Hero dogs - Lance M. Bacon

From World War I to nowadays, war dogs have served alongside the mostvaliant warriors in history's most decisive battles.Like the battlefields to which they are called, the war dogs' roles haveevolved through the years. Missions have varied from landmine and tunnel detectionto trackers and scouts. Today, war dogs are a primary asset when locatingimprovised explosive devices, the No. 1 killer of coalition forces in Afghanistanand Iraq. They are members of Special Operations teams conducting clandestinemissions and they help guard some of the world's most dangerous terrorists.This photographic book opens with a salute to the history of combat caninesof the past century. It then uses illustration and insight to take the reader insidethe careful selection process and months of rigorous training required to join theranks of these elite military working dogs. Hundreds of never-before-seen photosreveal the lifelong bonds formed in the heat of battle as tales of selfless servicein Iraq and Afghanistan are told by the war dogs handlers and commanderswho were there.Many of these war dogs have earned recognition for their heroic actions. Hundredsstruggle with wounds and post-traumatic stress. Dozens died in the line ofduty. These are their stories.