Comments on: Bill Wynne http://www.smokywardog.com/blog Four-pound Yorkshire Terrier Hero of WWII Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:33:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Frank Jones http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/the-author/comment-page-1/#comment-5277 Frank Jones Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:33:21 +0000 http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/?page_id=5#comment-5277 Just wanted to say a quick 'Hello' Bill. I emailed you a few years back.....you kindly sent me two copies of your autographed Smoky book...one to auction at Little Shelter, NY animal shelter, and one to replace a copy we had lost in a fire....that was the fire ( that we all survived!) mainly due to one of our two Yorkies, Sammy (Samantha) who alerted us......twice before she had done the same for my father, a Royal Navy WW2 Vet..sadly passed away now..... Anyhow, good to see you are still going strong.......you are a credit to Veterans, Americans and dog lovers everywhere, take care Bill, all the best, as always, Frank, Englishman..and Yorkie owner, NY. Just wanted to say a quick ‘Hello’ Bill.

I emailed you a few years back…..you kindly sent me two copies of your autographed Smoky book…one to auction at Little Shelter, NY animal shelter, and one to replace a copy we had lost in a fire….that was the fire ( that we all survived!) mainly due to one of our two Yorkies, Sammy (Samantha) who alerted us……twice before she had done the same for my father, a Royal Navy WW2 Vet..sadly passed away now…..
Anyhow, good to see you are still going strong…….you are a credit to Veterans, Americans and dog lovers everywhere,
take care Bill, all the best, as always,

Frank, Englishman..and Yorkie owner, NY.

]]> By: Bill Wynne http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/the-author/comment-page-1/#comment-4866 Bill Wynne Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:07:19 +0000 http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/?page_id=5#comment-4866 Thank you all very for your kind words about Smoky and me. No, the only hospital visits Smoky did in New Guinea was at Nadzab in the 233rd Station Hospital in July of 1944. The big surprise here was, about five years ago I heard on the History Channel that the CO. of the hospital ( who allowed Smoky to go on rounds and to sleep on my bed for five nights) was Major/Dr. Charles W. Mayo of the Mayo Clinic. It was a Mayo Clinic staffed hospital. The group was formed in Rochester Minn. with another hospital in town forming a National Guard Unit in 1940 as war seemed eminent. The two nurses had the idea and asked me if it would be OK if they asked permission of their Commanding Officer to take Smoky on rounds? I said "fine. " And that is how it began and lastd 12 years the last 10 in civilian life. Yestday Yesterday ,Nov. 10,Cleveland Communoity College W Branch had me join other vets at the Museom /Archive at the College. The site is the former CRILE General Hospital later, Crile VA Hospital And the first Hospital we performed at home. We made bed to bed visists three weeks after we returned in Nov. of '45 . Smoky had a top of the fold page One story in the Cleveland PRESS and that launched our fame in the U.S. CRile Hospital called and asked us to come. Therapy Dog did not have a title until 1964 and that was at the suggestion of a Dr. Levin, that dogs might be used as therapy to mental Patients. Of coiurse Smoky had served mental Patients through the years. Once in Chicago she slipped through the bars of several who were locked up. Those men really appreciated her visit with them. The nurses were really sweating not knowing what ciould happen. Finally one said," Ok. Let her down now" The man holding her still smiling set herdown and she slipped back out through the bars. In summerof 1946 We did the Cleveland Psychiatric, 100 patients at a time. Bill Thank you all very for your kind words about Smoky and me.
No, the only hospital visits Smoky did in New Guinea was at Nadzab in the 233rd Station Hospital in July of 1944. The big surprise here was, about five years ago I heard on the History Channel that the CO. of the hospital ( who allowed Smoky to go on rounds and to sleep on my bed for five nights) was Major/Dr. Charles W. Mayo of the Mayo Clinic. It was a Mayo Clinic staffed hospital. The group was formed in Rochester Minn. with another hospital in town forming a National Guard Unit in 1940 as war seemed eminent. The two nurses had the idea and asked me if it would be OK if they asked permission of their Commanding Officer to take Smoky on rounds? I said “fine. ” And that is how it began and lastd 12 years the last 10 in civilian life. Yestday Yesterday ,Nov. 10,Cleveland Communoity College W Branch had me join other vets at the Museom /Archive at the College. The site is the former CRILE General Hospital later, Crile VA Hospital And the first Hospital we performed at home. We made bed to bed visists three weeks after we returned in Nov. of ‘45 . Smoky had a top of the fold page One story in the Cleveland PRESS and that launched our fame in the U.S. CRile Hospital called and asked us to come. Therapy Dog did not have a title until 1964 and that was at the suggestion of a Dr. Levin, that dogs might be used as therapy to mental Patients. Of coiurse Smoky had served mental Patients through the years. Once in Chicago she slipped through the bars of several who were locked up. Those men really appreciated her visit with them. The nurses were really sweating not knowing what ciould happen. Finally one said,” Ok. Let her down now” The man holding her still smiling set herdown and she slipped back out through the bars. In summerof 1946 We did the Cleveland Psychiatric, 100 patients at a time. Bill

]]> By: Jaime and Sprout http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/the-author/comment-page-1/#comment-4865 Jaime and Sprout Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:58:50 +0000 http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/?page_id=5#comment-4865 Happy Veterans Day! Happy Veterans Day!

]]> By: Dan Armstrong & Little Dude http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/the-author/comment-page-1/#comment-4426 Dan Armstrong & Little Dude Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:41:08 +0000 http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/?page_id=5#comment-4426 Hi Bill, Little Dude and I are very proud of you and Smoky, not only for blazing the trail for our therapy work for wounded soldiers, but also for your life-long service to America and your inspiration to all therapy teams. You are our hero, and you'll always be in our heart. We not only ordered Yorkie Doodle Dandy, but we've ordered multiple copies so we can give one to each wounded veteran that we visit. Thank you! Love and prayers always, Dan and Little Dude ^.^ Hi Bill,

Little Dude and I are very proud of you and Smoky, not only for blazing the trail for our therapy work for wounded soldiers, but also for your life-long service to America and your inspiration to all therapy teams. You are our hero, and you’ll always be in our heart.
We not only ordered Yorkie Doodle Dandy, but we’ve ordered multiple copies so we can give one to each wounded veteran that we visit. Thank you!
Love and prayers always,
Dan and Little Dude ^.^

]]> By: Ben http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/the-author/comment-page-1/#comment-675 Ben Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:38:50 +0000 http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/?page_id=5#comment-675 Smoky sounds like a most amazing Yorkie. Our Yorkie, Spenser, travels all over America with his mom, and I know that Spenser would be overwhelmed with Smoky's accomplishments! You can visit and follow Spenser's Travels at www.spensernation.com. Smoky sounds like a most amazing Yorkie. Our Yorkie, Spenser, travels all over America with his mom, and I know that Spenser would be overwhelmed with Smoky’s accomplishments!

You can visit and follow Spenser’s Travels at http://www.spensernation.com.

]]> By: Bill Wynne http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/the-author/comment-page-1/#comment-360 Bill Wynne Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:37:36 +0000 http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/?page_id=5#comment-360 Hi Kristina, Smoky began her therapy work at the 233rd Station Hospital in Nadzab New Guinea in July of 1944 when nurses took her on rounds to visit wounded coming in from the BIak Is. invasion. We then were in Hollandia a week or so and then I took her to Austalia where the Red Cross asked me to bring her to the 42nd General and 109th Fleet Hospitals in Brisbane. We didn't do any hospitals in Hollandia. going straight to Biak Is when returning from Australia. In May of1945 Red Cross nurse Barbara Wood Smith wrote asking me to bring Smoky to Manila while there was fighting still going on around the city. We did the 120 General Hospital there. Bill Hi Kristina,

Smoky began her therapy work at the 233rd Station Hospital in Nadzab New Guinea in July of 1944 when nurses took her on rounds to visit wounded coming in from the BIak Is. invasion. We then were in Hollandia a week or so and then I took her to Austalia where the Red Cross asked me to bring her to the 42nd General and 109th Fleet Hospitals in Brisbane. We didn’t do any hospitals in Hollandia. going straight to Biak Is when returning from Australia. In May of1945 Red Cross nurse Barbara Wood Smith wrote asking me to bring Smoky to Manila while there was fighting still going on around the city. We did the 120 General Hospital there. Bill

]]> By: Kristina McMorris http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/the-author/comment-page-1/#comment-30 Kristina McMorris Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:38:43 +0000 http://www.smokywardog.com/blog/?page_id=5#comment-30 Dear Mr. Wynne, I've ordered your fascinating memoir, and am looking forward to reading it! What an inspiration you are. I, too, used to take Toby, my mother's Yorkie (a teddy bear Yorkie), on regular visits to a local children's hospital. He was always great at putting smiles on the patients' faces! It's great to finally know who the first official pet therapy dog was. :) Did Smoky do any hospital visits in New Guinea in either November or December of 1944? If so, was it primarily in the Hollandia area? Kind regards, Kristina Dear Mr. Wynne,

I’ve ordered your fascinating memoir, and am looking forward to reading it! What an inspiration you are.

I, too, used to take Toby, my mother’s Yorkie (a teddy bear Yorkie), on regular visits to a local children’s hospital. He was always great at putting smiles on the patients’ faces! It’s great to finally know who the first official pet therapy dog was. :)

Did Smoky do any hospital visits in New Guinea in either November or December of 1944? If so, was it primarily in the Hollandia area?

Kind regards,
Kristina

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