shake
hands with Colonel Nett and gaze upon the Congressional Medal of
Honor around his neck. I recommend a trip to Ft. Benning to tour
the Infantry Museum and to take a stroll around the memorials at
Sacrifice Field.
Let us never forget the price of freedom and those who have served
and are currently serving their country.
I invite you to visit www.vdhaonline.org/ and tour the site. Go
to the 38th IPSD site and look at the photos.
TO GET TO FORT BENNING: Take I-85 south, veering onto I-185
past Newnan. The route leads you directly to Fort Benning. It is
about a two hour trip from Gwinnett.
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Number
2.11, May17, 2002
