This really is an incredibly moving documentary. Strange how you find these things, just flicking through the channels one boring Saturday morning last week and I came across it. At first I thought 'oh just another Vietnam war docu.' but it gradually gripped my attention, helped by the powerful voice of Martin Sheen. Incredible interviews with the dog handlers/soldiers speaking so articulately about their war experiences and these wonderful animals who saved their and their buddies lives. I tell you, mid way through I was in tears myself, it was very touching seeing grown men and former soldiers speaking so emotionally about these animals who became like brothers. Even though I'm not American and was born after the Vietnam war, I began feeling a great sense of pride in these guys as if they had been my own uncles or my dad. And equally I felt for the sufferings and bravery of the German Shepherds and Labradors on the battlefields. This is a story of brave human beings and their equally courageous dogs, thousands of whom would die in loyal service.
The way they were abandoned at the end of the war by the Army was despicable and made me ill almost. I began to think, in anger at the Army's stance afterwards, that maybe it was just a stunt to get people to open their cheque books or whatever but quickly I realised that the experiences and deep felt tragedies felt by the dog handlers was GENUINE as tears were flowing from these mens eyes. I then began looking for as much info as I could on the web and in books and I'm just beginning to learn more. I was disappointed AND thrilled to see that by the time I saw it, in May 2002, two memorials had been built. Disappointed because I couldn't contribute to them but also thrilled that the memory of the men and their war dogs had finally been honoured. And now I myself will contribute to the up keep of those war memorials. I urge people to buy the video of this story, and I also pay tribute to the people who financed this production and made it all possible.
