A Tiny Dog with a Mighty Legacy
Here is one of the most famous photographs of Smoky. It’s the very image that would one day inspire her memorial statue. Weighing only four pounds and standing only seven inches tall, she fit quite easily into her owner’s helmet.
In Lakewood, Ohio there’s a monument of a smiling yorkshire terrier sitting in a soldier’s helmet. The statue is there to pay tribute to Smoky; a tiny dog who made a lasting impact on how we view the healing power of canines.
During WWII, Smoky was discovered struggling to jump out of a vacant foxhole in New Guinea by an American soldier. The soldier took in the gaunt stray, but soon sold her to his tentmate, William “Bill” Wynne, as he needed some cash for a poker match later that evening. Corporal Wynne was serving in the army as an aerial photographer and later came to be an award winning photojournalist! Funnily enough, Smoky was known to sit with him in the darkroom as he developed film and made prints. I actually didn’t know there was a photography connection when I began researching their story, so finding this detail out was a real delight.
Little Smoky weighed just four pounds and stood only seven inches tall (barely reaching the tops of Bill’s combat boots). Because of her small stature she was commonly brought along on duty in a backpack. Over one and a half years, she faced over 150 air raids, a typhoon, and twelve combat missions. Smoky was truly a part of the army family; she shared Wynne’s C-rations, adored running after the ball as the G.I.s played softball, enjoyed chasing large exotic butterflies around the jungle, and entertained the troops with new tricks she learned. The soldiers loved her too. They made her a little clown suit out of a salvaged parachute and even argued about who would be her owner should something happen to Bill. Additionally, she was integral in some of their most important missions. One of her most impressive feats occurred on an island in the Philippines where she helped to establish a new critical communication network. Smoky had to navigate an obstacle laden, narrow, 70 foot long culvert underneath an airfield with a string tied to her collar. The string was then used to thread new cables through the pipe. Her bravery and perseverance that day is estimated to have saved the lives of 250 men and 40 planes.
In 1944, Yank magazine put out an advertisement for a photo contest asking G.I.s to send in photographs of their mascots. Wynne knew he had to enter the competition with Smoky, so he nestled her into his helmet and created the photograph that would one day inspire her memorial statue. The magazine chose Smoky as the winner, giving her the title of “Yorkie Doodle Dandy.” Unfortunately, when Wynne finally received a copy of the magazine with his winning photograph he was lying in a hospital bed.
Not long after entering the contest, he caught Dengue fever and was sent to a nearby army hospital. Only a couple days went by before his friends brought him his mail and Smoky. The nurses were quickly captivated by her and asked if they might bring the dog along on patient rounds. While this request may not sound too surprising to us today, this inquiry was quite unusual at the time. With an agreement from Wynne, the nurses began sharing her unique presence and she immediately became a popular individual among the wounded soldiers. Wynne saw how comforting his companion was for others and how she lifted their spirits, so even after he left the hospital they continued to volunteer at veteran hospitals for many years. Smoky is actually credited as the first therapy dog on record!
Smoky, Corporal Wynne, and a nurse photographed cheering up patients in an army hospital.
When their time overseas eventually came to a close, the two faced a dilemma. American soldiers were ordered to leave any pets behind upon returning to the states, but Wynne promised Smoky he would never abandon her. In his best effort to bring her home to Ohio, he smuggled her aboard his returning ship in an oxygen mask carrying case. Wynne got caught. He was charged with paying a bond of $1,000 if he wanted to keep her. Wynne complied and was generously supported by other soldiers who offered to contribute. In America, the duo appeared on television presenting Smoky’s tricks that she had performed for the troops. She could cross a tightrope blindfolded, sing, dance the jitterbug, jump through hoops, ride a little scooter, and even spell her name using cutout letters. In 1955, Wynne decided it was time to let her retire and let her bask in her golden years.
On February 21, 1957, at the age of 14, Smoky passed away during an afternoon nap at home. Even though she’s been gone for almost 65 years, her memory continues to be a blessing. She has 12 monuments worldwide, is the subject of many books (including a memoir written by Wynne), has multiple awards named after her, and most importantly touched countless lives with her healing presence.
