Meet the dog who went from a family pet to a World War II hero

Published on April 28, 2026

Of the 10,425 military dogs trained during World War II, Chips was extraordinary.

The German shepherd, Siberian husky, and collie mix was only about 2 years old when he joined the United States Army in 1942, but he grew up fast. Before his family donated him to the Dogs for Defense program, Chips never strayed far from home.

That soon changed—and fast.

Also Read: What you should know about the program that trains US military dogs

Like most pooches, Chips possessed off-the-charts cuteness and two other traits inherent in our four-legged friends. He was fiercely loyal and protective, even in the most dangerous of circumstances. Nothing mattered more than protecting his people.

Assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division’s 3rd Military Police Platoon, Chips did not flinch when the Italians pounded his unit with relentless machine-gun fire early on July 10, 1943. He did not run away from the fight. Instead, he raced into a machine-gun nest at the outset of Operation Husky.

In the process, he became a legend.

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