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JUST REMEMBER YOUR FRIENDS, BE THEY TWO LEGGED OR FOUR ! MILITARY NEWS:MILITARY SERVICE:RAGS THE DOG: First US Army Dog
WHO WAS THE REAL 'RAGS? He was adopted AS MASCOT into the 1st Division on July 14, 1918, in the Montmartre section of Paris, France. Rags remained its mascot until his death in Washington, D.C., on March 22, 1936. He learned to run messages between the rear headquarters and the front lines, and provided early warning of incoming shells. Rags achieved great notoriety and celebrity war dog fame when he saved many lives in the Meuse-Argonne Campaign by delivering a vital message despite being bombed, gassed, and partially blinded. His adopted owner and handler, Private James Donovan, was seriously wounded and gassed, dying after returning to a military hospital at Fort Sheridan in Chicago. Rags was adopted by the family of Major Raymond W. Hardenbergh there in 1920, moving with them through several transfers until in Fort Hamilton, New York, he was reunited with members of the 18th Infantry Regiment who had known him in France. Rags was presented with a number of medals and awards. ADOPTION IN PARIS: Rags was found abandoned on the streets of Paris by an American doughboy, Private James Donovan, an A.E.F. signal corps specialist serving with the U.S. 1st Infantry Division. Donovan named the dog Rags, having mistaken him for a pile of them when he first found him. Donovan had marched in the Bastille Day parade and was late in reporting back to his unit. To avoid being Absent Without Leave (AWOL) Donovan told Military Police that Rags was the missing mascot of the 1st Infantry Division and that he was part of a search party. That is a role that Rags was to play for almost twenty years. Upon returning to his unit Donovan escaped punishment and was allowed to keep Rags largely because Donovan was being ordered to the front lines. WAR SERVICE:
Donovan's job in the front lines was to string communications wire between advancing infantry and supporting field artillery. He also had to repair field telephone wires that had been damaged by shellfire. Until wire was replaced, runners had to be used, but they were frequently wounded, killed or could not get through shell holes and barbed wire. Donovan trained Rags to carry written messages attached to his collar. In July 1918, Rags and Donovan and an infantry unit of 42 men were cut off and surrounded by Germans. Rags carried back a message which resulted in an artillery barrage and reinforcements that rescued the group. News of the exploit spread throughout the 1st Division. In September 1918, Rags and Donovan were involved in the final American campaign of the war. Rags carried a number of messages and on October 2, 1918, carried one from the 1st Battalion of the 26th Infantry Regiment to the 7th Field Artillery that resulted in an artillery barrage that led to an important objective, the Very-Epinonville Road, being secured. It saved the lives of a large number of doughboys. On October 9, 1918, Rags and Donovan were both the victims of German shellfire and gas shells. Rags had his right front paw, right ear and right eye damaged by shell splinters, and was also mildly gassed. Donovan was more seriously wounded and badly gassed. The two were kept together and taken back to a dressing station and then several different hospitals. Whenever this unusual treatment for a mere dog was mentioned, the term "orders from headquarters" was brought into play. Rags' reputation helped smooth the way. The dog quickly healed after excellent treatment. Donovan's health, however, grew worse. Both were returned to the United States. RETURN TO USA: Members of the 1st Division, smuggled Rags by train and ship from Brest in France to Fort Sheridan in Chicago. He accompanied James Donovan, who was placed in the Fort Sheridan Base Hospital, which specialized in gas cases. Rags made his home at the base firehouse and was given a collar with a tag that identified him as 1st Division Rags. In early 1919, Donovan died and Rags became the post dog, living in the firehouse and eating at various mess halls that he carefully selected. He was watched over by a number of soldiers on the post.
Major Raymond W. Hardenbergh, and RAGS In 1920, Major Raymond W. Hardenbergh, his wife and two daughters arrived at Fort Sheridan. The family and Rags were soon very attached to each other. The post commander arranged for the family to be given the trusteeship of Rags.[4] After several other tours of duty, the Hardenbergh family arrived at Governors Island in New York Harbor in 1924. The 16th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Division was stationed there and a number had served in World War I and were familiar with Rags and his exploits. He started his ritual of tours and soon was traveling by ferry to Fort Hamilton, Fort Wadsworth and the Army Building at Whitehall Street in downtown Manhattan.
He became a well-known New York City celebrity. The New York Times carried a number of articles about him. Jack Rohan's book about him was published in 1930. More newspaper and magazine articles followed. Rags was presented with a number of medals and awards. In 1928, he marched down Broadway with the 1st Division troops as part of the division's 10th anniversary of World War I reunion. Numerous New York politicians and U.S. Army generals had their pictures taken with Rags. From 1928 until 1934, Rags lived with the Hardenberghs at Fort Hamilton. DEATH: In 1934, Hardenbergh, by then a lieutenant colonel, was transferred to Washington, D.C., to serve in the War Department. Little is known of Rags over the next two years. In March 1936, Hardenbergh informed Fort Hamilton and the 1st Division that Rags had died. He was 20 years old. Rags was buried with military honors, and a monument was erected at the Aspin Hill Memorial Park in Silver Spring, Maryland near the Hardenbergh home. UNIQUE BEHAVIOR: In addition to his message-carrying skills in France during World War I, Rags had a number of other unique behaviors. When Rags was first in the front lines and came under shellfire, he simply imitated the men around him who would drop to the ground and hug it tightly. Before long, the soldiers observed Rags hugging the ground with his paws spread out before anyone heard the sound of an incoming round. The men soon realized that Rags' acute and sensitive hearing was telling them when the shells were coming well before they could hear them. The doughboys learned to keep their eyes on Rags, and he became an early-warning system for artillery shell fire. During a rest period behind the lines, James Donovan taught Rags a method of dog saluting that Rags would use for the rest of his military life. Instead of extending his paw out to shake hands, as most dogs were taught, Rags would raise his paw a bit higher and close to his head. For many years afterward, Rags would appear at the flag pole at various military bases for the retreat ceremony. As the flag was lowered and the bugle played, Rags could be seen saluting with the assembled troops. He was observed doing this at Forts Sheridan and Hamilton. Another lifelong activity was Rags' daily tour of whatever army base at which he was living. Early on, he would identify the mess halls with the best food and most hospitable staff. He would visit them each day for treats, and most had a special water bowl placed out for him. This is a digitized version of an article from The Times’s print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them.
POSTSCRIPT: MARCH 23, 1936 In the absence of further word yesterday from Washington, where Rags died, members of the First Division stationed at Fort Hamilton were laying plans to bury the heroic one-eyed dog and to erect a monument in his memory. The 20-year-old Scotch-Irish terrier, which figured in several dramatic wartime episodes, died at the capital a few days ago. Word of his passing was received here from Lieut. Col. Raymond W. Hardenbergh, who took the mascot with him almost two years ago when he was transferred from Governors Island to the office of the chief of infantry at Washington. Major Walter H. Wells said that Colonel Royden E. Beebe, post commandant of the Eighteenth Infantry, would take steps to organize the project formally today. Major Gen. Frank Parker, who recently returned to the leadership of the First, agreed that Rags merited full military honors and suggested a spot in front of the division's headquarters at Fort Hamilton as the most appropriate. Major Wells pointed out that there was a fund of $50.11, representing royalties donated by Jack Rohan following the publication of "Rags-The Story of a Dog Who Went to War," available for the memorial. Meanwhile James L. Meeks, president of the Bay Ridge Chamber of Commerce, wrote to the Brooklyn army base stressing the group's deep interest in the dog and indicating that the matter of raising additional money would be taken up at the annual dinner on the third Wednesday in April. Major Gen. Parker will be invited to the dinner. Friends of Rags pointed out that such a tribute would not be unprecedented. About a dozen years ago Calculator, another war hero, died and was buried at Fort Benning, Ga., where the government conducts an infantry school. A rough-hewn granite monument 5 feet tall, 3 feet wide and 2 feet thick was erected near by. Calculator got his name after a war wound crippled one leg; as one veteran put it yesterday, Calculator in walking had to "put down three and carry one." Lieut. Col. Hardenbergh's communication said the body was temporarily at the Aspin Hills Kennels, Rockville, Md. And whether his plans made unlikely a return of the battered one-time Parisian gutter pup to the fort at which he made hundreds of friends over almost a decade remained unknown. AMAZING STORIES:Every Wednesday The Weekly Genealogist provides readers with news and information about NEHGS and the genealogical community. Features include a description of the latest database
on AmericanAncestors.org, a spotlight, an editor’s column, a survey question, stories of interest, and announcements about bookstore items, educational opportunities, and special offers. MONTH BY MONTH:GENEALOGY GEMSIN THE STORY: of Raggedy Ann, the daughter of the author of the stories, found a puppy one one morning asleep on the lap of her Raggedy Ann doll. Rags was a popular name of a dog at the time so she named the dog RAGS. And that is how Raggedy Ann got HER famous dog.
LIFE IS FULL OF LAUGHSTHE BOOK NOOK: FOR THIS MONTHHISTORICAL, GENEALOGICAL & RESEARCH BOOKS
RAGS THE DOG WHO WENT TO WAR
WRITTEN BY MARGOT THEIS RAUER ILLUSTRATED BY PETRA BROWN A hearty little dog, Rags won the hearts of soldiers with whom he served, many times helping to save their lives. In October, 1918, he and his rescuer, Private Donavan, were both wounded in battle and evacuated to a military hospital in Illinois. Donovan died in 1919 from his wounds but Rags, who had lost his right eye in the attack, recovered. In 1920 a military family at Fort Sheridan adopted him, and took them with him wherever they were stationed.
************************* Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the brave warriors who died while serving in the United States military. It actually began after the Civil War as Decoration Day. It wasn’t until 1971 that it became an official federal holiday. Today, alongside our troops, you will often see America’s military dogs, accompanying sentries on their duties, or patrolling with troops, alerting them to the presence of enemy forces or explosive devices that could maim or kill. One of the first well-known military dogs was Rags, a Scotch-Irish terrier, who would “salute” with his right front paw. In 1918, Private James Donovan found himself on leave in Paris when he came upon the small hungry homeless dog asleep in an alley. The soldier took him back to his division where the terrier, now named Rags, became a companion and mascot for the First Infantry Division. He turned out to be a real life-saver, warning the soldiers of incoming shells, delivering vital messages, even leading stretcher-bearers to the wounded. Unfortunately, back in the United States after the war, his rescuer, Private Donovan, died as a result of war injuries, so Rags was adopted by another military family. He became a popular celebrity, and had newspaper and magazine articles written about him. Many Army generals and even politicians had their pictures taken with him. He even became the subject of a book, “Rags, the Dog Who Went to War”, published in 1930. When he passed away in 1936 at the age of 20, Rags was buried with military honors. A monument of Rags can still be found at the Aspin Hill Memorial Park in Aspen Hill, Maryland. So on this Memorial Day, as you remember the brave men and women who fought and died defending our country, consider the contribution made by the canine heroes who willingly gave their lives to protect our soldiers; they serve as a model of loyalty and courage, when you’re speaking of pets. All net proceeds will support Goodwill Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas Our mission: Goodwill empowers people with disadvantages and different abilities to earn and keep employment through individualized programs and services. LESS THAN $12
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