He was a stray with no name, sleeping rough near an army training ground. Within a year, he was a sergeant — the most decorated dog of the First World War.
In 1917, soldiers of the U.S. 102nd Infantry Regiment were training at Yale University when a short-legged stray pup wandered into camp. One soldier, Corporal Robert Conroy, took him in and named him Stubby for his little tail.
When the regiment shipped out to France, Conroy smuggled him aboard. Stubby was discovered — and, legend says, saved himself by raising a paw in salute to the commanding officer, who let him stay.
Seventeen Battles
Stubby served through 17 battles. He learned the sound of incoming shells before the men could hear them and would bark the trenches awake. After being gassed once himself, he could smell mustard gas early — and his frantic warnings are credited with saving his unit from a surprise gas attack while they slept.
He located wounded soldiers in no man’s land by listening for English being spoken among the cries, then led medics to them. He even caught a German spy mapping the trenches, holding him by the seat of his trousers until soldiers arrived.
Stubby was promoted to sergeant — a stray who outranked his own owner.
A Hero Comes Home
Wounded twice, Stubby returned to America a celebrity, met presidents, and led parades. When he died in 1926, his obituary ran in the New York Times. His remains are still displayed at the Smithsonian today.
❓ Q&A
Q: What breed was Stubby? A: A brindle terrier mix, often described as a Boston Terrier or American Bull Terrier type.
Q: Did he really catch a spy? A: Yes — the incident is one of the best-documented parts of his service record, and it earned him his promotion to sergeant.
Story compiled from widely reported historical accounts and Smithsonian records on Sergeant Stubby.
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