The sound of the planes was growing steadily louder, drowning out even the hiss of the sea as the LST cut through the waves. Wynne could see eight black specks emerging from a charcoal-colored cloud to rain hellfire down on the American convoy. Suddenly, the ship’s anti-aircraft guns came to life with ear-stabbing barrages of fire that shook the whole vessel. They hurled barrages of 40 mm and 20 mm shells heavenward. Clouds of black flack bloomed like dark roses against the sky.
In a moment, it was clear that the incoming planes were not intending to drop bombs on the convoy: They were themselves the bombs. These were kamikaze planes, manned by suicide pilots whose mission was to fly their explosive-laced crafts directly into the target.
The anti-aircraft guns battered away, hitting several of the planes before they could make contact. The planes careened into the ocean, sending up geysers of spray. But more planes prowled above, waiting for their chance to stab directly into the heart of one of the American vessels.
As another plane spiraled toward Wynne’s LST, the desire to protect his small, furry companion caused him to grab the dog and hit the deck, lying flat next to a jeep. There was a roar and the sound of splintering metal. When Wynne got to his feet, he saw that eight of his companions had been struck by shrapnel, when a stray shell from a neighboring ship hit the LST. Wynne and Smoky were the only uninjured soldiers in that part of the ship.
“Later, when asked, Downey was never able to explain why he went to investigate. But for whatever reason—curiosity, perhaps—he turned and sloshed his way through the mud to the side of the track. He peered, cautiously, into the shadows that seemed to be the source of the noise. There was an abandoned foxhole by the roadside.”
Inside the foxhole, Downey discovered a small, wet, emaciated dog. He took it back to Nadzab Airfield, passed to another solder, who later sold it to Wynne so that he could get back in a poker game.
‘Champion Mascot’
From then on, Smoky became Wynne’s shadow, staying by his side through countless missions and adventures. The dog traveled to many locations in the Pacific with Wynne, including Australia, Biak Island, the Philippines, Okinawa, and Korea. Smoky shared Wynne’s tent and C-rations and rode in his backpack under the glaring equatorial sun. Despite the poor food and intense activity, Smoky never got ill, even under conditions when other war dogs did.Through the Pipeline
In one of Smoky’s finest moments, it saved 250 ground crewman from danger by carrying a telegraph wire through a pipe. The incident occurred in January of 1945 in Lingayen Gulf, Luzon during the U.S. invasion of the Philippines. When the U.S. Army Signal Corps was running cable during the construction of a new air base, the servicemen faced heavy bombing attacks. Part of the construction required running a cable through a 70-foot underground pipe only eight inches wide. In an interview with NBC, Wynne narrated what happened:“I tied a string (tied to the wire) to Smoky’s collar and ran to the other end of the culvert ... (Smoky) made a few steps in and then ran back. `Come, Smoky,’ I said, and she started through again. When she was about 10 feet in, the string caught up and she looked over her shoulder as much as to say, ‘What’s holding us up there?’ The string loosened from the snag and she came on again. By now the dust was rising from the shuffle of her paws as she crawled through the dirt and mold and I could no longer see her. I called and pleaded, not knowing for certain whether she was coming or not. At last, about 20 feet away, I saw two little amber eyes and heard a faint whimpering sound ... at 15 feet away, she broke into a run.”
Postwar Legacy
Through all this, Smoky proved as tough as any German Shepherd. Yet its gentler side also contributed to the war effort. It’s generally considered the first therapy dog because of the many visits paid to military hospitals, sometimes performing tricks to cheer the wounded soldiers. Smoky and Wynne continued this type of work for 12 years, well after the close of World War II.Wynne smuggled Smoky back to the United States after the war in an oxygen mask bag. In addition to continuing to perform therapy work at veteran hospitals, Smoky appeared in television shows. Its fame and remarkable achievements led to the popularization of the Yorkshire Terrier breed.
But finally, Wynne had to say goodbye to Smoky. The dog died in 1957 at the age of 14 and was buried in a .30 caliber ammunition box in Rocky River Reservation. Eventually, a memorial was erected over the gravesite featuring a statue that recreated the famous “mascot” photo of Smoky inside the helmet.
