SERGEANT STUBBY, WAR HERO

            Wars affect everything and everyone, including all creatures great and small. In my World War 1 presentation, I talk about the many animals, and even some insects, which played an important role in the fighting between the British allied countries and the Germans and their allies. 

            This Memorial Day, I decided to focus my BLOG on one of the bravest canines of all time – a dog that received international acclaim and numerous medals for his heroism. We don’t know his real name, but Corporal James Conroy of the 102^nd Infantry called him “Stubby” because of his diminutive size. And the name stuck.

The year was 1917, and hundreds of American men were training at Yale University before they were to be transported to the war front in France. Lost and alone, the shabby Boston Terrier wandered into the military encampment where he found open hands and open hearts. He was adopted by the troop of soldiers and was fed and cared for. When it was time to leave for France, Corporal Conroy smuggled the small dog on the ship that would take them to the war zone.

 When Stubby’s presence was discovered by Conroy’s commanding officer, the dog saluted him as every good soldier would do. Conroy had trained his dog to prepare him for that very moment. And it worked. Stubby was allowed to stay as the troops’ mascot.

Living conditions in the trenches were terrible, and the constant sound of machine guns and cannon fire must have been difficult for the dog. Rather than simply keeping the men company, Stubby was soon put to work doing his part in the war effort. He was an intelligent dog and quickly learned what was needed of him. But it wasn’t long before the little dog was injured during a mustard gas attack. The soldiers created a special gas mask for their mascot, and from that time on, Stubby would warn his fellow soldiers when a mustard gas attack was about to begin. His barking allowed the men enough time to put on their gas masks…and his.

Each day, the terrier roamed the battle zone, known as No Man’s Land, between the German and Allied troop trenches, searching for wounded soldiers. He would return to the trench and guide the rescue team to the injured men. Months later, he was injured by a hand grenade. But like a true hero, he recovered and went back to work in the trenches helping to save wounded soldiers.

            There are many stories of Stubby’s bravery. On one occasion, he’s credited with attacking a German who was sneaking up on the American encampment. Barking and biting the enemy soldier, he held onto him by the “seat of his pants” until members of Stubby’s regiment arrived. The commanding officer recognized the pup’s bravery by officially making him a sergeant.

            The German troops soon became aware of the dog’s important role in protecting his men. Snipers used binoculars to search for his small silhouette in the foggy, smoke-filled areas between the trenches. Stubby was injured yet again by another grenade. And once again, the tough terrier recovered. His legacy grew, and women in the French town of Chateau-Thierry made him a chamois coat so that he could wear the numerous medals he had been awarded.

            When the war ended in late 1918 and the troops were sent home, James Conroy took Stubby with him to Connecticut. But the story doesn’t end there. Stubby’s fame had traveled back to America. He was a famous war hero and made personal appearances in parades, sporting events, and even at vaudeville shows. Stubby was introduced to three American Presidents and in 1921, he was presented with a gold medal by General John J. Pershing.

            After his death in 1926, Stubby was preserved by a taxidermist. The famous little dog now resides at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. In 2018, an animated film about the life and legacy of the brave terrier, Sgt. Stubby, An American Hero, was released. After the death of  James Robert Conroy, his family had a life-size bronze statue of Stubby placed at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Middletown, Connecticut. And Stubby, the hero dog of World War 1, is still remembered through books and articles and even a website for his fan club: http://www.stubbysquad.com

 

THE AMAZING AVOCADO

“Avocados. That was one of my mistakes,” explained actor George Burns, who played the key role in the movie, Oh God. “The pit’s too big,” he added. The avocado’s pit may be a little out of proportion, but this vitamin packed bundle of flavor is anything but a mistake of nature. In fact, people in areas where avocados are believed to have originated (Mexico, Central and South America) have been eating them for centuries. The Aztecs of ancient Mexico likely invented guacamole, which remains the most popular way to eat avocados. When the Spanish conquered Mexico in 1519, the Conquistadors recorded the widespread use of avocados in the native diet. Just like today, the Aztecs mashed them and mixed the paste with tomatoes, onions, and chilies.

 

The Spanish found the green meat of this “buttery” fruit (and yes, it’s a fruit and not a vegetable) found that avocados were a delicious addition to their own foods, mixing it with salt and pepper, or adding sugar to create a dessert. As for that enormous pit? Squeezing out the milky liquid, the Spaniards discovered that avocado pit juice changes into a blackish/red indelible ink. Old Spanish documents written in avocado ink still exist.

 

Avocados were also enjoyed in the West Indies. When George Washington traveled to Barbados in 1751, he wrote about the tasty “avavago pears” that were grown there. And when British sailors discovered the green pear-shaped fruit, they brought them along on their voyages. In the absence of butter, they mashed the soft fruit and spread it on their hardtack, giving avocados a new name: “midshipman’s butter.”

 

THE AVOCADO AS AN APHRODISIAC?

 

No one knows how the avocado got its reputation as an aphrodisiac. Maybe it was because of its pear-like shape and the fact that it hung in clusters of two that the Aztecs called it the “testicle tree.”  Due to the avocado’s reputed romantic qualities, Aztec maidens were kept indoors when the trees were harvested. Spanish padres took the avocado’s reputation seriously. In fact, they went so far as to prohibit their planting in the missions’ gardens. During the 1920s, avocado growers launched a public relations campaign assuring American consumers that there was no proof the strange green fruit indeed had this “undesirable” side effect. Today, the avocado industry will neither deny nor confirm the fruits’ qualities as an aphrodisiac!

 

CALIFORNIA AND THE AVOCADO

 

Avocado trees were introduced into the United States in Florida around 1833. Although Judge R.B. Ord of Santa Barbara brought the first avocado trees to California in 1871, it was another forty years before they would be grown commercially, when Carl Schmidt, who worked for a nursery in Altadena, found a perfect variety for California’s weather pattern while visiting Puebla, Mexico. He planted numerous saplings in a grove in what is now San Marino. Only one tree survived Southern California’s “great freeze of 1913.” This hearty avocado was named Fuerte, which means vigorous or strong in Spanish.

 

Today, the Hass avocado is the most commonly grown variety in the world. Developed accidentally by Rudolph Hass, a postman who owned land in current-day La Habra Heights. The rough, dark variety was the result of a failed graft in 1926. The Hass owes its overwhelming success to its long growing season (8 months), its creamy texture, and its buttery flavor. Hass avocados are easily identified by their pebbly skin, which changes from forest green to blackish purple when ripe.

 

AVOCADO FACTS:

 

1. Did you know that the avocado is among the top 10 heart-healthy foods?  It’s true! Although this nutty tasting fruit is high in fat, it’s the good kind (monounsaturated) that can actually help lower LDL cholesterol. It has 60% more potassium than a banana (which helps lower blood pressure), as well as folic acid, dietary fiber, and vitamins C, E and B6 (and the important mineral K). Recent studies have shown that its phytonutrients can help protect against prostate cancer.

 

2. They are loaded with vitamin E, lutein (a phytochemical that can help prevent common eyesight problems), and glutathione (a cancer-preventing antioxidant).

 

3. Avocados are not only eaten for their health benefits, but the leaves and fruit are used around the world for medicinal purposes and for beauty treatments. Avocado oil is especially popular as a skin and scalp ointment.

 

4. California farmers produce 95% of all avocados grown in the country. Why is avocado production so successful in Southern California? Because of the ideal growing conditions: good soil, proper drainage, and abundant sunshine.

 

5. The word avocado comes from the Spanish aquacate, which was a corrupted version of the Aztec term ahuacatl.

 

6. Avocado trees have been known to produce fruit for over 200 years!

 

7. There’s actually an Avocado Fan Club!

 

Tips:  To speed up ripening, put the avocado in a paper bag with an apple, which releases a harmless gas that hastens the process.  Once the meat has been exposed to air, it will darken. After making guacamole, place the pits in the bowl with the dip. The natural enzymes will help preserve the taste and pale green color. When using a portion of an avocado, brush the remaining exposed area with lemon or lime juice and secure it tightly in air-tight plastic wrap.

 

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AVOCADO SALSA

Mild and delicious.

4 avocadoes - diced

¼ bottle green tobassco sauce (I use less because I like it very mild)

1 can diced tomatoes (drain off a bit of the juice)

1 pkg. or about 1 cup grated cheese

1 finely chopped Bermuda (purple) onion

½ small can diced Ortega chilis

Finely chopped cilantro (I use about ½ bunch or to your taste)

2 small cans sliced black olives

Pinch of sugar (or to taste)

Garlic salt to taste

Mix and chill. I use a half recipe for smaller gatherings.