Animal Use In The War
U.S. forces employed thousands of animals during World War II. They could be found in every theater of the war: They were workers and warriors. They were soldiers comrades-in-arms and companions in battle Horses, mules, and dogs were regularly employed by American forces to work on the battlefields of World War II. Horses carried soldiers on patrol missions in Europe and into battle in the Philippines. Mules, trained in the United States and shipped by the thousands into war zones, contributed their strength and sweat to the fight. Their backs bore the food, weapons, and sometimes the men of entire infantry unit Around twenty thousand dogs served the U.S. Army, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. They guarded posts and supplies, carried messages, and rescued downed pilots. Scout dogs led troops through enemy territory, exposing ambushes and saving the lives of platoons of men. In the middle of combat, war dogs proved their intelligence, courage, and steadfast loyalty to its master. During both World War I and World War II, the United States and United Kingdom assembled special pigeon service units that contained tens of thousands of birds. More than 16,000 homing pigeons were parachuted into Europe during World War II, including Gustav, who flew more than 150 miles back to England on D-Day to deliver the first word of the Normandy landings.