A Yorkshire terrier named Smoky was only seven inches tall and weighed four pounds, but she served heroically in World War II. Now, we've heard many stories of wonderful animals serving in wartime, from Seacat Simon to Wojtek the bear. These animals managed to get clearance from the military, and even held rank. But Smoky was never officially in the army which means she never got an allowance for food during her service.
Corporal William A. Wynne took Smoky under his wing in 1944 in New Guinea. She accompanied him on air raids, and even parachuted with him once. She saved his life by warning him of incoming shells. Smoky learned tricks to entertain the wounded. But her most heroic act was crawling through a 70-foot-long muddy metal pipe that was only eight inches wide, to run a crucial telegraph line. Yet she also continued her service after the war, becoming a star performer known the Yorkie Doodle Dandy. Read the full story of the mighty mite named Smoky at Find a Grave. -Thanks, WTM!