In a blackout darkened alley of Paris in 1917, an American soldier stumbled over what he thought was a pile of rags. It turned out to be a scruffy terrier, who decided to not to leave the soldier’s side, even when he went to the front. “Rags” assisted the soldier in his dangerous job of laying down communications wire and carrying messages. Rags worked diligently with no fear of the heavy shelling, even when wounded by shrapnel. Eventually as his fame grew he became the division mascot, and was awarded several medals for bravery. After the war, division veterans entered Rags into a prestigious dog show, but when he arrived he was rejected as not being a pure breed. After the snub was publicized, a public uproar forced the show to admit Rags at the next one, where he was declared champion of the newly created War Dog category. After a long life, the hero of Meuse-Argonne was buried with full military honors.
