Nemo A534 the War Dog

On December 4th, 1966, 22-year old Airman Second Class (A2C) Thornburg and his loyal Sentry Dog, Nemo, patrolled the perimeter of South Vietnam's Tan Son Nhut Airbase. Earlier that day, several of their comrades had made the ultimate sacrifice in skirmishes with the Vietcong…

A2C Leroy E. Marsh and his dog, Rebel, confronted a group of Sappers attempting to breach the base around midnight. Rebel fell defending his handler. Not long after, A2C Larry G. Laudner and his partner, Cubby, uncovered the same hidden enemy. Laudner gave the order, and Cubby charged the invaders, holding them off long enough for his handler to call in backup before Cubby was fatally wounded. A2C Dale Sidewell’s dog, Toby, soon followed in the footsteps of the brave dogs before him—falling while protecting his handler. A human ally, George Bevich, was also lost in a heroic effort to rescue his injured comrade.

These brave Sentry Dogs accomplished their mission —minimizing human casualties and taking down the enemy. Though many of the invaders had been neutralized or captured by responding Security Police, a few lingered, hiding and waiting for the cover of nightfall to escape. Any troop caught unawares could easily become another casualty. 

While the duo patrolled, Nemo’s senses were razor-sharp and the 85-pound German Shepherd had clear orders: “protect your handler at all costs.” As they approached a cemetery on base, Nemo suddenly froze; his ears perked up, body tensed, and eyes locked on movement unseen to human eyes. Thornburg trusted his companion and released him.

Nemo engaged. Thorneburg opened fire as his companion held back the Vietcong. The German Shepherd killed one combatant solo, but his handler took a bullet to the shoulder, hindering his balance and aim. Nemo charged his handler’s assailant, giving Thorneburg enough time to take out 2 more Vietcong before the Airman dropped to the ground. No matter what, Nemo would not let his partner die. Even after being shot through the eye and jaw he kept fighting. 

Their defense proved successful; the Vietcong fled, but Nemo was grievously wounded and Thorneburg was down. Still, Nemo crawled back to his partner refusing to let him suffer alone. His warrior spirit stayed strong. Bleeding out, Nemo defended Thorneburg so ferociously that when allied Airmen arrived, they could not approach him. They were forced to enlist the help of a previous handler who the dog trusted so he could be recalled and medics could render aid. It came just in time.

Military veterinarians feared they would be unable to save Nemo due to the severity of his wounds. After extensive surgery, the pup recovered, and before leaving Vietnam, the Airman reunited with his beloved Sentry Dog, both battle-scarred and on the mend. Though Nemo was tried in the field again, his wounds left him unfit for the battlefield. He was honorably retired as an MWD, but not without a new mission. Nemo became an ambassador for the MWD program at Lackland Airforce Base in San Antonio, Texas. For his heroic actions in Vietnam, Thorneburg’s trusted partner earned two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star Medal and the Warrior’s Medal of Valor.

Nemo more than earned his spot as the face of our Bali Single Origin Nemo A534. There is no question that the war dog saved his handler’s life that day. On his tombstone, which still rests at Lackland, Thorneburg wrote a heartfelt thanks to his late companion in the form of a poem:

“Brave beyond words.

Ferocious without self-regard.

Bonds never broken.

Loyal till death.

Defender of the night.

He was a war dog.

Stay back, handler down!”

Sources Referenced:

Marking History Channel. (2020, April 2). The story of the dog that saved soldiers in Vietnam | US War Dogs [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKIOta2e978&ab_channel=MarkingHistoryChannel

US War Dogs. (n.d.). Medal of bravery. US War Dogs. https://www.uswardogs.org/medal-of-bravery

US War Dogs. (n.d.). Vietnam War. US War Dogs. https://www.uswardogs.org/vietnam-war

Duke Energy. (2017, November 7). A soldier and the dog that saved his life. Duke Energy. 

https://nuclear.duke-energy.com/2017/11/07/a-soldier-and-the-dog-that-saved-his-life

Air Education and Training Command. (2023, August 10). The legacy of MWD Nemo and Robert "Bob" Thorneburg. Air Education and Training Command. https://www.aetc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3756620/the-legacy-of-mwd-nemo-and-robert-bob-thorneburg/

USAMM. (2023, August 8). Nemo’s legacy. USAMM. https://www.usamm.com/blogs/news/nemos-legacy

Alchetron. (n.d.). Nemo. Alchetron. https://alchetron.com/Nemo-A534

ScoopWhoop. (2020, June 15). The greatest war dogs on this planet: Canines that served in wars. ScoopWhoop. https://www.scoopwhoop.com/animals/greatest-war-dogs-on-this-planet-canines/

St. Louis Post-Dispatch. (1968, February 14). Attack on Tan Son Nhat: Vietnam War. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-attack-on-tan-so/5470970/