Smoky was a Yorkshire Terrier who served with the Allied Forces in World War II as a mascot and messenger, becoming the first documented therapy dog by bringing comfort to wounded soldiers.
Her most famous feat involved pulling a communications wire through a narrow, 70-foot pipe in minutes, a task that would have taken days and endangered 250 men. After the war, she performed on television and became a beloved therapeutic presence in hospitals.
In 1944, American soldier Bill Wynne found Smoky, a tiny 4-pound Yorkshire Terrier, in an abandoned foxhole in New Guinea.
Wynne purchased Smoky, and she accompanied him on 12 combat missions, surviving 150 air raids.
Her most critical mission occurred during an assault on a Japanese-held airfield in the Philippines. Engineers needed to run a communication cable through an 8-inch-wide, 70-foot-long pipe under a heavily-trafficked taxiway. Smoky crawled through the pipe with a kite string tied to her collar, enabling the installation of the cable and saving a significant construction detail from enemy danger.
When Wynne fell ill with dengue fever, he had Smoky by his side in the hospital ward. Her presence brought joy and comfort to the sick and wounded, inspiring Wynne to continue her therapy work.
Smoky became a local celebrity in Cleveland, Ohio, performing tricks on 42 different television shows, including walking a tightrope and riding a scooter. She is widely recognized as the first therapy dog on record, continuing to visit hospitals to bring happiness to patients.
Smoky has memorials in various locations, including Cleveland, Ohio, and Brisbane, Australia, where she was born.
Smoky was awarded the Australian Animal Distinguished Service Award in 2025 by AWAMO.
Nigel Allsopp has written two amazing books about Smoky the War Dog:
