Beyond tattered leashes and frayed collars, the 28-piece exhibit dedicated to man’s best friend (and four-legged soldiers), “War Dogs: Never Above You, Never Below You, Always Beside You” opened on May 18 at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.
Dogs have assisted in combat missions with the Marines since World War II all the way through Afghanistan, and are still actively participating today. To honor the injured and fallen canine heroes, the exhibit features sketches, artwork and artifacts from the United States Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy.
Visitors can browse the gallery to see Purple Hearts, dog uniforms, canine medical kits and more. Featured artwork includes wooden war dog sculptures by James Mellick, which are hand-carved and painted with missing limbs, ears and tails to show the strength and sacrifice of both past, current and future K-9 units within the military.
One of the honored is Lucca, a former Marines war dog who conducted more than 400 missions in both Afghanistan and Iraq. During her tenure, she sustained severe burns and lost a leg, but never lost a fellow soldier. She was later adopted by Marine Corps dog handler Chris Willingham.
Other paintings and sketches show glimpses into the past, with works capturing moments in the jungle during WWII to navigating barbed wire and training exercises in recent years. The museum will host daily screenings of Cosmic Picture’s Superpower Dogs movie from May 19 to Sept. 30 in the Medal of Honor Theater. The film is family-friendly and tickets are available for purchase upon arrival for $6.
Unfortunately, your own furry friend cannot visit the gallery or attend the showing unless they’re a service animal, but the emotional exhibit will be on display through the summer until September 2019.
For more information, visit usmcmuseum.com. // National Museum of the Marine Corps: 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway, Triangle; free admission; Tickets for movie showing: $6
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