Production still from “Sgt Stubby: An American Hero” which opens nationwide on April 13, 2018. The film is endorsed by the United States World War One Centennial Commission.
A Soldier and His Dog: Review of “Sgt Stubby: An American Hero”
via the Angry Staff Officer blog
As some of you know, I don’t really do movie reviews on this site. But this spring I have had to break my own rule because of the animated film that combines two of my favorite things: dogs and the First World War. I am speaking of the movie “Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero.”
For those unfamiliar with the story, Stubby was a stray mutt who joined up with the Connecticut National Guard’s 102nd Infantry Regiment in New Haven during the early months of America’s involvement in World War I. He and a Guardsman formed a special friendship and Stubby ended up going overseas with the regiment. This unit formed one of four infantry regiments in the 26th Division, which was nicknamed the “Yankee Division” because it was made up of the National Guard units of the New England states.
The Yankee Division ended up being the first full division to reach France (parts of the U.S. Army’s 1st and 2nd Divisions were already there but they were not yet at full strength) in October, 1917 and it would take part in some of the fiercest combat of the Western Front in 1918. The division would spend from February to November on the front lines, with only one two week break in August. Most of the infantry units of the division took fifty percent casualties. It was termed one of the “old reliable” divisions of the American Expeditionary Force.
The story of Stubby is in some sense the story of the Yankee Division, since the scrappy pup embodied the fighting spirit of the newly arrived Yanks. Brash, bold, and not yet worn down by years of fighting, the Doughboys exhibited a spirit that was a wonderment to their British and French comrades in arms – although their bravery often came at the cost of heavy casualties.
Stubby himself did more than his part for the cause, as the film shows. From his actions in combat to the general goodwill that his mere presence as a doggy on the front lines brought to the men around him, Stubby was a remarkable animal. Decorated for bravery and promoted to sergeant, he remains one of the most fascinating dogs in the annals of animals in war. All the more distinguished as he was not a trained war dog; much like the men he accompanied, he was a volunteer.
The film is not a full-on documentary and not all the little details are what one would term historically accurate. However, what the film does is capture the spirit of Sergeant Stubby, the Yankee Division, and the American experience of World War I as a whole. It is a story of a man and his dog and the strong bond that people develop with their pets. It perfectly captures the unique understanding that dogs have for their humans and the lengths they will go to out of loyalty and love.
Read the entire article on the Angry Staff Officer blog site here:
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