Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-10-31
DOG TRAINING
CENTER SET UP
IN THISSTATE
ARMY TO PREPARE ANIMALS FOR
WAR DUTY AT RnEru
CCC CAMP

Army officers from Fort William
Henry Harrison announced that the
army viii establish a reception and
training center to prepare dogs for
war duties at the former CCC camp at
! Rimini
The announcement was made at
meeting Of army officers with the
Helena chamber Of commerce. The
post headquarters at Fort Harrison
will organize and direct operations at
the dog camp. Neither the size Of the
camp nor the number Of dogs which
will be trained were disclosed although
it was said that work to prepare the
camp is expected to begin Immediately.
Purpose of the camp is to establish
a reception and training center in
northern climate to receive, process
and train dogs for military duties and
train enlisted men in dog administra-
ton and as dog handlers
The Rimini CCC camp has been re-
leased to the corps of engineers and all
facilities made available to the
quartermaster corps. The department
of agriculture is being requested to
authorize the use of 100 acres for the !
camp site.
Officer assistants tentatively as
signed to the camp include Major |
E. J. Purified, as adjutant and quarter /
master; Capt. Lawrence G. Phipps, In |
charge of the canine section, and |
Lieut.. w. c. Nelson, in charge Of the I
quartermaster detachment and miscel-
laneouS section.
Other dog camps are at San Mateo,
Calf, Fort Robinson, Neb., Front /
Royal, Va, and one which has had
wide publicity is at Philadelphia.
where the coast guard has taken over
the Widener estate for training sentry
dogs.
Captain Phipps announced at the
that James j. Flaherty of
Great Falls has been appointed Mon
tana director Of the Dogs for Defense |,
Dogs for army service are
through the volunteer SER
vices of the Dogs for Defense, a
civilian agency.
He said anyone who has a dog to
oan the army for the duration should
write to Fqaherty at Great Falls or to
he Dogs for Defense headquarters at
New York city, % East 6Oth street.
OObo 04AOuAQ OfGl ~ u1EklEo LII
height at the shoulders, he explained.
According to Captain Phipps, who
WINS his own pack of fox hounds and
las served in civilian life as master
f hounds, when it was decided to open
mother camp for dog training, the |
&c camp at Rinini seemed ideal, as
arracks to house the men were al [
eady built, and the kennels could be /
ieally located in the surrounding s
Orest, and there was no need for the t
overnment to go through the red I
ape Of acquiring property.
Captain Phipps explained that one 9
the normal functions Of the quar- .
,rmaster remount service is the pro-
Ting and processing of horses, mules
nd other animals, hence it is quite t
atural that they be called upon to Il
recess dogs, too. C
After the dogs have been hardened n
it'll an appropriate course Of train a
g and have learned uniform set of $
,mmands, they viii be issued to a
oops for specific tasks.
Some of the dogs" said Captain
nippS, "are used for sentry aids. They o
ave the ears and sense Of smell that
lips warn men on sentry duty of y
enemies. There are many -
unds inaudible to human ears that =
dog can easily catch. Witness the So =!
He'd silent whistles" some dog a.
Vners use to call their pets. To our =
rs they give out no sound at all. r.
Some dogs can be used as attack
'gs. During World war all armies
'parently used some dogs as mes
myers, or to bring up food or amuni-
N TO advanced positions. Dogs Of
e retriever type can be used as Red
'oss dogs to search out the wounded,
inging back mans cap or leading
searching party to him"