By Mihai Tripp, SCSU Journalism student
Mihai Tripp, a journalism student at Southern Connecticut State University, reported this story as part of Journalism Capstone coursework on World War I.
Laura Macaluso, author of “New Haven in World War I” and Southern Connecticut State University alum, speaks about Sgt. Stubby, a dog that travelled with Connecticut troops during World War I, in this podcast. Click play above to hear the podcast.
AUDIO TRANSCRIPT:
TRIPP: ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS SYMBOLS OF WORLD WAR I IN CONNECTICUT ISN’T A SOLDIER, OR EVEN A MONUMENT BUT INSTEAD A DOG NAMED STUBBY.
LAURA MACALUSO: Stubby, his doughboy was named Robert Conroy
TRIPP: LAURA MACALUSO IS FAMILIAR WITH STUBBY’S STORY. SHE IS THE AUTHOR OF NEW HAVEN IN WORLD WAR I AND ALSO DID SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH ON STUBBY.
CORPORAL ROBERT CONROY, A DOUGHBOY IN NEW HAVEN, WAS STUBBY’S OWNER AND THERE ARE MANY THEORIES ABOUT HOW STUBBY ENDED UP IN WORLD WAR I.
MACALUSO: Stubby came off the streets of New Haven. People say maybe it’s because of the kitchen and the cooking on the field that he came to the kitchen.
TRIPP: THERE ARE MANY MORE THEORIES ABOUT HOW STUBBY ENDED UP WITH CORPORAL ROBERT CONROY IN WORLD WAR I, LATER BECOMING A WAR HERO.
THERE WERE OTHER ANIMALS THAT WERE ACTUALLY IN WORLD WAR I.
MACALUSO: Animals pulled artillery carts, animals pulled food trucks. Donkeys and horses, served in the millions, millions and millions of animals.
TRIPP: STUBBY IS CURRENTLY ON LOAN TO THE SMITHSONIAN IN WASHINGTON D.C., MACALUSO DOESN’T THINK THE SMITHSONIAN WILL EVER GIVE STUBBY UP, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT WANTS STUBBY AND [TO] GET IT BACK, SO THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN SEE THE FAMOUS DOG.
THERE IS ONE INTERESTING FACT WE DO KNOW ABOUT STUBBY THOUGH.
MACALUSO: He was a mix between what is called an American Pitbull, which is a little bit different then our bull breads today, and a terrier.
TRIPP: ROBERT CONROY NEVER HAD ANOTHER DOG AFTER STUBBY’S DEATH IN MARCH OF 1926. IN 2017 AN ANIMATED MOVIE WILL COME OUT ABOUT STUBBY’S LIFE, EXPOSING STUBBY TO A NEW GENERATION OF PEOPLE.
I’M MIHAI TRIPP REPORTING.
To see more information about the upcoming animated film, click here.