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The United States began training dogs for combat shortly after Pearl Harbor. A civilian volunteer group called "Dogs for Defense" set up a reception and training center in Fort Royal, Virginia. This group was later to become officially recognized by the military when it was incorporated into the Quartermaster Corps as the unofficially named "K-9 Corps." At the height of World War II more than ten thousand dogs from the United States, plus thousands of Red Cross dogs from many nations were in action and the history of courageous service and unstinting valor by dogs in battle continued through the war in Vietnam.

Before being sent overseas, dogs were stationed in army camps where they received an intensive twelve-week training period, usually as sentry and patrol "soldiers." Out of the thousands who were "signed up" for duty, seven breeds were found to be most suitable - Belgian shepherds, German shepherds, collies, Airedales, Dobermans, giant schnauzers and Rottweilers.

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37th Scout Dog Platoon, 25th Infantry Division, Korea in January 1954

K-9 and GI handler in VietNam

Probably the most famous War Dog was Chips. Chips was donated by Edward J. Wren of Pleasantville, New York, he was trained at Front Royal , Virginia in 1942, and was among the first dogs to be shipped overseas.

He was assigned to the 3d Infantry Division and served with that unit in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France and Germany. His assignments included sentry duty at the Roosevelt-Churchill conference in Casablanca in January 1943.

Although trained as a sentry dog, Chips was reported on one occasion by members of Company I, 30th Infantry Regiment, to have broken away from his handler and attacked a pillbox containing an enemy machine gun crew in Sicily. He seized one man and forced the entire crew to surrender.

He was also credited by the units to which he was assigned as having been directly responsible for capture of numerous enemy by alerting to their presence. In recognition of his service Chips was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star and the Purple Heart, all were later revoked.

In 1993 Disney produced a TV move about Chips called "Chips the War Dog".