Bagger (fall of 2008-2 OCT 2017)
Got the word from my buddy that our beloved platoon dog we saved from Iraq passed in his arms Monday night from a short fight with lung cancer. We went thru alot of trouble get the boy home Taji, Iraq to the North Hills of Pittsburgh. His first group of keepers were a Stryker unit from Hawaii that saved him from abunch of kids that had him in a bag & abusing him (how he was named Bagger.) We came in to take over in Jan '09 & that was when my buddy first saw him & the puppy love struck. They had that connection & claimed him as his dog. A month later we were moving back to the main camp with the 1st Cav taking that smaller one. They didn't want any "mascots" so they was going to feed him a hot dog filled with a blasting cap. Another NCO thought he had an good idea to take & leave him on Bagdad Island (Sadams amusment park) to save him. My buddy came up with a fake patrol with some volunteers to find him. After his rescue & a very long nap to recover he was "home" with all of us at the main camp. It took some time to get use to not being able to roam free (he escaped to the air field, made more friends & was saved again cause of his collar saying CSM Bagger.) He was comfort for us after we got hit on Good Friday, we comforted him when the camp got rocketed on Easter. We held a fund raiser to get him state side before the end of spring (if the food wasn't under lock & key we had it, some of the best stakes) & raised more than enough for the ASPCA for his flight. Had to hid him from KBR during the end of his time there. By the end of May, he was in the Pittsburgh area. It took some time for him to adjust to his new home, "mom", & "sister" (my buddy's other dog.) Before we knew it he settled in, made a new 4 legged best friend, & about forgot about his life in Iraq. Then the final reunion, we came home & Bagger was reunited with my buddy. As time went on, he became a star pupil at the obedience school, the ultimate rodent hunter, & the best compainion a guy could have. For my buddy Bagger was his child as him & his wife tried but couldn't have kids. Both dogs were spoiled together. There was always a good story about Bagger when we got together. Then last month after my buddy got back from Ft. Irwin, they got the bad news when they took him to the vet after noticing he was having a few issues. Cancer. The vet said it spread from another part to his lungs, that the treatment would kill him. After some talking on how to go about things, it was decided to keep him comfortable the best they could until his time came. He had good days, he had some not so good days. After 3 weeks, his time came. My buddy came home from work Monday, it was a not so good day for Bagger. He was put in his bed but wanted on the couch with my buddy. Into my buddy's arms he went. He went peacefully with the family that loved him. It hit my buddy hard, took yesterday off to take care of Baggers final arrangements & to regain his composure. H finally passed the word to us tonight. I can guarentee there is not too many of use who help to get him home that are not emotional about him. He was with us for a shorter time that we would of liked, but I am glad that everything we did for him (& could of really put us in a major pinch), got him to a great home, & made a man happy to have a dog like him in his life.
