Petty Officer First Class John Douangdara and his dog Bart were deployed in Afghanistan in 2011. John served as a Navy particular warfare member and later partnered with Bart.
The two eventually formed an incredible bond at the onset of their deployment. During their free time, John and Bart would enjoy each other’s company. Some of the activities that they both enjoy are walking in their camp and playing catch.
As military personnel, the tandem was tasked with executing risky missions involving saving lives. However, in one of the rescue operations, the two heroes died. The incident happened when John was maneuvering a helicopter as part of his tasks.
Since they were partners, Bart was also on board the helicopter. The helicopter later crashed, which was the reason why John and Bart lost their lives.
For John’s colleagues, his death was tragic since he was still young and brimmed with potential. However, even before he entered the military, John already knew the repercussions. As such, he was prepared for death since it was part of his service to the country.
According to Chan Follen, John’s brother, John would not consider himself a hero. Chan mentioned that John knew what he was doing was part of his job. But even then, Chan and other family members consider John’s conviction noble.
A few years after the death of John and Bart, South Sioux City honored the memory of the two fallen heroes. They did so by dedicating a five-acre dog park in the city. This park is a reminder of the sacrifices of John and Bart.
The city allows dog lovers to bond with their dogs at the park. For the city officials, this is their way of honoring the memory of John and Bart.
Dog Park Dedicated To Solider And Dog Who Died In Afghanistan https://t.co/uT0nfEHDyt pic.twitter.com/KUcolMWzd8
— Funkipets | Online Pet Shop (@funkipets) November 21, 2021
Credits to Funkipets.
