Sixth in a series of 14 articles
 PFC Souchow with fellow Marine, “Pappy” Wells shortly after their release from imprisonment.
But how about Soochow, Chips, Lassie II, Butter, and Jeep? Nicknames? No, these were pets adopted by men serving in the forward positions. Loyal and true to their masters and military units, these animals, and many others like them, saw the war up close. They didn’t shy away from danger, took risks, and gave their best despite the circumstances.
Pets have served in American armies since Revolutionary times. They often bring a touch of humanity to war’s inhumane conditions; befriend men far away from home and under constant threat of death; and give unconditional love to lonely, often frightened soldiers out there on the front lines
Only a lengthy book could properly detail the lives of the great pet heroes of World War II. The ones noted here merely illustrate the magnitude of their sacrifice in helping win the war and thus protect our nation’s freedom.
Coyote "Jeep" flew dangerous combat missions
The recent death on February 11, 2008, of Lt. Col. John W. "Wild Bill" Crump brings to mind one of the most unusual relationships that existed between pilot and co-pilot. On September 18, 1944, C-47s and gliders of the 1st Allied Airborne Army dropped large bodies of troops in the Netherlands, in an operation known as "Market Garden."
The 8th Air Force sent up several fighter groups that day to take out flak positions prior to and during the jumps. Of the approximately 350 fighters that bombed and straffed targets in the Nijmegen and Arnhem areas, only one plane had "two occupants" on board.
Crump, then a lieutenant, had just neutralized an artillery emplacement when he unexpectedly drew heavy fire. As he pushed over with his P-47 "Thunderbolt," the pressure was so intense that his passenger, a small wide-eyed coyote, rose from the cockpit floor and began floating between Crump and the gunsight, clawing at the air to gain a paw hold.
Undistracted, Crump sought protection from some nearby treetops, while at the same time retrieving the animal and slipping its collar ring over the "Jug’s" hydraulic pump handle.
It was just another day’s work for Crump and his loyal "co-pilot" Jeep, a coyote he had adopted from a Nebraska farmer while undergoing flight training near Bruning, Nebraska. Only two weeks old, the pup was named by Crump after a pet who appeared in the Popeye comic strip. Accompanying Crump down to Baton Rogue, Louisiana, for P-47 training, Jeep soon boasted a full set of records and all GI immunizations.
In order to get the animal overseas via the Queen Elizabeth, Crump concealed him in an empty gasmask case. Halfway across the Atlantic, however, a colonel who hailed from Oklahoma, entered Crump’s quarters unannounced and asked: "Someone in here have a coyote?" Crump nodded toward the sleeping canine. Noting how tame Jeep was, the Okie colonel, who obviously knew something about coyotes, dropped the matter and moved on.
At Martlesham Heath Aerodrome, the 360th Fighter Squadron (365th Group) adopted Jeep as its official mascot, giving him field-grade treatment and the run of the base.
Jeep flew five combat missions in all before he fell victim to ground traffic, killed, ironically, by an Army jeep. His final mission with Crump came on September 23, 1944, when portions of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions and the Polish 1st Brigade were air-dropped and landed at two zones in the Nijmegan area. Fourteen 8th Air Force groups flew bombing and strafing missions that day.
Jeep was buried with full military honors at Playford Hall, a former Eagle Squadron billet. A "missing man" formation roared high above his courtyard grave, with Crump himself giving him a final salute with a spine-tingling low-altitude victory roll.
Crump later flew the sleek P-51, going on to log 311 combat hours in 77 missions, which consisted mostly of strafing, flak busting, and escort. Retiring from the service as a lieutenant colonel, he returned to his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where he became a successful businessman and civic leader.
Still, he never forgot the faithful animal who loved and served him during the war. To assure that Jeep will always be remembered, he placed the little coyote’s medical records, coyote tags, and pictures in the Edmonds History Museum where they are on public display.
"Butter" was trained to parachute with troops
The 434th Troop Carrier Group, 72nd Troop Carrier Squadron was activated on February 9, 1943, and trained to operate C-47s in Europe with the Ninth Air Force. That October it transferred from an airfield at Presque Isle, Maine, to England. Boarding with hundreds of men that day onto the giant C-47s was a stray dog, nicknamed Butter by the men.
A few days earlier, Butter had taken a liking to the fellows of the 72nd as they prepared for overseas deployment. Unable to bear leaving her behind, Gerald Higginbottom gathered her up tightly in his arms as the group was departing and took her along.
Overseas, Butter never lacked for companionship, slept in the barracks, and flew with the men on many evacuation and combat missions. They even outfitted her with a special chute that had a static line attached to it, so she could jump if bailing out became necessary.
The 72nd towed gliders, transported troops to Normandy, and flew dangerous follow-up missions. They also brought in gliders with reinforcements during the massive "Market Garden" operation. Transferring over to France, in February 1945, they participated in the airborne assault across the Rhine, dropping paratroopers over the east bank of the river.
Butter flew on the airborne assaults on Normandy, Holland, and Germany, including the relief of Bastogne. Her campaigns included Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, the Ardennes, and Alsace. For her meritorious service she was provided a "dress uniform" and made an honorary sergeant.
Despite her loyal service, Butter came to an untimely end. On June 24, 1945, the 72nd left France to return home. Arriving in French West Africa, the unit was met by M.P.s who confiscated Butter despite loud protests by the men. As Higginbottom recalled years later: "I have never forgotten that little dog and her loyalty and inspiration to our crew."
Fourth Marine "Soochow"
survived Japanese imprisonment
Perhaps the most amazing and gripping story ever told about pet loyalty and tenacity is that of Marine "Sergeant Soochow," a sad eyed multi-breed dog, who took up with the 4th Marines, or China Marines, in Shanghai, China, prior to the outbeak of World War II. The Marines, who had been in China 10 years, were responsible for guarding bridges over Soochow Creek to prevent hostilities between China and invading Japanese forces from spilling into the International section of the city.
On a dark, rainy night, the small white and brown mongrel straggled in at one of the Marine outposts and made it his home. Other dogs that tried to follow suit caught the brunt of his wrath. Barking, growling, and snapping at the intruders, the little orphan left no doubt that other mongrels were not welcome on his post.
The tough-minded, though soft-hearted, Marines fed, housed, and quickly spoiled him. B Company formally adopted him as the unit’s mascot and named him Soochow after the creek they were guarding.
Never weighing more than 35 pounds, Soochow quickly became a familiar figure on the base as he pranced about freely in his specially designed uniform. He even chomped down sirloin steaks and regularly had nights out on the town with his human buddies.
Then everything abruptly changed! In late November 1941, with war rapidly approaching, the 4th Marines were transferred to the Philippines. Refusing to leave their pal Soochow behind, they smuggled him aboard the ship. One week after they reached Olongapo, the U.S. Navy base at the northwestern tip of Bataan, Pearl Harbor was struck by the Japanese and the war was on.
The 4th Marines were charged with the defense of Corregidor, thought to be an impregnable island fortress at the entrance to Manila Bay. B Company was assigned to the eastern, or tail, section, of the tadpole shaped island.
Soochow quickly learned the value of using a foxhole when bombs and artillery shells rained down on Corregidor during the next four months. Too, his keen sense of hearing, enabled him to alert the Marines to incoming enemy planes long before their detection was made by the primitive radar systems in use at that time.
When Corregidor fell on May 12, 1942, Soochow was also taken prisoner and for some inexplicable reason the Japanese permitted the Marines to keep and care for him. PFC Bob Snyder, his caretaker, took him off the island to Bilibid Prison in Manila and later to the infamous prisoner of war camp at Cabanatuan.
Amazingly, over the next 32 months Snyder kept Soochow alive by grubbing for grains of rice or spoonfuls of soup provided by other prisoners. It boggles the mind to think of the extraordinary love and devotion given to the mongrel by ill and dying Marines, considering the fact that they were subsisting on nothing more than starvation rations.
In November 1944, Snyder was transferred from Cabanatuan to Japan, leaving Soochow under the care of remaining prisoners. Unfortunately, the unmarked ship was sunk by a U.S. Navy plane near Formosa, killing most of those on board including Snyder.
When the last group of "able-bodied" prisoners were returned from Cabanatuan to Bilibid, Soochow was among them. A couple of weeks later, on February 4, 1945, American Rangers liberated the little pooch and his 17 surviving Marines.
An Army Transport ship was to return the sick and emaciated men back to the States, but a hitch developed when the captain refused to allow Soochow on board. Though bone-tired from their years of captivity, the incensed men raised such a howl that the Navy itself flew him home, accompanied by Technical Sergeant Paul J. "Pappy" Wells.
Well aware of what the little dog had endured during his long imprisonment, the Marines made sure he lived out his years with dignity and respect. Assigned to the Marine Recruit Depot in San Diego, California., Soochow was an instant celebrity and a greatly beloved and pampered base mascot. He was regularly seen out on the Parade Field trotting alongside his fellow "Boots," or snuggling close to another Marine in the barracks.
Soochow’s military honors included the following ribbons and medals: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign, Good Conduct, WWII Victory and American Defense. A base parade was held in his honor on October 29, 1946, his ninth birthday. Beyond any question, he had fulfilled the Marine motto: "Always Faithful."
On April 21, 1948, Sergeant Soochow, former China Marine, defender of Corregidor, and prisoner of war, slipped through the thin line of worlds that separates this one from the next one to join his old buddies whom he had lost for awhile but never forgot. Today, visitors to the Recruit Depot will find his well-kept grave marker prominently displayed on Guad-alcanal Street.
Quite often we take for granted the daily presence of those little pets in and around our home who give us such unselfish love and devotion. Perhaps we should take an occasional second look. There just might me a Jeep, or a Butter, or a Chips, or, perhaps, a Soochow nipping at our heartstrings.
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Elbert Watson specializes in the War Between the States and World War II. Readers can contact him at (864) 442-1773 or benwatt@cs. com. He welcomes your comments.
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