11/09/2024
As the lead up to Veterans Day - we would like to share one of our favorite stories behind one of our past designs, honoring a very special pair of Vietnam Veterans, PFC Roger Gill and his K-9 Fritz.
Mid 2016, we received a call from an individual who had a major impact on Gered while serving together in the Army, Lonny Hayes. Hayes would serve as Gered's PL/PLT Sgt (who would then later serve as their First Sgt) during one of his deployments to the Middle East.
In Gereds eyes, Hayes would become the epitome of a leader - to this day, if you ask Gered to name the most influential people in his life, Hayes will be on the top of a very short list.
So, when we received a phone call from Hayes about having a simple design made for a very special and influential person in his own life (Brother Roger is a key figure in Lonny and Melissa's church), we were honored to have been thought of.
After hearing Brother Rogers own story, the honor of being thought of by a close friend would become nothing less than a privilege to be a part of a heartfelt tribute to a Vietnam War Veteran.
Hayes had initially asked for something small interlinking the Sentry Dogs and Fritz to present to Brother Roger - Gered and I had something else in mind and youll understand why after reading Brother Roger's story. We had a fraction of the time we usually spend on these type of special designs, the the piece as a whole isn't perfect but it sure is one we will forever cherish.
PFC Roger Gill served in the Army as a K-9 handler with the Sentry Dogs in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968. During his time in service as a handler, he developed a special bond with his K-9 Fritz, a bond that many will never have the honor of experiencing.
Their relationship went beyond working, as they would begin to rely on each other to get through some of the longest and most difficult of days - we all know the love our own pets share and how they have the ability to lift you up even during the most difficult of times. Now, imagine being in a war zone, depending on each other to ensure you both are able to make it back from your patrol alive, and having a K-9 who has not only saved your own life but has saved the lives of those around you on several different occasions.
These very special K-9's are just as heroic as our soldiers by not only having the ability to save lives by their heightened training and skills but due to their natural ability to provide the love and support many soldiers need while in the heart of war.. They often become the only ray of light during the darkest of days.
When PFC Gill was slotted to return home from Vietnam in 1968 after a years tour, he was forced to say good-bye to his K-9 Fritz. During this time frame, the United States saw these animals as nothing more than equipment and no matter how hard these soldiers tried, even offering to pay for their return to the United States, the government would not bring these amazing K-9's home as they deserved but ultimately left them behind.
Today, only recently, our government is better at seeing the value of these animals, not only as key assets to our military but for their capabilities, their worth (beyond monetary), and the importance of honoring their service and sacrifices after these dogs have gallantly served our nation, right alongside their soldiers.
In the fall of 1968, when PFC Gill was slotted to return stateside, after much effort to bring Fritz home alongside him, he was forced to leave his best friend behind in a foreign and war torn country.
Fritz would be left in the possession of the Vietnamese and his memory and the heart ache of leaving him behind would haunt PFC Gill all these years later.
Not until recently has Brother Roger been able to reach out in an effort to obtain information about what happened to Fritz upon his departure from Vietnam through an organization who has gathered service records of these heroic animals in an effort to ease the minds of those who were forced to leave them behind.
With all this in mind, hours of research over the history of these special K-9 hero's, the Sentry Dogs, and the Vietnam war - we finally came up with the design for a piece that we felt would truly honor not only PFC Gill and K-9 Fritz's service to our nation but to show the unique bond between two soldiers - both two and four legged.
To Brother Roger, K-9 Fritz, and each and every Vietnam Veteran (both two and four legged) - Thank you for your sacrifice and service, this piece was made in honor of all of you.
