Sergeant Stubby: How a Stray Dog and His Best Friend Helped Win World War I and Stole the Heart of a Nation

by Ann Bausum, David E. Sharpe (Foreword by)

Overview

Meet Sergeant Stubby: World War I dog veteran, decorated war hero, American icon, and above all, man's best friend. Stubby's story begins in 1917 when America is about to enter the war. A stowaway dog befriends Private James Robert "Bob" Conroy at the Connecticut National Guard camp at Yale University and the two become inseparable. Stubby also wins over the commanding officer and is soon made an official member of the 102nd Infantry of the 26th division. What follows is an epic tale of how man's best friend becomes an invaluable soldier on the front lines and in the trenches, a decorated war hero and an inspiration to a country long after the troops returned home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781426213113
Publisher:	Disney Press
Publication date:	05/13/2014
Sold by:	DISNEY PUBLISHING WORLDWIDE -EBKS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	9 MB

About the Author

ANN BAUSUM has written nine National Geographic books for young readers during the past 12 years. Her publication list features six works of social justice history, two presidential history reference books, and a photobiography. She has won numerous awards, including a Sibert Honor Award from the American Library Association and three other national awards for literature.

Table of Contents

Foreword: A Soldier's Best Friend David E. Sharpe 7

Introduction 13

Part 1 Two Recruits 18

April 20, 1918 20

Chapter 1 A Dog's Best Friend 23

Chapter 2 Over There 33

Chapter 3 Somewhere in France 45

Chapter 4 In and Out of the Trenches 59

Chapter 5 Summer Campaigns 79

Part 2 War and Peace 92

August 6, 1918 94

Chapter 6 The Home Front 97

Chapter 7 Follies and Fireworks 107

Chapter 8 Armistice 125

Part 3 Homecoming 140

May 1, 1919 142

Chapter 9 Stateside 145

Chapter 10 Touchdown! 163

Chapter 11 At Ease, Sergeant Stubby 179

Afterword 197

Research Notes and Acknowledgments 204

Appendix 211

Time Line 215

Bibliography 222

Illustrations Credits 230

Index 231

Reading Guide 236

Editorial Reviews

05/05/2014
Children's book author Bausum's adult nonfiction debut introduces readers to "Sergeant" Stubby, a stump-tailed terrier mutt that became the mascot of the 102nd Infantry Regiment Yankee Division in WWI. His caretaker, James Robert Conroy, came across Stubby at a military training camp on Yale University campus and surreptitiously hid the dog aboard the Minnesota vessel when his unit traveled to the warfront in France. While Conroy worked as a scout and dispatch rider, Stubby used his skills to boost morale, alert others to the scent of gas, and point medics toward wounded allies on the battlefield. The dog learned to salute and was outfitted with his own ID tags, gas mask, and military coat with authentic patches and victory medals. Aside from an enduring tale of companionship, Bausum provides details into the lives of the soldiers, including their artillery, typical diet, and the realities of illness and "unspeakably horrid deaths." After the war, Stubby's notoriety continued with a stint in vaudeville and as mascot to the Georgetown University football team where Conroy was studying law. Bausum's narrative is solidly researched, if sometimes speculative, and effectively illustrates a meaningful relationship in which a special dog helped a soldier "see beyond the horror and uncertainty of combat to the beauty of just being alive." B&w photos. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"Is the appeal of this book greater for dog lovers or military-history buffs? It’s a toss-up, because the book’s charm simply radiates off the page in all directions." —Booklist

From the Publisher