Smoky was a Yorkshire Terrier. She was found by an American soldier in an abandoned foxhole in the New Guinea jungle in February 1944. Smoky was a celebrated war canine who served in World War II.
She served in the South Pacific with the 5th Air Force, 26th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron and flew in twelve air/sea rescue and photo reconnaissance missions. According to an Animal Planet investigation, Smoky was the first recorded therapy dog.
In northeast Florida, Smokey's legacy lives on in service animals who tend to the medical needs of military veterans. Organizations such as K9s For Warriors, whose national headquarters is north of St. Augustine, are dedicated to supporting veterans by providing them with free service dogs.
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