Book Description
Twenty-three-year-old Bill Putney enlisted in the Marines in 1943 in search of military glory. Instead, Putney, a licensed veterinarian, was relegated to the Dog Corps.
Putney became the Commanding Officer of the 3rd War Dog Platoon, and later the chief veterinarian and C.O. of the War Dog Training School at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. At Lejeune Putney helped train America's dogs for war in the Pacific. He later led them into combat in the invasion of Guam in 1944, the first liberation of American soil in World War II.
Always Faithful is the story of the dogs that fought in Guam and across the islands of the Pacific, a celebration of the four-legged soldiers that Putney both commanded and followed. It is a tale of immense courage, but also of incredible sacrifice.
On Guam, as on islands such as Iwo Jima and Okinawa, the Japanese were infamously tenacious, refusing to surrender as long as there was a hole left to crawl into. Rooting out the enemy was an awful, painstaking job. To this task, Putney's dogs were well suited. Used for scouting, attack, carrying messages, detecting mines, and also as guards, the war dogs were so well trained that they could locate nonmetallic mines that had been buried for months deep underground; their hearing was so precise they could detect enemy trip wires by listening to them "sing" in the breeze.
Their record in action was perfect. More than 550 patrols on the island of Guam were led by dogs; not one patrol was ambushed. But for this success, the dogs, always out in front, paid a terrible price. Although Putney worked feverishly as veterinarian and C.O. to keep the dogs alive, many were lost.
After the war, Putney returned home only to discover that the dogs he had served with were being put to sleep. These dogs were ex-household pets, recruited from civilians with the promise that they would someday be returned. Outraged, Putney fought for the dogs' right to go home. He won, and headed the overwhelmingly successful program to "detrain" the dogs so they could return to their families. Alas, quickly learned, the lesson was quickly forgotten. The dogs of Korea and Vietnam did not come home. Then, in the final days of his administration, President Clinton signed into law a bill that allows military handlers to bring home the dogs with which they work. Once again, Putney was at the front of the charge.
For anyone who has ever read Old Yeller, or the books of Jack London, here is a real-life story, never before told, that beats any fiction. At once wistful tribute and stirring adventure, Always Faithful describes what may be the greatest man-dog effort of all time. It will both astound and move you.
Download Description
Twenty-three-year-old Bill Putney enlisted in the Marines dreaming of military glory. But instead, Putney, a licensed veterinarian, was relegated to the Dog Corps. As Commanding Officer of the 3rd Marine War Dog Platoon, he trained Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, and Labrador Retrievers to scout, attack, carry messages, detect mines, and serve as sentries. Putney's "Devil Dogs" could sniff out mines buried for weeks deep beneath the ground, and locate enemy tripwires by listening to them "sing" in the breeze. The dogs' record was remarkable: they led over 550 patrols safely through the dense jungle. But for this incredible success, the dogs, always out in front, paid a terrible price. Putney worked feverishly in his capacity as veterinarian and C. O. to keep the dogs alive. Nevertheless, many died so that the men they led could live. Always Faithful is dedicated to the dogs -- Kurt, Lady, Peppy, Big Boy, and others -- with whom Putney served. It is a powerful tribute to the bond between the marines of WWII and their dogs, and to the bravery and loyalty of dogs everywhere.
Customer Reviews:
Great for dog lovers.......2007-03-10
I read this book for a class assignment. It was great! It's perfect for someone who loves dogs and the history of it even kept my interest. And it's not TOO sad like some animal books can be. It's also got some comic relief in it too. Quick read, interesting, informative.
Always Faithful.......2007-01-12
Without any doubt, the best history of war dogs I have read. Always Faithful (Semper Fidelis) is the author's personal history of his experience as a Marine Corps war dog platoon commander in WWII. William (Bill) Putney, "Put" to his colleagues was a board certified veterinarian assigned to the newly formed war dog platoon. Putney details the history from the training of both dogs and handlers to the crucible of combat in the liberation of Guam in 1944. There was no existing Marine Corps K9 operations doctrine. Therefore Putney had to develop both doctrine and build confidence in operational commanders on K9 capabilities. He provides detailed and vivid descriptions of the famed "Devil Dogs" in combat against the Japanese. Always Faithful provides first person accounts of the sacrfices made by both handler and dog in the liberation of Guam. There are occasional tidbits of humor, specifically the reaction of a Doberman when given K-Rations by its handler. Bill Butney received a Bronze Star with Combat "V" and a Purple Heart. He retired from the Marine Corps as a Captain and began a successful veterinary practice in San Diego. He was the moving force in the restoration of the War Dog Memorial on Guam dedicated to the many dogs killed in action. Before his death in 2003, Bill worked tirelessly to support passage of the Presidential Executive order which insured that veteran war dogs would be returned to the United States.
Good Read for Dog Enthusiasts/War History Buffs.......2006-12-13
This was my first book pertaining to the use of Dogs in war. After reading the book I search Amazon and bought three additional books on the same topic. For those who are dog lovers, such as me. You will be impressed by Author's compassion for the war dogs and deeply saddened by the ultimate sacrifices paid by some of the dogs. The book is well written and reads fast.
Hard to Put Down.......2006-07-17
Dr. Putney's memoir of the dog companies on Guam is a very interesting read regarding one of the more forgotten fighting units of the war. These were civilian dogs enlisted for war, trained for war, and then re-trained for civilian life. It was a great testament of the versatility of dogs that they could go from the horrors of war back into civilian life as well as the intelligence of the men returning from that war that they were able to return these dogs to their civilian lives. Why was that lesson forgotten? Why were the military dogs of the Vietnam Era left behind and not returned to civilian life? Why did it take until President Clinton for the military dogs to be once again allowed to retire to civilian life? It doesn't make much sense to me.
Devil Dogs with the heart and wings of angels.......2006-03-31
Being a lover of all dog breeds and in particular, Dobermans - I was not aware of the role the Doberman Pinscher played in the pacific islands during WWII until reading Dr. Putney's book.Of course there were other breeds that were of significant worth to the Marines - but Dr. Putney gives a heart-rendering account of the gallantry and sacrifice of the Doberman (Kurt and others)while under fire. He also implies that the blood-thirsty, killer reputation later associated with the beautiful,sleek canine as well as other war dogs was ill-deserved. This was evident in his successful program to detrain the dogs and put them back with their civilian owners or their Marine handler after the war. To bad it took so long to learn a lesson from this:in later wars the military dogs were abandoned,left behind. It would probably
be impossible to know exactly how many soldiers' lives were saved by these courageous dogs and their handlers. After doing their time in hell,the only thing a soldier dog required was the love and affection of a master and the chance to please....
Book Description
"Goodbye, Faithful Friend" is a fully illustrated mini-book commemorating the loss of a much loved dog. Written by Marianne Richmond.
Average customer rating:
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Faithful Companions (Isis Large Print Mainstream Series)
Valerie Porter
Manufacturer: Isis Large Print Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
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| Books
Large Print
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ASIN: 1850892903 |
Average customer rating:
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A Dog's life: Stories of champions, hunters, and faithful friends
Manufacturer: Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
Children's Books
| Subjects
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| Baby-3
| Ages 4-8
| Ages 9-12
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ASIN: 0688221564 |
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A Dog's life: Stories of champions, hunters, and faithful friends
Manufacturer: Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
| Baby-3
| Ages 4-8
| Ages 9-12
| Animals
| Arts & Music
| Books on Cassette
| Books on CD
| Authors & Illustrators, A-Z
| Computers
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| Issues
| Literature
| Obsessions
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| Reference & Nonfiction
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| Sports & Activities
ASIN: 0688321569 |
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The Dog: Faithful Friend (Little Nature Books)
Dominique Simon , and
Serge Simon
Manufacturer: Charlesbridge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book
Nonfiction
| Dogs
| Animals
| Children's Books
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General
| Baby-3
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| Veterinary Medicine
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ASIN: 0881063169 |
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Dogs: Our Faithful Friends (Little Books)
Miniature Book Collection (Library of Congress)
Manufacturer: Andrews Mcmeel Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Puzzles & Games
| Entertainment
| Subjects
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General
| Dogs
| Animal Care & Pets
| Home & Garden
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General
| Animal Care & Pets
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General
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ASIN: 0836200462 |
Customer Reviews:
Unreadable.......2007-08-14
This book is nothing more than a series of unaddressed topics. They talk about many possible fiberglass repair situations but never quite get around to telling you how to fix them. Confusing photos. I know as much now as before I got this book. Ask a pint dealer or some old guy at Home Depot, you'll get better information.
Must be imaginative..........2002-12-19
I agree that this book has serious problems with pictures and photos, because the drawings included are very poor so you cannot identify the difference between the different materials. But in my particular case, people in fiberglass materials stores understood what I was looking for (by the materials and fluids names) and at that moment theory and reality matched perfectly.
The amateur results that I was expecting (car speakers, small boxes) were achieved completely.
Annoying.......2001-04-17
This will be short:
Have you ever seen one of those books that looks like it will have a lot of good info on how to do something, open the cover and realize that it's just a "this is nice stuff that you could do if you knew how, but I'm not going to tell you the details of how..." book? This is that book.
To add to that, it's outdated, and even though all the products introduced and shown were of one brand, they didn't even take a picture of them but instead someone drew a picture of the can sitting there...
Book Description
Provides all the information anyone needs to work with fiberglass materials. Covers tools, materials, safety, and fiberglass care. Step-by-step, illustrated instructions show how to use hand and power tools to achieve professional-quality work from the start.
Average customer rating:
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Just Weeds: History, Myths and Uses
Pamela Jones
Manufacturer: Chapters Pub Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Essays
| Gardening & Horticulture
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General
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ASIN: 1881527581 |
Book Description
How many times do parents swear to themselves, 'This time I am not going to lose it with my kids,' only to find it is a promise they can't keep? Picking Your Battles will help parents keep that promise and their sanity, while showing how to get kids to do everything from combing their hair to going to sleep without a fuss. Prominent psychologist and respected author of The Angry Marriage, Bonnie Maslin, Ph.D. tells parents the truth from the trenches. In a lively, non-judgmental voice, she shows how to: -Avoid 'no-win' discipline styles -Encourage compassion and respect in a child -Develop a child's sense of self-discipline. With a unique and effective combination of authority and accessibility, Maslin gives parents both the big picture on under-standing their child and step-by-step, practical solutions to those inevitable battles they will face.
Customer Reviews:
Invaluable Resource.......2007-02-12
This book should be required reading for all parents. I only regret that it was not available to my own mother and father. With compassion and understanding, Bonnie Maslin has outlined simple principles that will save a parent's sanity, and simultaneously produce a healthy relationship between parent and child. I have passed this book on to many friends, with many thanks. Thank you, Dr. Maslin!
clutter.......2006-01-02
This was one of the worst books on child rearing I have ever read. It was merely a disorganized data dump of commonly known ideas. Nothing original here. This author has no educational credentials and is obviously not a practicing child psychologist. Nothing memorable or helpful here.
I recommend books on PET (Parent Effectiveness Training) which offer the way(s) to connect on an emotional level with your child. PET is not just about controlling behavior, which is Bonnie Maslin's focus, but gives the child the gift of understanding, the most important first step in building a solid foundation for life-affirming communication and cooperation.
Bonnie Maslin's Picking Your Battles.......2005-10-17
I bought this book after reading the reviews and hoped and crossed fingers that this book would help me to get back to how I was before I became a mother or at least help me to be a good mother and not a nagging old witch that I have now become.
Well I'm glad I did! I have two boys, one nine and the other twelve...and after reading the book I wished I had the book before I even gave birth to either of them. There's lots of valuable information on raising kids and how to discipline them. It also helps us to identify what type of parent we are and how to rate the behavioral breach.. but I especially liked the part about looking at our children and seeing them as a "work in progress" and "person under construction"., so whatever we do and say just remember this and it actually helped me better to deal with them.
I had some trouble with my younger one, one morning (yup!just before going to school). He was moody, cranky and scolding me and everyone in the room about how we must have misplaced one of his workbooks.,etc, etc.... and I decided to try one of Bonnie Maslin's kidology ..and What she said "No matter how angry I get with you or how furious you get with me, we will always love each other. There is always love after anger." In my own words of course, but the intention and the feeling conveyed, and the hug I gave him, actually did calm him down.
What surprised me most was that he called me at work from school to say he had found the book and that he was sorry about what happened in the morning! Can you believe it a nine year old boy taking his break time to call me to apologize!!
There were many more incidents that happened with my children and Bonnie Maslin's words of wisdom came in really handy.(Mind you I got the book only three weeks ago)
Don't wait till you have children to read this book and get ideas on how to raise children, do it when you are expecting/planning them. It is an extremely useful tool for parents dealing with everday issues like misbehaviour and anger and even the more serious ones like lying. More importantly though to set reasonable expectations of our children whom we love so dearly.
To My Readers:Join Me for Free Interactive Parenting Talks .......2004-09-11
Dear Readers,
Thank you for your generous words of praise for Picking Your Battles (PYB). While PYB is grounded in everything I know from my many years of clinical experience working as a psychologist in private practice as well as my knowledge of the field of child development, it is above all the product of thirty years of parenting; I am mother and stepmother to four reasonably well-behaved children. Because I know what it means to be on the front-line of parenting, PYB is a practical book written from the trenches, not the lofty heights of expertise. I feel sure that all of you who are also right down there with me on the front-line of parenting will find it useful in making your life with kids easier and more joyful enabling you get even better at the ever-challenging job of raising well-behaved kids.
All the Best,
Bonnie Maslin
PS I invite you to join my Nationwide Interactive Parenting Discussion Groups by way of a FREE conference call. For information on how you can participate in these innovative parenting sessions where you can hear me talk AND ask me questions, please go to my website: www.pickingyourbattles.com
PPS If you have found PYB useful, please recommend it to your friends. There is no better endorsement for me than yours, a fellow parent! Thank You.
This book is a lifesaver........2004-06-28
If you are worn down and worn out from fighting with your kids, this book is for you. It is a practical, powerful tool to help us, as parents, to stop the kind of behavior that encourages children to act out. It is well-written and speaks to a parent in language that he or she can understand while being fun and lively. I highly recommend it for everyone with children up to age 11 or 12.
Books:
- Animal FAQs: An Encyclopaedia of Animal Abuse
- Animals Eating: How Animals Chomp, Chew, Slurp and Swallow (Animal Behavior)
- Aquarium Keeping Easy As ABC
- Aquatic Toxicology and Water Quality Management (Advances in Environmental Science and Technology)
- Art of Being a Wolf
- Aviary birds in colour
- Bats and Their Homes (Animal Habitats)
- BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO GERMAN SHEPHERDS
- Borzoi Champions, 1952-1981
- Bouvier Des Flanders: The Dogs of Flandres
Books Index
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None Came Home: The War Dogs of Vietnam
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