The Historical File: Chips, The War Dog
There are many other dogs that could be called “The War Dog,” but how many of those have a Disney movie by that name chronicling their exploits?
Chips sure does, and with good reason. During World War II, the shepherd mix was donated to the war effort and was soon on the front lines acting as a tank guard dog in Africa, Italy, France, and Germany. At one point, he dragged a phone cable across a raging battlefield, so that his platoon could call for backup. The one event Chips is most known for though happened on a beach in Sicily. When he and his handler came under fire from a hidden pillbox, Chips sprang from his handler and dove straight into the enemy emplacement. The soldiers inside came out moments later and surrendered, with Chips behind them. That would be impressive enough, but later that night he also alerted his squad to some approaching Italians, who were promptly captured as well. Chips received a Silver Star and a Purple Heart for his adventures, but had them stripped away when dogs were reclassified in the military as “equipment,” making him the last canine to be officially decorated. Here is a link to the imdb page for the Disney Movie: Chips, The War Dog
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