Man's Best Friend at Anzio A letter to the editor - World War II Magazine 11-07
A lighter side of combat on the Anzio beachhead: it was a cold moonlit night and I was on my post in the shadows, sitting on a bale of hale, when out of the dark I was knocked over. My rifle and helmet went flying, and when I got myself together I found a dog licking my face. I guess he needed a friend, and I had some C-ration crackers so we both had a snack. When my relief came, the god and I went to my foxhole.
I gave him the name Ed, and things went pretty well until Sgt. Robert Rose came over and told me to get rid of the dog, because if he found Ed in his foxhole again, he would shoot it. Suddenly, all hell broke loose and we all dived into my foxhole. After it was over, Sergeant Roe left but not for long. I wondered what he wanted from me and my poor dog. He showed me a .50-caliber bullet that would have gone through his belly if he'd been in his bed. After that, he said the dog could stay. I even saw him petting Ed at times, so things went OK.
I was sent back to the hospital in Naples, and when I returned I asked Sgt. Oliver C. Owens about Ed. He said Ed jumped out of his jeep and a tank ran over him. What an end! 
Stuart F. Kelly
Glen Burnie, MD
Proud Daughter of Walter (Monday) Poniedzialek
540th Engineer Combat Regiment, 2833rd Bn, H&S Co, 4th Platoon
There's "No Bridge Too Far"