The San Carlos War Dog Training Center also called the Western Remount Area Reception and Training Center was located at San Carlos, California. Then was built at the old H & H Ranch. The US Army opened the 177 acre center on October 15, 1942. The center was used to train US Army dogs. The US Army ended the land lease on November 1, 1944. The land was built in to family homes in the 1950s.[1] San Carlos War Dog Training Center was one of five US Army dog training centers. The center was operated by the US Army Quartermaster Corps. Trained dogs were an important part of the World War II efforts. German Shepherds, Belgian Sheep dogs, Doberman Pinschers, farm Collies and Giant Schnauzers were trained at the center. At the center dogs were trained to be guards, scouts, messengers, mine detectors, sled and pack dogs. The training took 8 to 11 weeks, the dogs and the trainers were housed at the center. Training was at first basic dog training, then advanced to dog being at easy with gunfire, riding in military vehicles and wearing gas masks. At is peak there were 550 troops, 15 civilian contractors and up to 1,200 dogs at the center. By the end of the war 4,500 dogs and 2,500 men were trained at the center.[2][3][4]
| San Carlos War Dog Training Center | |
|---|---|
 Marine Raiders take US Army scouting and messenger dogs to the frontlines on Bougainville, late 1943 | |
| Location | San Carlos, California |
| Coordinates | 37°29′44″N 122°16′00″W / 37.4955°N 122.2668°W |
| Area | 177 acres |
| Built | 1942 (closed 1944) |
| Architect | US Army |
  Location of San Carlos War Dog Training Center in California | |
See also edit
- Dogs in warfare
- Ancient warfare
- Animals in War Memorial, London
- Dickin Medal, UK honour awarded to animals "for gallantry"
- Dogs of Roman Britain
- Examples of dogs that gained notability in war
- List of Labrador Retrievers
- List of individual dogs
- National War Dog Cemetery, Guam
- Police dog
References edit
- ^ militarymuseum.org San Carlos War Dog Training Center
- ^ San Mateo Daily Journal, San Carlos Went To The Dogs For World War II, 28 February 2005, by Joan Levy
- ^ www.qmfound.com Quartermaster War Dog Program
- ^ uswardogs.org War Dogs in World War II, Anna M. Waller, 1958, Department of the Army Office of the Quartermaster General
External links edit
- Born, K. M (January 8, 2007). "Quartermaster Dog Training Program". Fort Lee, Virginia: U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum. Archived from the original on 2013-01-20.
- "K-9 History: The Dogs of War!" (not an official military site). Hahn Air Base, West Germany: 50th Air Police K-9 Section.
- "Military Working Dog Teams National Monument".
- Pitts, 2ndLt. Mike (1966). "U.S. war dogs remembered". K-9 Heroes – Remembered. The United States War Dogs Association. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - "War Dogs". Fort Lee, Virginia: U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum. January 9, 2007. Archived from the original on May 23, 2008.
- "War Dogs: Reference Bibliography". Fort Lee, Virginia: U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum. Archived from the original on 2007-10-08.
- "Military Working Dog Public Domain Images Collection".squos-hearts-268328.html
- The short film Big Picture: Canine College is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive.
- Webcast Presentation by Marine Corps Sergeant Mike Dowling about Sergeant Rex his memoir about his deployment to Iraq in 2004 along with military working dog Rex