Vietnam War Pets

Vietnam War Pets

Dogs were the primary pets for soldiers during the Vietnam War - I don't recall seeing any cats at all. Some of my best stories in Vietnam were about GIs and their dogs.   I went through my pictures and found a few shots of pets, only the first making it into my book.

The Army paid some attention to pet dogs including a vaccination program, in this case giving a shot to a firebase dog.

Blanche, our main dog, is guarding the office where I worked.

Our pet dogs were generally short-haired like this guy, who I no longer can name.

My fellow writer Alan Brown is with Blanche, our pooch who kept having pups.

This dog looks like Coco, who was a solid brown color.  I don't know whether Greg Goodwin, the soldier, shared food but the dog looks hopeful.

I don't know the story on this monkey, clearly on a firebase.   I'd see soldiers with monkeys occasionally.   They tended to be little imps, not as agreeable as dogs.

There was a whole culture of  GI pet lovers.   Pets providing us with friends on whom we could lavish affection.   Dogs in particular provided a wide range of characters and action to liven up our often empty-feeling lives.