Sergeant Stubby

Sergeant Stubby (1915 – March 16, 1926) was a dog who was the unofficial mascot of the 102nd Infantry Regiment and was assigned to the 26th (Yankee) Division in World War I and travelled with his division to France to fight alongside the French. He served for 18 months and participated in 17 battles and four offensives on the Western Front. He saved his regiment from surprise mustard gas attacks, found and comforted the wounded, and allegedly once attacked and held a German soldier by the seat of his pants, keeping him there until American soldiers found him. His actions were well-documented in contemporary American newspapers. He received many awards, including a gold medal, a wound stripe, and two purple hearts. Stubby has been called the most decorated war dog of the Great War and the only dog to be nominated and promoted to sergeant through combat. Stubby's preserved body is on display in the National Museum of American History. Stubby is the subject of the 2018 animated film Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero.