Reviewed by Patrick O'Loughien. Member, National Publications. Purple Heart Magazine, May/June 1999
As a retired U.S. Army major, former Green Beret, Customs K-9 and Security Specialist, Paul Morgan weaves a series of twenty-four stories from a lifetime of working with man's best friend - the dog. This includes close combat in Vietnam as well as working behind the scenes on America's streets when a child is lost, a disaster strikes, or when some criminal tries to outrun the police.
Morgan is no stranger to readers of our Purple Heart Magazine. In 1996 his story was selected by the National Publications Committee as the best single feature story published in Purple Heart Magazine that year.
Using his dogs as the focus of his book. Morgan takes the reader through his outstanding 20 years of military service, relating humorous episodes and heroic, exploits involving his "K-9 soldiers." Clearly his favorite partner was Suzi. Her real name was Xa Xi, a Vietnamese sarsaparilla, which the German shepherd loved to drink! Suzi was given to Morgan by Father Tu, a Vietnamese village Priest, as a gift. She slept next to Morgan in the bush every night. Suzi was tied to his wrist with parachute cord. On several occasions she literally saved his life. He returned Suzi to Father Tu when he left his Ranger unit for military assignment in Saigon on in 1965.
At Fire Base Diana, in Tay Ninh Province on the Cambodian border in January of 1970. Morgan and his patrol dog, Polar Bear, were a part of a Ranger contingent. They were about to be overrun by North Vietnamese Army (NVA) troops assaulting their position after a deadly mortar attack. As night fell, the beleaguered Rangers had no defensive night vision. Flares could not be used with the gunships on missions overhead.
Polar Bear became increasingly agitated and began to bark on the lip of the defensive trench. Morgan immediately opened fire with his M-16 as other troopers blasted the inky black night with shotgun and automatic fire. As flares danced to their rear. Morgan saw what Polar Bear had alerted them to. Several NVA soldiers were sprawled dead in front of their position not 30 feet away! By midnight, the NVA had given up the attack with 42 of their dead left behind on defensive wire. Polar Bear's warning had saved the lives of those Rangers that January night!
Morgan never saw Polar Bear again. Two rounds of mortar fire seriously wounded Morgan that same night and he was med-evaced out the morning. Polar Bear was killed in action two weeks later and buried with full military honors.
These wonderful animals performed admirable civilian work as well. The author describes his experiences with the dogs' service in apprehending drug dealers and other street criminals as well. This book, written by one of our own MOPH members is a "must-read" journal of uncommon valor about man and dog alike. You will gain a new appreciation for these two-legged and four-legged heroes in the reading.
Book Description
K-9 Soldiers covers Paul Morgan's experiences with K-9 partners. He begins entering the Army in 1957 and subsequent experiences as an Airborne paratrooper in 1958 through 1959. The book covers his experiences with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and in Alaska. He trained for Special Forces operations in Vietnam in 1964 through 1965. In the 30th Ranger Batallion, he describes patrol activities where his dog played an important role in the success of the operations. He also describes other patrol actions in Tay Ninh in 1970. Later, he left the military and operated a security business utilizing patrol dogs. He describes many of the experiences he and his K-9 partners have encountered in the security business.
