From the VDHA President

by John R. Harvey

March, 2025

     As all of you

kno by now, the

25th anniversary

dedication of the

war dog memorial

at March Field

Museum in Riverside

California scheduled

for February had to

be postponed. The

museum has

scheduled major

renovations to the

landscape which

would have

presented many

obstacles to the

program.

     Jeffery Bennett,

the original sponsor

of the memorial,

performed a heroic

effort in attempting

to get it scheduled,

but unfortunately

hit multiple stone

walls with the

management of the

museum. The VDHA

family is forever

indebted to Mr.

Bennett for his long

term commitment to

the VDHA and the

history of our K-9

soldiers.

    Mr. Bennett has

indicated in

conversation that

the 25th anniversary

dedication, whenever

it is held, may be the

last. Your board will

try to keep you

informed as to any

future developments.

The original sculpture

was designed by

renowned artist

A. Thomas

Schomberg. He cast

three monuments.

The first was placed at

March Field Museum,

the second is installed

at Sacrifice Field, Fort

Benning, Georgia.

The third has been

installed at Rhode

Island Veterans

Memorial Cemetery,

301 South Country

Trail, Exeter, Rhode

Island. The dedication

for the memorial in

Rhode Island is

scheduled for

May 17, 2025. The

VDHA family is

encouraged to attend.

     Your board

determined that our

next reunion

would be held in

April or May 2026.

There are multiple

discussions under

way as to where

it will be held. As

information becomes

available we will

keep you informed.

In the interim, stay

healthy and happy.

The two go together.

    I received a

request from Chloe

Sapp, a journalism

student at Webster

University in Missouri.

Her group would like

to interview any

Vietnam dog handler

for a planned

documentary on K-9

units in Vietnam.

If you are interested

in participating,

she can be reached

at

chloesapp411@gmail.com

       The VDHA was organized in 1993 by a group of six veteran war dog handlers who served during the Vietnam Conflict. One of their original goals was to search for and re-unite veteran war dog handlers and honor the memory of their war dog partners.
       As a result, the VDHA has grown from six members to approximately 2000 members. Our membership consists of veteran war dog handlers and dog loving supporters of all ages and gender.
       Many members have been featured in the print and film media, and during many of our nation's annually scheduled patriotic events. A significant achievement is the highly acclaimed TV documentary, "War Dogs, America's Forgotten Heroes." We welcome the informational contributions of all dog handlers from all eras.
       The VDHA was founded with three core objectives in mind:
• Educate the public of the accomplishments of dog handlers in the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam Conflict and the dogs that served with them.
• Provide opportunities for the research and preparation of a detailed history of the use of dogs in the Vietnam Conflict.
• Locate and provide fellowship among dog handlers of all US Armed Services.
       The VDHA continues to be a part of war dog memorial projects throughout the country. Some have since been dedicated and more are on the horizon.
       Getting the US Postal Service to issue a War Dog Stamp that honors the service and sacrifice of the nation's war dogs is one of our goals.
       Educating the public on what these incredible four-footed animals have done to save American lives on the battlefields of foreign wars is always at the forefront of every effort we support or sponsor. During every modern War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq, men have volunteered to serve as "Dog Handlers." The military duty of having served with a dog in War is a bonding relationship and memorable experience like no other, that lasts a lifetime.