Rags (dog)

Rags

Rags at Fort Hamilton in the 1920s
Species	Canis lupus familiaris
Breed	Mixed breed terrier
Sex	Male
Born	c. 1916
Died	3 March 1936(1936-03-03) (aged 19–20) Washington, D.C., US
Resting place	Silver Spring, Maryland, US
Occupation	War dog
Known for	Mascot of U.S. 1st Infantry Division
Training	Saluted every time he saw soldiers on parade. This was a trick Donovan taught him in France.
Owner	James "Jimmy" Donovan Major Raymond W. Hardenbergh

Rags (c. 1916 – March 6, 1936)^[1] was a mixed breed terrier who became the U.S. 1st Infantry Division's dog-mascot in World War I.

He was adopted into the 1st Division on July 14, 1918, in the Montmartre section of Paris, France. Rags remained its mascot until his death in Washington, D.C., on March 22, 1936.^[2] He learned to run messages between the rear headquarters and the front lines, and provided early warning of incoming shells. Rags achieved great notoriety and celebrity war dog fame when he saved many lives in the Meuse-Argonne Campaign by delivering a vital message despite being bombed, gassed, and partially blinded.^[3] His adopted owner and handler, Private James Donovan, was seriously wounded and gassed, dying after returning to a military hospital at Fort Sheridan in Chicago. Rags was adopted by the family of Major Raymond W. Hardenbergh there in 1920, moving with them through several transfers until in Fort Hamilton, New York, he was reunited with members of the 18th Infantry Regiment who had known him in France.^[4] Rags was presented with a number of medals and awards.