To honor Alabama war dog handlers, in particular those who gave their lives in the course of duty for this great land and its people, and to recognize the value of military working dog in saving lives and property.

Little Joe
"Our Mastcot"

Just $23,000 to go; Will You Please Help!

Praying is not enough. We need your participation and donation to payoff the Alabama War Dogs Memorial by December 31, 2009; but don't stop praying!

A brief pictorial history of the creation of the Alabama War Dogs Memorial

The first concept was a helmet on top of a fire hydrant; more in jest.

The more traditional approach, a granite block was considered, by not dynamic enough.

It was decided to tell the story using figures; the stick figures were used to develop the concept.

John O'Malley started fleshing out the stick figures.

The concept figures started to take shape.

John O'malley drew the concept drawing to give to Clark Memorials to come up with an artist's rendition.

Clark Memorials artist rendition; the AWDM Board approved the monument design.

The 8,000 pound granite block was cut in Georgia and shipped to Alabama; ready for the finishing touches.

Sloss Furnaces started working on the paw and boot print impressions for the monument.

The boot prints are made from John Burnam's boots he wore as a dog handler in Vietnam.

Closeup of the boot imprint.

The dog prints were also completed and ready for casting.

The Sloss Furnaces paw and boot imprint casting crew; Remy Hanemann, Cecelia Thompson, Paige Wainwright-Curator of Metal Arts, Julie Ward. Remy and Julie are artists-in-residence, Cecelia was a summer apprentice.

Alan Cottrill, the nationally renowned sculptor from Ohio, turned the concept drawing into the soldier and dog figures.

Little Joe in the making.

The dog handler and soldiers as works in progress, notice the pieces on the left forefront table.

A closeup of the finished figures, "The Alert" on the monument. The roses were placed in memory of the seven Alabama dog handlers that died in Vietnam.

MA2 Kiogina & Rick, and MA2 Taylor & Drummo, U.S. Navy Military Working Dog Teams in front of the AWDM monument. Note that Drummo is fascinated by the life like figure of Little Joe, staring at Little Joe as if he knew this was a special day for all war dogs.