War Dogs: Canines in Combat

Even if your video shelves are groaning under the weight of World War II titles, consider making room for one more. This is a fascinating look at a little-known unit of the Marine Corps--the 'War Dogs'-- and the contributions these canines made to the war effort. Hosted by Brendan W. Tully, a Navy and Gulf War veteran, War Dogs skillfully blends historical war footage and re-enactments, as it shows how the idea of using dogs arose with the Marines (who, in Central America during the 1930s, had painfully learned about the warnings dogs gave to rebel camps). When WWII broke out, the Marines trained their dogs to perform a variety of tasks--carrying messages, sniffing out mines, finding booby traps--with remarkable success. Viewers of all ages will be thrilled by the exploits of these dogs and their handlers, and will be especially moved by the efforts of the surviving handlers to have a memorial to the dogs built on Guam. [Note: Chips, The War Dog, a 1990 made-for-cable-TV-movie based on the WWII war dogs program, is also well worth purchasing.] Highly recommended. Aud: P. (J. Carlson)