1 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: You're listening to American Shadows, a production of I Heart 2 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:16,439 Speaker 1: Radio and Grimm and Mild from Aaronmankey. Nothing had prepared 3 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: the soldiers for the jungles thick with foliage, deadly snakes, 4 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 1: and land mines. The enemy planted trip wires and waited 5 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,480 Speaker 1: in tunnels. No amount of technology seemed enough to gain 6 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: an edge, so they relied on something else to find 7 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: and alert them to hidden dangers. Dogs. Between four and 8 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:39,160 Speaker 1: five thousand US military canines served in the Vietnam War. 9 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:42,880 Speaker 1: The military accredits the dogs for saving at least ten 10 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: thousand lives. For perspective, picture the Vietnam Memorial Wall, with 11 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 1: its some fifty eight thousand names etched in nearly five 12 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: feet of marble, standing ten feet high at its peak. 13 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 1: Now imagine an additional ten thousand names. Dogs did what 14 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: technolog g could not. In addition to sniffing out danger 15 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: and weapon stashes, they doubled as trackers and sentry guards, 16 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: and aided soldiers in taking down armed men. Dogs even 17 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: smelled enemy soldiers breath through reeds as they lay in 18 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,959 Speaker 1: wait beneath river waters. The canines endured the heat and 19 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: enemy fire, but not for fame or money. They worked 20 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: for the love and praise of their handlers. Most of 21 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 1: the dogs bonded so tightly with the soldiers that they 22 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: often stayed by their fallen bodies, to their own detriment. 23 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: Military canines were so good at their jobs that they 24 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 1: became targets Enemy forces earned rewards for a handler's service 25 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: patch or a dog's tattooed ear. About three hundred and 26 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: fifty canines and two hundred and sixty handlers were killed 27 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: in action. A countless more were injured. In the morning 28 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: of December four of nineteen sixty six, twenty two year 29 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: old airmen Bob Thronberg smiled at Nemo, his German shepherd. 30 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: You're a good boy, Throneberg told him. At home, families 31 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: prepared for the holidays, unaware that the base Throneberg and 32 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: others were stationed at had been under assault from a 33 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 1: barrage of mortar fire. Throneberg and Nemo set out on 34 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 1: patrol among the chaos of medics and soldiers, searching for 35 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: the injured in piles of rubble. The thick heat was 36 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 1: nearly unbearable for man and beast. Nemo trotted off ahead 37 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: for several yards when he detected an armed man ahead 38 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 1: of him, a Throneberg shot the enemy soldier. At three am, 39 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: Nemo detected another Vietnamese guerrilla, and Throneberg sent Nemo after him. 40 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: A gunfire erupted, hitting both Nemo and Throneberg. Though hurt, 41 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: Nemo continued to fight while Throneberg called for backup. Thronberg 42 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: managed to shoot the second guerrilla before collapsing, and Nemo 43 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: returned to him. He whined as he lay across him, 44 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: protecting him until backup arrived. Good boy, Thronberg said. When 45 00:02:55,560 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 1: help arrived, Nemo cried as medics took Thronberg away. Both 46 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: received medical treatment. Later, the two were reunited at the 47 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:07,639 Speaker 1: base hospital. It was a brief reunion. The Throneberg was 48 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: airlifted to Japan for further treatment. He never saw Nemo again. 49 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: Throneberg recovered. He received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, 50 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: though he credited Nemo as the hero. That day, he 51 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: and Nemo had taken out two enemies soldiers. All told, 52 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 1: Canine forces took out a dozen guerrillas that night. Nemo 53 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: also recovered from his wounds, though he lost an eye. 54 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: He was five years old when the military retired him. 55 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 1: He received no medals, no awards. However, Nemo did receive 56 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: something much rarer for canine soldiers. He was returned to 57 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 1: the Department of Defense Dog Center, where he lived to 58 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: be eleven. Others were not as fortunate. When the US 59 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: left Vietnam, handlers wanted to bring their dogs home, most 60 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: were denied. The military euthanized some dogs and abandoned others. 61 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 1: Only two hundred of over four thousand canines returned home. 62 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: In the year two thousand, President Clinton signed Robbie's Law, 63 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: named after a brave canine that, like other dogs, fought 64 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: in wars that were not theirs. But with this law, 65 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: the military could no longer consider dogs as equipment and 66 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 1: euthanized them after their life of service. It also allowed 67 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: their handlers to adopt them. Nemo and Robbie were very 68 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 1: good dogs who saved lives, but they weren't the only ones. 69 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:39,919 Speaker 1: I'm Lauren Vogelbaum. Welcome to American Shadows. Their lineage dates 70 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 1: back thousands of years. Part of the Spitz family of dogs, 71 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 1: the Siberian husky became an integral part of the chip 72 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 1: Shee people's survival in the harsh Siberian landscape during the 73 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: day the dogs pulled sleds. At night, they slept with 74 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: their families and kept them warm. Innuit people has also 75 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: kept the dogs and took them when they migrated to 76 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 1: the North americ An Arctic. Able to withstand temperatures most 77 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 1: animals and other dogs cannot, the Siberian husky made survival possible. Still, 78 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: the breed remained unknown for those in the American West 79 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: until the Alaskan Gold Rush of eight sled dogs became essential, 80 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: especially in remote Gnome, Alaska, just a hundred and sixty 81 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 1: miles south of the Arctic Circle. Nome winters are cold, 82 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 1: dark and isolated. In October of that year, the last 83 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: supplies arrived by boat. In November, ice prevented ships from 84 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: approaching the port, leaving residents on their own. Neither horse 85 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: nor mule could make the journey along the Ideental Rod 86 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: Trail during the long winter months, Nome residents needed sled 87 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: dogs to make the trip to larger towns for supplies. 88 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,840 Speaker 1: The dogs also helped pass the time. In the early 89 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:53,359 Speaker 1: nineteen hundreds, sled dog racing became a popular sport for 90 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: Alaskan colonists. Of The driver, also known as a musher, 91 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: wrote a sled pulled by several dogs. The first All 92 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: Alaska Sweepstakes race took place in nineteen o seven. By 93 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,720 Speaker 1: nineteen o nine, Norwegian born Leonard Seppola had made a 94 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: name for himself in racing and breeding the best sled dogs. 95 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 1: In nineteen ten, the winners at a course record was 96 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: some of Seppola's smaller scrappy dogs, bred mostly of stock 97 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: from Siberia. Typically, a trip from Nana, Alaska, to Nome 98 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 1: took thirty days, the fastest records set first sled team 99 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: took nine and though airplanes replaced many sled dog teams 100 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 1: in other Alaskan towns during the nineteen twenties, in Gnome, 101 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: dogs were still a way of life for Indigenous and 102 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 1: European people's alike, delivering mail supplies and traveling to shops 103 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: and businesses. When the snow came and I settled, the 104 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: people of Nome were on their own until the spring 105 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: thaw in nineteen twenty four was particularly cold and harsh, 106 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:57,159 Speaker 1: and gnomes only doctor Curtis Welsh was uneasy. It started 107 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:59,719 Speaker 1: when a boy came in with labored breathing and the sore. 108 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 1: Though Welsh did everything possible, the boy died. The next day. 109 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:08,039 Speaker 1: Within days, other children arrived with the same symptoms. Soon, 110 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: both young and old were coming down with the illness 111 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 1: Welsh dreaded diphtheria. The Welsh had stockpiled what he thought 112 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 1: the town might need, but he couldn't plan for everything. 113 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 1: The disease can be fatal if not treated. In time, 114 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 1: bacteria settles in the lungs, where it produces toxins. Those 115 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: toxins caused the death of respiratory tissue. As the dead 116 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: tissue accumulates, the airway becomes clogged, making breathing difficult. Other 117 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: complications involving the kidney and heart may also occur. Essentially, 118 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: diphtheria kills by poisoning and asphyxiation. Children were bounced at risk, 119 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: generally killing one in ten affected. Today, we have a 120 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 1: vaccine that has all but eliminated the illness. However, back 121 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: in the nineteen twenties, the disease reached epidemic proportions. There 122 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: was a cure, though, and anti talks and seram to 123 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 1: create it. Horses were given increased levels of diphtheria toxins, 124 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 1: to which they built up anti toxins. Then laboratories made 125 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 1: seram from the horse's blood. However, Nome didn't have laboratories 126 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: or access to many horses, and though doctor Welch had 127 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 1: some anti toxin on hand, it had expired with no 128 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: immunity to the disease. Diphtherorius spread through the town like wildfire. 129 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: Without fresh anti toxin, Doctor Welsh estimated a one fatality 130 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: rate based on the cases so far. He called an 131 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 1: emergency meeting with Mayor George Maynard. The two quickly set 132 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:39,560 Speaker 1: up a quarantine as a temporary measure to slow down 133 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 1: the spread of the disease while they put out a 134 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 1: call for anti toxin. Fortunately, Anchorage had enough serum. Unfortunately, 135 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 1: Anchorage was a thousand miles away. Time was running out 136 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: for the people in Nome. The disease was highly contagious 137 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 1: and death often occurred just days after infection. Welsh and 138 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 1: Maynard needed to find a way to get the serum 139 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 1: and quickly. Glasgow's governor made it possible to transport the 140 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: serum from Anchorage to Nanana by rail. The ice made 141 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 1: delivering the serum the rest of the way by boat impossible. 142 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 1: Planes had open cockpits and water cooled engines at the time, 143 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 1: making the trip by air a suicide mission. The town 144 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 1: survival came down to the sled dogs, but this time 145 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:25,079 Speaker 1: they wouldn't have thirty days or even nine to make 146 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 1: the trip. The call went out asking for help from 147 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: every sled team along the idea rod trail from Nanana 148 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 1: to Rome that have to set up relay teams between 149 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 1: the two points to beat the clock. It wouldn't be easy. 150 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,840 Speaker 1: The teams would mostly be running in the dark. Daylight 151 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: during Arctic winters is scarce. In addition, the serum had 152 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: to be kept from freezing, a near impossible feat considering 153 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: it was January, and even if they managed to keep 154 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 1: the serum stable, it had a shelf life of just 155 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:03,679 Speaker 1: six days, requiring the dogs to make the trip three 156 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: days faster than the record run. They needed the best 157 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: drivers and the fastest dogs. A ragtag group of natives 158 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 1: and settlers signed up like their dogs. The men were 159 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: healthy and fit, and all of them were young, except one, 160 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: forty two year old Leonard Seppola. Though he had the experience, 161 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 1: his age put him past the prime for such a 162 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 1: grueling undertaking. His lead dog, Togo, was also aging at twelve. 163 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 1: The journey would likely kill him, but both man and 164 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: dog had a vested steak in the matter. Seppola had 165 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:41,200 Speaker 1: a young daughter and a solid commitment to the town. 166 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:45,079 Speaker 1: Togo had an equally strong commitment to Seppola, a devotion 167 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:48,079 Speaker 1: had had since he was a puppy. Seppola had taken 168 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: a little longer to commit to such a bond. Togo 169 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: had been born the only pup in the litter. His 170 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: dark brown coat and piercing blue eyes might have stolen 171 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 1: anyone else's heart, but Togo was small and initially unhealthy, 172 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:04,800 Speaker 1: and as far as Seppla was concerned, looks didn't get 173 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:07,680 Speaker 1: the job done, and he had little interest in the pup, 174 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:11,960 Speaker 1: so he gave Togo away, but Togo refused to belong 175 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:15,559 Speaker 1: to anyone else. He jumped through a window and, remarkably 176 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:18,440 Speaker 1: for such a young puppy, found his way home. Resigned 177 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:20,959 Speaker 1: to keeping Togo, Seppola put him in a pen when 178 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 1: he took the other dogs out to train. Togo had 179 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 1: other ideas. He dug under or climbed over every pen, 180 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:30,480 Speaker 1: then raced off to find Seppola and the team, often 181 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: causing havoc when he did. Too young to harness. Sepola 182 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 1: did his best to keep Togo from escaping, but nothing worked. Finally, 183 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 1: when Togo was eight months old and had managed to 184 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: escape and find the team again, Sepola harnessed him up 185 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: with the rest of the team. Got first day, Togo 186 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 1: ran seventy five miles on break. Sepola continued moving Togo 187 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 1: closer to the front. By the end of the day, 188 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:56,560 Speaker 1: he had become the lead dog. In a short time, 189 00:11:56,800 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 1: Seppola had the best lead dog had ever owned. Togo stamina, intelligence, 190 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 1: and devotion to Seppola became legendary and known so With 191 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: so many lives in the balance, Seppola had to choose 192 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: twenty of his best dogs for the journey. He had 193 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: a younger dog named Bolto, but felt the dog didn't 194 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:17,959 Speaker 1: have what it takes to make the treacherous journey had 195 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 1: been assigned a Seppla lent Bolto to another musher to 196 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 1: make the best time. Each team was assigned at thirty 197 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:28,680 Speaker 1: miles stretch, all except Seppola and Togo. The two would 198 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: have to make an incredible ninety one mile run over 199 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 1: the trail's most hazardous terrain. They made their way to 200 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:38,680 Speaker 1: a cabin near the rendezvous point and waited as the 201 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 1: train pulled into Nanana. The weather worsened, A blinding snowstorm formed, 202 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: and temperatures dropped to sixty degrees below zero fahrenheit. While 203 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,960 Speaker 1: every driver knew they needed to be fast, they also 204 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: knew that if they ran their dogs too fast, their 205 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 1: lungs would frost and the dogs would dive exposure. Winds howled, 206 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 1: and the snow came down hard. Bill Shannon and his 207 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:04,200 Speaker 1: team pulled away from the train station. The Great Mercy 208 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: Run had begun. Shannon ended up taking on fifty two 209 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 1: miles of the run in the worst of the weather. 210 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: He arrived at the transfer point and suffering from hypothermia, 211 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: his face black with frost bite. Four of his dogs died. 212 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 1: The temperature warmed slightly, though the next driver and team 213 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:25,840 Speaker 1: still encountered gale force winds and blinding snow, and drivers 214 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 1: and dogs persisted handing off the seram to the next team. 215 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: The driver who passed the seram to Seppola told him 216 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 1: cases of diphtheria had risen and warned him that a 217 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: storm was headed his way. Seppola got his team ready 218 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:42,439 Speaker 1: and set out in temperatures of negative thirty degrees fahrenheit 219 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 1: with a wind chill of negative eighty five. By the 220 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,560 Speaker 1: time they stopped for rest at a roadhouse, Togo had 221 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: led the team eighty four miles. The dogs were exhausted, 222 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 1: and they settled in for some rest. The winds kicked 223 00:13:55,440 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: up outside, reminding Seppola they couldn't rest for long. M 224 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 1: With just six hours of sleep, they set out again, 225 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 1: the storm raging around them. Seppela had a choice to make. 226 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: If he took a short cut, he'd save forty two miles, 227 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 1: but that short cut would take him and the team 228 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 1: across the sound. In the past, other teams had risked 229 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: the ice and poor weather, only to find themselves stranded 230 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: on the ice floating out to sea, and on a 231 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 1: previous journey, the unthinkable had happened to them. When Seppola 232 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: and the team had found themselves stranded on the ice, 233 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 1: he had unharnessed Togo and tossed him onto a larger block, 234 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: Hoping Togo understood what he needed him to do. Pulled Togo, pull, 235 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 1: and Togo had the ice Seppola and the team were 236 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: stranded on drew close enough to drive the team across. Now, 237 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 1: Seppola had a decision and take the long way and 238 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 1: save himself and the team, but risked the Sarah expiring 239 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 1: or risk their lives. Seppola looked at the team and 240 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 1: met with Togo's ice blue eyes. They've done it before, 241 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: they'd do it again. Togo and the team took off 242 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: across the ice, sliding and skittering. They were now in 243 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 1: a race for their lives, though they didn't know it, 244 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 1: the storm had started to break up the ice on 245 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: the Norton Sound. By the time Seppla heard the ice 246 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 1: cracking around them, they couldn't turn around. He urged Togo 247 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 1: to keep running, to keep moving the team forward so 248 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: they wouldn't panic, and Togo instinctively steered them away from 249 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: the danger and led the team to shore. Once they 250 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 1: were safely away from ice and firmly back on land, 251 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: they found an inuit iglu, where Seppla fed the team 252 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 1: and slept. The shortcut had saved them an entire day. 253 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 1: They rested a few hours and set out again. Houses 254 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: and rest stops dotted the snow drifts along the way. 255 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: A telegram had been sent to tell the drivers to 256 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:00,040 Speaker 1: stop at them frequently to rest and get warm, but 257 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: Seppola never received the messages. He and Togo pushed on 258 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: toward a ridge line across the north summit of what's 259 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 1: now called Anali Mountain. Seppola and Togo had experience on 260 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 1: such trails, which was why they had been selected to 261 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: cross the mountain, but they'd never done it in weather 262 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: like this. There were no trees to block the wind, 263 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: the way up and down was steep, and the ridge 264 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 1: was narrow. If they lost their footing, they'd perish. There 265 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 1: were touch and go moments on their descent when the 266 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: team slid down the mountain. Seppola relied on Togo to 267 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: keep the team from danger or going too fast. By 268 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: the time they made it to the rendezvous point, the 269 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: team was exhausted and twelve year old Togo had given 270 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 1: it everything he had left. Seppola handed off the serum 271 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: to the next driver, Charlie Olson. On February one, after 272 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 1: his run, Olsen handed off the serum to gunner Casson, 273 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: who had put Bolto on his team. Casson and Balto 274 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: faced near whiteout conditions. Balto helped keep the team on 275 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 1: course until an eighty mile an hour wind toppled the sled, 276 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:07,200 Speaker 1: throwing Cassin, the dogs and the serum into the snow. 277 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:10,439 Speaker 1: Casson removed his gloves and frantically searched for the fur 278 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:14,160 Speaker 1: wrapped package with his bare hands. He found him right 279 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 1: at the sled and pushed on to the next meeting point, 280 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: where the last team would take the serum into town. 281 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: Except they weren't there. There's controversy at this point in 282 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,360 Speaker 1: the history. Some say Casson wanted to be the one 283 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 1: to bring the serum into Gnome. Others say that with 284 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 1: the clock ticking and the storm raging, he couldn't afford 285 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 1: to wait. Either way, Casson pushed on, making it to 286 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: Gnome on February second. A hero's welcome greeted him and 287 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 1: the team. Casson, exhausted and relieved, handed the serum to 288 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:50,120 Speaker 1: doctor Welch. He staggered to the front of the team, 289 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 1: hugged Bolto, and collapsed. Welsh administered the serum to the sick. 290 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 1: No more cases were reported, and the town was saved. 291 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:01,520 Speaker 1: Welsh had enough to treat everyone who needed help, with 292 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 1: just two doses to spare. The drivers and their teams 293 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 1: returned home again to rest and recover. The Great Mercy 294 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: Run was over. They had beaten the odds. A hundred 295 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:15,880 Speaker 1: and fifty sled dogs made the run. They traveled six 296 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 1: hundred and seventy four miles in five and a half days, 297 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: shattering the old record of nine A few of the 298 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:26,159 Speaker 1: dogs died giving their lives to save human life, and 299 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 1: Togo was not one of them. After a much deserved rest, 300 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:41,400 Speaker 1: he and Seppla returned home. The Great Mercy Run had 301 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 1: captivated the country during those five and a half days. 302 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 1: People everywhere anxiously awaited reports on the dog's journey, and 303 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 1: newspapers splashed updates on the front page. Radio stations gave 304 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 1: them by the hour. Americans were on the edge of 305 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: their seats when the New York Times reported that a 306 00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 1: major blizzard struck as the dogs approached Nome, and celebrations 307 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,400 Speaker 1: erupted when the seram made it and the town was saved. 308 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:08,880 Speaker 1: President Calvin Coolidge presented every musher with the letter of recognition, 309 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:11,680 Speaker 1: and even the Senate took notice, and stopping their work 310 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 1: long enough to honor the men and their dogs who 311 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 1: had braved horrender its conditions to save the lives of 312 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:19,879 Speaker 1: thousands of people. People couldn't get enough of the story, 313 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 1: and though twenty men and a hundred and fifty dogs 314 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: had participated, one stood out above all others. Balto, Gunnar 315 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 1: Casson and Balto had been the ones to arrive in 316 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:33,199 Speaker 1: Nome with the serum. A. Seppeler knew the team that 317 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:35,600 Speaker 1: made the trip into town would be the most celebrated. 318 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:39,120 Speaker 1: He didn't care so much for himself, but he did 319 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: for Togo. A Balto was a great dog. All the 320 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 1: dogs were, but it had been twelve year old Togo 321 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 1: who had taken on the roughest, most dangerous terrain. A 322 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: six year old Bolto ran an incredible fifty three miles 323 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: at twice his age. Togo had traveled two hundred and 324 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:59,440 Speaker 1: sixty one miles, over a third of the six hundred 325 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 1: and seventy four our mile run. It had been Togo 326 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:06,119 Speaker 1: that traveled the ridgeline and across the ice, and Seppola's 327 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:08,880 Speaker 1: decision to go across the sound saved an entire day. 328 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:14,440 Speaker 1: Had he chosen the initial path, that Sarah would have expired. Books, movies, magazines, 329 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 1: and papers wanted to hear Balto's story, though Balto symbolized 330 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 1: the race he and Casson towards the States. Balto was 331 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 1: president at the unveiling of his statue in New York 332 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:30,479 Speaker 1: Central Park, but after a while Casson grew homesick, Balto 333 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:32,640 Speaker 1: and the other dogs weren't with him when he finally 334 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 1: returned to Alaska. It's unclear why the poor Balto and 335 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 1: the team were shipped across the country as part of 336 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:43,359 Speaker 1: the vaudeville circuit, until George Kimball, who was organizing a 337 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:47,200 Speaker 1: children's campaign, came across the heroic canine at a side show. 338 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: Balto and the other dogs had been chained living in 339 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:54,640 Speaker 1: deplorable conditions, and Kimball rescued the dogs and found them 340 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 1: a permanent home at the Cleveland Zoo. Balto lived the 341 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,719 Speaker 1: rest of his life there until he died in nineteen 342 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 1: thirty three, and Togo and Seppola toured for a while 343 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 1: as well. They even went back to sled racing in 344 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 1: Maine and easily bested the local dogs, but Togo was 345 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 1: growing older and Seppola retired him, Agreeing to a breeding 346 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 1: program in Maine. Togo sired many litters, Seppola reached his 347 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:24,359 Speaker 1: dream of the perfect sled dog separate from Siberian huskies. 348 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: Togo's line became a separate breed, the Seppola Siberian. Seppela 349 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 1: returned to Alaska, but continued to visit his beloved dog. 350 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 1: Togo passed away a few years later, at the age 351 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:39,680 Speaker 1: of sixteen. He died having lived his retirement and comfort 352 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: well cared for and deeply loved. Leonard Seppela died in 353 00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:47,960 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty seven at the age of eighty nine. Zeppola 354 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:52,440 Speaker 1: said he had never had a dog with more intelligence, courage, stamina, 355 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:57,679 Speaker 1: or loyalty than Togo, but his story and heroism faded 356 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 1: from history. Decades later, historians uncovered the story and helped 357 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 1: shine a light on Togo as the true hero. In 358 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 1: twenty nineteen, a Sepalss Siberian named Diesel portrayed Togo in 359 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: Disney's adaptation of The Seram Run. As it turns out, 360 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: Diesel was an easy choice for the studio. He not 361 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:20,120 Speaker 1: only resembled Togo, but he was also his great grandson 362 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:25,359 Speaker 1: fourteen generations back. There's more to this story. Stick around 363 00:22:25,400 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 1: after this brief sponsor break to hear all about it. 364 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:44,080 Speaker 1: Working dogs are a relatively common sight, either trained as 365 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:47,639 Speaker 1: police dogs or to aid people with disabilities or illnesses. 366 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 1: Dogs truly have become human kind's best friend, and in 367 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 1: September of two thousand one, America became familiar with two 368 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 1: other types of working dogs, search and rescue and SIR 369 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:03,199 Speaker 1: and recovery. After the attack on the Twin Towers on 370 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 1: September eleven, three hundred dogs and their handlers converged on 371 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:11,440 Speaker 1: Ground zero. Search and rescue dogs have been used for decades, 372 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 1: from locating people lost in snowstorms and the wilderness, to 373 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:19,400 Speaker 1: national disasters like Hurricane Katrina and incidents like the Oklahoma 374 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:23,240 Speaker 1: City bombing. Still few Americans knew the scope of what 375 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:25,720 Speaker 1: it meant to be a dog or handler for search 376 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:29,120 Speaker 1: and rescue. But at Ground Zero, people glued to their 377 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:32,360 Speaker 1: televisions had never seen anything like it. After the horror 378 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:36,239 Speaker 1: of watching the building's collapse, people falling from buildings and 379 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:40,720 Speaker 1: runnings so covered through the streets, others ran toward the buildings, 380 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 1: and in the aftermath, rescue workers continued to shift through 381 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:48,440 Speaker 1: the rubble in the hopes of finding human life. Dogs 382 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:52,879 Speaker 1: climbed over concrete, glass and unstable debris to detect life below. 383 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:56,920 Speaker 1: Twenty seven hours after the buildings had collapsed, a rescue 384 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 1: dog found the last survivor days lay there. The search 385 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:03,879 Speaker 1: and rescue teams made way for dogs trained in search 386 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:07,959 Speaker 1: and recovery The search proved difficult for the cadaver dogs, 387 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:12,119 Speaker 1: as it turns out, finding body after body is psychologically 388 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 1: taxing for them too. To combat the dog's depression, handlers 389 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:20,679 Speaker 1: created mock fines so the dogs found some living people. 390 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:26,879 Speaker 1: Denise Corliss was one of those handlers. Corliss, volunteer firefighter 391 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 1: with the Sci Faire Fire Department in Texas, arrived with 392 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:34,560 Speaker 1: two year old Brittany, a Golden Retriever. Corliss had been 393 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:37,160 Speaker 1: training with Brittany since the pup was just eight months old. 394 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,960 Speaker 1: The pair had completed female Certification. Nine eleven was Brittany's 395 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: first assignment. While Brittany took her job seriously sniffing through 396 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 1: and climbing over rubble for twelve hours a day for 397 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:53,160 Speaker 1: nearly two solid weeks, she had a softer side too. 398 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:56,080 Speaker 1: Of finding so many bodies took its toll on the 399 00:24:56,119 --> 00:25:01,200 Speaker 1: rescue workers, and Brittany also discouraged sought out firefighters who 400 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:05,160 Speaker 1: just needed a hug and a wet nose. Soon, rescue 401 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 1: workers sought out Brittany for one of her famous golden 402 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: smiles and a quick hug. The firefighters began to share 403 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 1: stories with Corless in the debris were missing. Friends and 404 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:20,120 Speaker 1: co workers of Brittany not only served as a recovery dog, 405 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:24,440 Speaker 1: but she had also become a therapy dog. After not eleven, 406 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:28,359 Speaker 1: Corless and Brittany went on to other assignments. Hurricanes Rita, 407 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: Ivan and Katrina of Brittany did precisely what she had 408 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 1: been trained to do, despite the dangers. Once Brittany found 409 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:39,680 Speaker 1: herself standing precariously on a dangling staircase, injury and death 410 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:43,240 Speaker 1: are real possibilities for the dogs. A Corless admitted to 411 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: a reporter that she held her breadth on many occasions 412 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:49,399 Speaker 1: while Brittany worked. Life as a search and rescue or 413 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: search and recovery dog is hard and demanded. Brittany retired 414 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:57,080 Speaker 1: at age nine, though she remained active. She visited the 415 00:25:57,080 --> 00:26:00,440 Speaker 1: scy Fair Firehouse regularly, where she continued to bring her 416 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:05,159 Speaker 1: golden smile and warm to the firefighters. She made television appearances, 417 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:09,200 Speaker 1: and she enjoyed going to elementary schools, where she listened 418 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:13,159 Speaker 1: patiently and without judgment as children practiced their reading skills 419 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:16,200 Speaker 1: with her. But, as anyone with the dog knows all 420 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:20,520 Speaker 1: too well, their lives are too short. And when Brittany's 421 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: kidneys failed and nothing more could be done. Corlis honored 422 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 1: her beloved dog with dignity, choosing to be with her 423 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 1: when the veterinarian euthanized her. Oh. When word got out 424 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 1: about nine eleven's last surviving search and recovery dog, firefighters 425 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:38,399 Speaker 1: and first responders lined up outside the clinic, They stood 426 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:41,920 Speaker 1: at attention and saluted Brittany as Corlis led her inside. 427 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:46,200 Speaker 1: Tired and in pain, Brittany managed to wag her tail. 428 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 1: Then they waited. When Corliss reappeared with Brittany's body draped 429 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:55,520 Speaker 1: with an American flag, they saluted her one final time. 430 00:26:56,200 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 1: Heroic dogs are indeed special, but dog love is also 431 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 1: know that nineteenth century humorist Josh Billings had it right 432 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 1: when he said, a dog is the only thing on 433 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:16,119 Speaker 1: earth that loves you more than he loves himself. American 434 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:20,159 Speaker 1: Shadows is hosted by Lauren Vogelbaum. This episode was written 435 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 1: by Michelle Muto, researched by Ali Steed, and produced by 436 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:28,200 Speaker 1: Miranda Hawkins and Trevor Young, with executive producers Aaron Mankey, 437 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:32,520 Speaker 1: Alex Williams, and Matt Frederick. To learn more about the show, 438 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:35,640 Speaker 1: visit Grim and Mild dot com. From more podcasts from 439 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:39,680 Speaker 1: iHeart Radio. Visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or 440 00:27:39,720 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts.