New book tells story of K-9 World War II hero from Wisconsin

Families and their dogs took to downtown Madison on Thursday to celebrate the story of a K-9 World War II hero from Wisconsin.

‘Brownie the War Dog,’ a new book from the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, tells the tale of Oren Kendley and his dog Brownie. Kendley grew up in King, Wisconsin, and as a young boy in 1943, donated Brownie to the Dogs for Defense Program to serve in the military.

Harm Venhuizen

Brownie served in the South Pacific as a sentry dog but was soon wounded in battle and lost an eye. The Army returned Brownie to the Kendley family, where he took up the unofficial role of therapy dog at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King.

Upon his death in 1949, Brownie was buried with military honors. According to author Kelly Nelson, Brownie is the only military dog in the nation to be buried alongside human veterans.

“I thought his story was just so dear and so touching, the fact that he befriended all these veterans,” Nelson said.

Nelson first came upon Brownie’s story five years ago when visiting the veterans home with her father, a Korean War veteran. Her subsequent research led her to the Wisconsin Veterans Museum and Joan Yohr, Kendley’s niece, who had kept close records of the family’s history.

‘Brownie the War Dog’ is available from the Wisconsin Historical Society Press starting Aug. 27.

Harm Venhuizen

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