The Long and Short of it All: A Dachshund Dog News Magazine: November 2013

Monday, November 11, 2013

DECORATION FOR A HERO

Meet 'Adolph' and his Human, Stephen Sweeney, 1959

Dear Gentle Readers,
     Please pardon our absence as of late, but we've had some family emergencies in the last few weeks and haven't been able to provide any updates. We haven't even been near a computer for weeks on end.  Things are not good, although thankfully they are improving - Dachtober, so much to answer for.
     But today is Veterans Day 2013, and as we have done on Memorial Day and Veterans Day for all of our years here at The Long and Short of it All, we take time to honor those who served in the armed forces - and the Dachshunds who stood by their side.
     So let's head back to August 19th, 1959, where this handsome little War-Hero Dachshund-mix was honored with a gold collar as Newsday's Pet of the Year. Here's how it all went down:

Sgt. Adolph Sweeney, a distinguished "war hero," was called front and center again today - perhaps for the last time - to receive the accolade of civilian Long Island. Voters named him Pet of the Year in Newsday's annual Golden Collar contest.
The 17-year-old Dachshund-Beagle, who suffers from serious heart trouble since an attack last March, apparently won the hearts of voters. They gave him more than triple the votes of his nearest competitor, the tiger-cat Mr. Peepers.
Adolph, owned by Stephen Sweeney, a chauffeur of 30 Madison Ave, Franklin Square, New York, brought to this year's competition an exciting war record.
He flew 39 World War II missions over Germany with his master, a veteran of the Army Air Corps. Adolph was presented with the same medals that Sweeney earned: the Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and other citations. As mascot of a B-17 Flying Fortress, he logged 800 hours flying time from bases in Italy, England, and North Africa.
"But this award," said his master yesterday, "is the best. It gives me something awfully nice to remember him by."
In the last few years, Sweeney explained, Adolph's health has slipped badly. "He lost his hearing completely two years ago," Sweeney said. "Then that heart attack in March. He just won't be around much longer, that's all." Adolph's age is comparable to 84 years of a human life, it was estimated by a spokesman at Farmingdale Animal Hospital.
Largely on the basis of his dramatic story, Adolph was selected by Newsday judges as the sixth Pet of the Week. Then readers voted him Pet of the Year. He will receive a solid gold collar to mark this title.

Adolph and Human in Uniform in 1945 Photo

If you are a new reader at The Long and Short of it All, you will definitely want to visit the archives for some absolutely amazing military-inspired Dachshund tales and images:

Veterans Day 2012: Meet Schnapps and Booby Trap!

Memorial Day 2012: Historic Dachshund Fun

Airman Apprentice Able, Red Smooth

Dog Is My Co-Pilot