139: Yorkie Doodle Dandy [Man's Best Friend pt.1: Smoky the War Dog]

Maia Warner-Langenbahn
Jan 28
3 min read

Updated: Jan 30

Call him Smoky the bandit because he is going to steal your heart. When Bill Wynne was fighting for the US in the Pacific during World War 2 he was prepared for whatever the enemy might throw at him, he did not expect a tiny Yorkshire Terrier named Smoky. Bill and Smoky were inseparable and (obviously) popular. What started as an unlikely meeting in the least hospitable of places quickly turned into magic. As Smoky raised spirits across the allied lines he became recognized as "one of the first therapy dogs" for his adorable face and impressive tricks. He was a good dog, a friend to all, and Man's Best Friend. He was Smoky the War Dog.

Chapters

00:00:00 Catch-Up

00:30:05 Yorkie Doodle Dandy

00:36:27 Bill Wynne

00:57:31 YANK Down Under

01:04:52 Yorkshire Terriers

01:11:59 Shenanigans

01:25:23 Running the Wire

01:30:51 Therapizing

01:36:27 Ending the War

01:42:44 After the War

01:50:33 Legacy

Photos Referenced

*Smoky sitting in a GI Helmet, photo taken by Bill Wynne for YANK Down Under Magazine - courtesy of William A Wynne*

Parachuting photo taken for the YANK magazine mascot competition - courtesy of William A Wynne	Smoky in a GI Helmet on Biak Island - courtesy of John Aikin
Smoky in her custom military jacket, appeared Dec 7, 1945 in the Cleveland Press - courtesy of William A Wynne	HIDDEN - Smoky was carried home hidden in a flight oxygen mask carrying case. There were many post-war stories published in books, magazines, newspapers, newsreels, and appearances on radio and television that gave her more prominence than any dog of WWII. Photos: Nash-Knipper, Cleveland Press
Bill Wynne holding Smoky - courtesy of William A Wynne	Bill Wynne holding Smoky - courtesy of William A Wynne