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:
Dachshund Homecoming Video
Happy Memorial Day
Veterans Day and Dachshunds
Dachshunds in Pop Culture: Fritz and the "Jane" Cartoon Series
Dachshunds in History: The Saga of Sgt. Wally D. Hund
Dachshunds Reunited with their Dads in the News
Dachshunds and Veterans Day
Dachshunds Teleconferencing with their Dads in Iraq in the News
Dachshunds in History: Mimi, A Most Unpopular Dog During WW2
Memorial Day Dachshund: Meet Gus
Dachshund News Roundup! - story on Vietnam War Veteran Jim Quick and his dachshund
Dachshund News Roundup! - story on Iraq War Veteran Scott MacKenzie and his new rescue boy
Dachshunds in History: Hark! Hark! The Dogs Do Bark!
Dachshunds in History: Dogs of War
