[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 29, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H1297]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING BUCK, MAN'S BEST FRIEND AND WAR DOG AMBASSADOR.

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that I might speak at this time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in sadness to 
note the recent passing of Buck, a beloved Siberian Husky who has 
brought awareness to the courage and loyalty of our Nation's heroic K-9 
soldiers, the military working dogs. At the age of 15, Buck passed away 
at home in Lexington, South Carolina, on March 23, 2006.
  Buck was the companion to Vietnam Scout Dog Handler Johnny Mayo, who 
served with the 39th Scout Dog Platoon, 173rd Airborne Brigade in 
Vietnam as a scout dog handler.
  While traveling in my district last July, I had the opportunity to 
meet Johnny Mayo and his dog Buck. After having the pleasure of 
spending a few minutes petting Buck, I can honestly say that Buck was a 
sweet dog who will be missed dearly by those who knew him.
  In Johnny Mayo's 2002 book titled, ``Buck's Heroes: A Dog's Tale of 
Vietnam War Dogs,'' Buck accompanies his master to a reunion of former 
handlers and their families at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. 
While gazing at the black granite memorial at his master's side, Buck 
begins hearing and seeing the ghosts of the dogs who participated in 
the Vietnam War. Among the scout dogs who speak to Buck are his 
master's war dogs Tiger and Kelly. The dogs tell Buck what life was 
like for them and the soldiers they served and protected.
  By serving as the narrator and storyteller in Johnny Mayo's book, 
Buck educated thousands of readers about the invaluable service of 
military working dogs.
  Buck served as a companion and aid to his owner by traveling 
thousands of miles with him to various war dog events, including three 
Vietnam Dog Handler National Reunions in Washington, D.C., St. Louis 
and Phoenix, Arizona.
  Continuing the legacy of military working dogs who served our Nation 
during World War I, World War II and the Korean War, the war dogs who 
served in the jungles of Vietnam used their keen senses of smell, 
hearing and sight to detect dangers that threatened American lives.
  Of the 4,000 war dogs that served in Vietnam, only 204 survived. 
Historians believe these trained dogs prevented more than 10,000 
American casualties during their deployment from 1965 to 1972.
  As both war dogs and their handlers risked their lives in combat, 
their bond solidified and grew into a relationship of enduring love and 
shared loyalty to their mission.
  With Buck at his side, Johnny Mayo has had the courage to share the 
story of the loyal service of his war dogs Tiger and Kelly and the bond 
that develops between K-9 soldiers and their handlers.
  To honor the loyalty, courage and sacrifice made by the teams of war 
dogs and their handlers, I will soon introduce legislation to designate 
land for the construction of a National War Dog Team Memorial in 
Washington, D.C.
  The National War Dog Team Memorial Fund and its supporters have 
already begun to raise money for the project and are not asking the 
taxpayers or Congress for a single penny. The legislation will merely 
designate a plot of land for the memorial's construction.
  The proposed memorial will commemorate all U.S. armed services and 
all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations where military working 
dogs have been used to support military ground operations since World 
War I.
  As we join Johnny Mayo in mourning the loss of his Siberian Husky, 
Buck, let us seek to continue the legacy of educating American citizens 
about the history of our Nation's war dogs by commemorating the heroic 
service of K-9 soldiers and their handlers with a National War Dog Team 
Memorial.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I close by asking God to please bless our men 
and women in uniform and their families, and I ask God to continue to 
please bless America.

                          ____________________