Dog Names Meaning Wind

Have you ever wondered about the value of some of the tinier breeds of canines when you consider what they can contribute to life in general?  How many times have you heard others express some of those same concerns and wonderment?  Sometimes, in areas apart from lap-sitting and food begging, we tend to place more “value” on the larger dog breeds, especially regarding protection, hunting, herding and search and rescue situations.  If this is where you land on this topic, allow us to be perhaps the first to tell you that significant value can be found in tiny packages, and our pop culture spotlight today will prove this statement to you.

 Smoky was a tiny four-pound Yorkshire Terrier who stands all of seven inches tall and was most likely the cutest military service member among all of those involved in World War II.  Like the wind, she silently found her way into a military camp during the second world war. She was found in 1944 by an American soldier in a foxhole in New Guinea, already fully grown. She became the property of William A. Wynne from Cleveland, Ohio as winnings in a poker game, her tiny size allowing her to back-pack throughout the remainder of the war, even accompanying Wynne on some combat flights in the Pacific.  Though she wasn’t considered valuable enough to warrant the specialized food regimen given “official” military canines or veterinary services also provided for those more useful dogs, despite these obstacles, Smoky remained healthy throughout this period, even during the treks across coral beds which caused many paw issues with the other dogs. 

Her tiny size and ability to move like a gentle wind came in quite handy during one particular operation in the Philippines.  Having already displayed her intelligence by her quickness with which she learned tricks, she performed a “trick” which was proven to have saved many lives.  During the Luzon campaign, it became necessary to build an airbase in the Lingayen Gulf.  The Signal Corps needed to run a telegraph wire through an existing 70-foot pipeline that was only eight inches in diameter.  Due to the danger to the soldiers and time constraints, physical digging a trench under the runway was not an option. They opted, instead, to send Smoky through the tunnel, parts of which had narrowed to four inches in diameter, with the wire tied to her collar, bringing it out the other end.  With a great deal of coaxing and encouragement from Wynne, little Smoky did her job well, providing an essential communications link with less danger to the fighting men in her company.