Veterans War Dog Monument unveiled - Columbia, SC - News Article Locations on Waymarking.com

News article text:
The Veterans War Dog Monument project for the South Carolina Memorial Park started on the afternoon of March 12, 2011, when Allen Marshall, park architect and designer of the S.C. Vietnam Memorial, asked to meet with Johnny Mayo.

In 1979, Mayo was an infantry point man, a scout dog handler, with the 173rd Airborne Brigade during the Vietnam War. He walked point with war dogs Tiger and Kelley. Mayo was wounded in February 1971 and came home alive because of a “dog’s abilities to save lives.”

Mayo has been dedicated to war dogs ever since, first with his book Buck’s Heroes. Allen asked if Mayo would help build South Carolina a world class monument to the military dogs. And with the creativity of artist Renee Bemis, this idea became a reality at 3 p.m. November 11, 2015, when the sculpture was dedicated and unveiled in the South Carolina Memorial Park.

Many past and present dog handlers, some with their dogs, were at the dedication including the Columbia Police Department K-9 Unit.

The event began with the Presentation of the Colors by the Color Guard from Fort Jackson and the national anthem was sung by Stephanie De Groot. Pastor Andrew Isenhower of St. Luke Lutheran Church gave the invocation, and Charles “Bud” Ferillo Jr., chairman of the South Carolina Memorial Park Commission, welcomed the crowd of hundreds. He completed his welcome by saying the words from the song “All Things Bright and Beautiful.”

Dr. Tim Loonan, DVM of Grace Animal Hospital, spoke about being a veteran and a veterinarian.

Mike Lemish, Vietnam historian, told stories of the bravery of war dogs. Bemis spoke about the sculpture and how Mayo’s dog, Kelley’s identification number was put in the sculpture’s ear like the way war dogs’ identification numbers were tatooed in their ears.

Jimmy Forture of The Statler Brothers sang two songs he had written: “More Than A Name On a Wall” and “In God We Trust.”

Mayo and the Vietnam War dog handlers unveiled the sculpture, and South Carolina gave much deserved honor to the thousands of canines who have protected so many.

The ceremony ended with the dismissal of the color guard.

Type of publication: Newspaper When was the article reported?: 11/20/2015 Publication: Columbia Star Article Url: [Web Link] Is Registration Required?: no How widespread was the article reported?: local News Category: Arts/Culture

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