What many people may not realize is while the nation's soldiers risk their lives for defending freedom overseas, animals are utilized in the battle as well.
Military canines are utilized to sniff out bombs and other traps, which can sometimes put them in harm's way. While they have handlers to administer pet care and ensure the dogs are as safe as possible, sometimes things still go wrong.
Larry Chilcoat, who served in the Vietnam War with his dog, Geisha, is looking to honor all of the fallen military canines with a national monument, according to Caller.com. The news reporter reveals that 4,000 canines were used during the Vietnam War alone, and that more than 200 perished.
John Burnam is another Vietnam dog handler who is pushing to create the monument, saying that military canines saved his life on multiple occasions.
"If the dog's body goes rigid, they cock their head, perk ears, fix their eyes, you know it's dangerous," Burnam told the news provider. "You certainly don't want to go where the dog doesn't want to go. They saved my butt from enemy fire several times."