| Private First Class Rez P. Hester of the Seventh War Dog Platoon, attached to the 25th Regiment, Fourth Marine Division, takes a nap while Butch, his war dog, stands guard. Each Marine Division had a war dog platoon attached. The Marines procured many of their dogs from the Doberman Pinscher Club of America, leading to a press release that the Marines did not favor the breed exclusively. The Marines focused on the quality of the individual animal rather than the breed. Most other branches of the Armed Forces already had their K-9 units in operation when the Marines started theirs, but they were quickly adopted for use in many Pacific campaigns. Experts are divided as to whether the short coat of the Doberman was best suited for warmer tropical climates. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1036.jpg |
| Image Size | 1.87 MB |
| Image Dimensions | 2816 x 2316 |
| Photographer | Kaufman, M. |
| Photographer Title | Staff Sergeant |
| Caption Author | Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | February 20, 1945 |
| Location | Iwo Jima |
| City | Iwo Jima |
| State or Province | Bonin Islands |
| Country | Japan |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2007, ©2024 MFA Productions LLC Image in the Public Domain |
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