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TRIBUTE TO FALLEN
MILITARY WORKING DOG HANDLERS & DOGS
IN THE WAR ON TERROR
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USMC Corporal Dustin J. Lee and Lex, Iraq 2006
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U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Adam Leigh Cann, age 23 of Davie, Florida, was killed in action on January 5, 2006 by a suicide bomb attack in Ramadi, Iraq. Sgt. Cann and his bomb-sniffing German Shepherd, Bruno were working security and crowd control at an Iraqi police recruiting center. Bruno alerted on a suspected target in the crowd. Sgt Cann confronted a male suspect and discovered he was wearing a vest of explosives. Sgt Cann immediately threw himself into the terrorist as he detonated the vest. Sgt. Cann was killed instantly and Bruno was wounded. Sgt Cann’s gave up his life to save the lives of fellow Marines standing nearby and was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor. Bruno recovered from his wounds and remained on active duty. Sgt Cann was the first Military K9 Handler killed in combat since the Vietnam War ended in 1975.
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U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Jason Norton, age 32 of Miami, Oklahoma was killed when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device while escorting a convoy near Taji, Iraq. TSgt. Norton had been a Military Working Dog Handler for several years and was the K9 Trainer at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska when he received orders to deploy to Iraq. His orders were for duty as a Security Police TSgt, not a K9 Handler, so he reported for duty without a K9 partner at his side. TSgt Norton epitomizes the motto “Once K9 – Always K9.” TSgt. Norton left behind a loving family including 2 young children.
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U.S. Marine Corporal Dustin Jerome Lee, age 20 of Stonewall, Mississippi was killed on March 21, 2007. While on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq, an enemy fired rocket propelled grenade (RPG) exploded, mortally wounding Cpl. Lee and severely injuring his explosive detection dog, Lex. Although Lex was wounded himself, he refused to leave his partner’s side. In an honorable and compassionate gesture, the U.S. Marine Corps retired Lex to live with the Lee family on December 21, 2007. It was the first time in U.S. Marine Corps history that a working dog was allowed to be adopted by a fallen handler’s family.
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U.S. Army Corporal Kory Duane Wiens, age 20 of Independence, Oregon and his Specialized Search Dog, Cooper were both killed in action on July 6, 2007 by an improvised explosive device (IED), while on patrol in Muhammad Sath, Iraq. Kory and Cooper were the first military working dog team killed in combat together since Vietnam. They were best friends in life and were buried together. Corporal Wiens was named after his grandfather who was a military canine handler during the Korean War.
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U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Donald T. Tabb, age 29, of Norcross, Georgia was killed February 5, 2008 when a roadside bomb detonated near his vehicle in Sangin, Afghanistan. He was a Specialized Search Dog Handler from Fort Rucker, Alabama. His dog, Bo, a 2-yeard old black Labrador retriever, was also wounded. SSgt. Tabb recently completed the Army's dog-handling course and was on his fifth deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. He was the first K9 Handler killed in Afghanistan. The U.S. Army retired Bo to Willie Smith (SSgt Tabb’s brother) in a fitting ceremony at Lawrenceville, Georgia on April 18, 2008.
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MARCO, U.S. Air Force Bomb Sniffing Dog, 6-year old Belgian Malinois was killed in action in Iraq on January 20, 2007. He and his handler Staff Sergeant Alissa Jones from Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma were assisting the U.S. Army’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team in a search for weapons caches, explosives, and improvised explosive devices materials. Marco suffered an acute cardio respiratory arrest secondary to electrocution. SSgt Jones was uninjured.
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ARRAS, U.S. Air Force Explosive Detection Dog, 5- year-old Dutch Shepherd was killed in action while on patrol in Iraq on September 25, 2007. Arras and his handler Staff Sergeant Marcus Reaves from Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, were conducting a building search for weapons and explosives at Sather Air Base, Iraq. Arras touched a location that was electrified by power cables killing him instantly. SSgt. Reaves sustained minor injuries and returned to duty.
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U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Gregory A. Rodriguez, age 35, of Weidman, Michigan, was killed in action on September 2, 2008 in Ana Kalay, Afghanistan when his mounted patrol came under small arms fire. His dog, Jacko, Specialized Search Dog, survived the attack. Sgt. Rodriguez and Jacko were assigned to the K-9 unit of the 527th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade. He will be buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.
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U.S. Army Specialist Brandon K. Steffey, age 23, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and his Bomb Dog, Macy were both killed in Laghman province, Afghanistan on October 25, 2009. Both died from wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. Specialist Steffey and Macy were assigned to the 178th Military Police Detachment, 89th Military Police Brigade, III Corps, Fort Hood, Texas. Specialist Steffey had served two combat tours of duty as a K-9 handler. He graduated from Brimley High School, Michigan in 2005. Specialist Steffey was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals and laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan on November 4, 2009. |
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LEX, U.S. Marine Corps Bomb Sniffing Dog served two tours of duty in Iraq and was wounded in action at the side of his handler, Corporal Dustin Jerome Lee, who was killed on March 21, 2007. Although severely wounded, Lex stayed and protected Dustin until help arrived and they were physically separated. Lex was retired from the USMC in a “nationally televised” ceremony on December 21, 2008. The Military Order of the Purple Heart, Chapter 566, awarded Lex a “Commemorative Purple Heart” in a fitting ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida on February 16, 2008. Lex now lives in peace and harmony with the Lee family in Quitman, Mississippi.
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