Speed, The War Dog

“My Great-Aunt Ruth told me that Speed coming home helped my grandmother with the pain of losing her son, James, in the war. I was born too late to really remember Speed, but I do remember my grandmother telling me about how proud she was of all of her children, grandchildren, and Speed.

When Speed passed away, two uniformed soldiers from the local American Legion post came to my grandmother’s house in white gloves carrying a wicker casket. They washed and groomed Speed and took him for burial in an animal cemetery in town.”

– Brian Harrison ‘80

Speed, The War Dog, remembered by his family, Brian Harrison

The Harrison family loaned their German Shepherd, Speed, to the Army Air Corps for the duration of the war.

My grandfather, Melrose Harrison, was a successful pharmacist, and my grandmother Maggie raised the family and ran the household. Our family always had pets, one of whom was Speed, a German Shepherd, given to my grandmother by a family friend.

My grandmother loved to visit with family and friends on our front porch, and talk with people walking by. Ruth said that while on the porch one day during the war an officer from the nearby Charlotte Army Air Base (Morris Field) saw Speed and told my grandmother, “the Army Air Corps needs that dog.” With two sons in the military, she agreed to loan Speed for the duration of the war.

Speed was stationed out west and had three different handlers during his time in the Army. Each handler wrote at least once to update the family on how Speed was doing and also to ask if they could have or buy Speed after the war. Each time my grandmother’s answer was “no.” In one photo, my Great-Aunt Ruth posed on top of the wooden crate that Speed was shipped home in, showing off the nylons that Speed’s last handler gave the family in his last attempt to keep Speed. Ruth mailed him a copy of this picture instead.

Speed returned to the family in early 1945 accompanied by his last Army handler. At the train station, the handler told my grandmother that Speed had to be “de-trained” before rejoining the family. My grandmother responded “no need,” and took her chain and hooked it to Speed’s collar, telling him “we are going home” and to “get in the car.” Speed did.

Speed received “Honorable Discharge” papers which my grandmother proudly framed and displayed on her wall.