Dedham Tales

Dogs for Defense

Shortly after the start of World War II, Harry I. Caesar, a New York businessman and president of the American Kennel Club came up with a unique plan to help the US war effort. Noting that dogs, with their superior senses of hearing, vision and scent, had long been in use by both enemy and ally armies, Caesar outlined a program that would call for the recruitment, training and deployment of at least 125,000 of the nation’s pet dogs for civilian defense and military guard duty. By the spring of 1942, the Dogs for Defense program was well under way, with regional centers (including one in Dedham) set up for the intake and training of “volunteers.” Those Fidos and Rovers who passed their initial training (many were sent back home for being too friendly) were assigned guard duty at military installations across the country; some were even sent overseas to serve in combat zones.

A kennel was established in Newton as the New England intake center, and a training school was conducted in Dedham on the old Karlstein polo grounds (near the present Rashi School) on the banks of the Charles River. The first class of thirty-five pooches graduated in July after eight weeks of training and was sent off to undisclosed assignments following emotional farewells with their owners.

   It is inconceivable that families today would willingly put the family pet in harm’s way for periods of up to two years or more with the possibility that their beloved doggo might not return at all. But in 1942, the response was overwhelming, with families and even children sending letters and photos to the program’s directors vouching for their dog’s ability. Initially, volunteers were required to be well behaved purebreds between one and five years old, weighing at least fifty pounds and standing eighteen inches high. As the need increased, mixed breeds were accepted (although chows were found to be unreliable and rejected).

Dedham boasted at least 2 dogs who served: Teddy, a Belgian shepherd owned by the John Allgaier family and Bessie, owned by the Ford and Josephine Friend family. Bessie was assigned to a coast guard station, and coincidentally, Ford was eventually able to serve in the Coast Guard Reserve as a machinist’s mate. Bessie was returned to the Fords after the war’s end, displaying one behavior quirk from her time in the service: every Fourth of July when the local fireworks displays began booming and banging, Bessie would hit the ground and run for cover under the nearest table, as she had been trained. After a long, happy life with her family in Dedham, Bessie passed on and was buried in the backyard wrapped in her favorite blanket.

   Six-year-old English setter Mose of Milton was returned by the army due to his friendly nature. Fourth-grader Lloyd Beckett Jr. happily greeted the dog after removing the blue star service flag that had hung in the window during Mose’s absence.

You can read about more hero dogs and view Bessie’s honorable discharge in my new book World War II Massachusetts, available online, in bookstores or directly from me.