Battlefield of 1942 Dog Names

As a history buff or a person who just finds World War II fascinating, you are probably going over numerous names to bestow on your canine that reflects your interest. Undoubtedly, whatever World War II name you choose will be unique and people will often ask you how you arrived at such an unusual name. Such inquiries are a great way to open up a discussion about the historic war and why you picked such an uncommon name for your fur buddy. 

World War II was rife with historic battles and moments. However, the year 1942 was pivotal. From June 3 to June 7, the Battle of Midway was the key turning point in the Pacific Campaign. The United State's Naval Fleet effectively sank four Japanese aircraft carriers and a cruiser. The loss of the carriers delivered a powerful and staggering blow to the Japanese war machine. Many histories consider the battle to have been key to the U.S. Navy's ongoing wins. After Midway, the pathway to Tokyo became relatively clear. If this event is one you would like to honor, name your dog in that regard.

However, the U.S. was fighting on all fronts and not just the Pacific. In Europe, the battles were huge and staggering casualties were sustained. On July 16, 1942, the Secretary of War Henry L Stimson came forward with a serious directive for the military to obtain and train dogs at the Remount Branch of the Quartermaster Corps (QMC). The canines would be trained for sentry duty and tactical missions. Within the week, over a 1,000 dogs were donated for training. 

It was not just the United States who started to gather canines for battle. Britain also issued a request for dogs to serve. They asked owners to loan their dogs to the cause of winning the war. The people of the United Kingdom quickly started to give their pooches to the war and within one week over 7,000 dogs would be donated. 

Many dogs would serve the United States military on all fronts from 1942 and onward. Dogs of all breeds were accepted but German Shepherds, Collies, Dobermans, Belgian Sheepdogs, Siberian Huskies, Malamutes, and Eskimos excelled at the training within the military programs. As the canine training protocols shifted, so did the jobs that the dogs were being trained for also change. A strong focus was placed on dogs who would be messengers and tactical scouts. If your best buddy is one of these breeds, then a tag tying them to the battles of 1942 and the brave dogs in attendance would be very fitting.