A Marine's Best Friend September 27, 2014 – 5:00 AM
Lucca, in Woodbridge, VA., wears an honorary Purple Heart after losing her left front leg in an IED explosion in Afghanistan. (Melissa Golden for Parade)
Military dogs are often our troops’ first line of defense, sniffing out hidden bombs in some of the most dangerous places on earth. This excerpt from the new book Top Dog by Maria Goodavage recalls the sacrifice and bravery of a smart German Shepherd–Belgian Malinois mix, who led Special Forces soldiers onto a battlefield in Afghanistan’s Helmand River valley in March of 2012. But it also captures the loyalty and trust that develop between a dog and her handler and the deep, loving bond that lasts a lifetime.
Marine Cpl. Juan “Rod” Rodriguez crunched across the dry farm field, his right hand resting on the M4 rifle strapped to his chest. He kept clear of the path that meandered through hard clumps of dirt that looked nothing like the rich soil of his New England roots. The road less traveled—ideally, no road at all—was the safest from homemade bombs sowed by the Taliban.
Rod watched his dog Lucca, who was 30 feet ahead, inspecting for IEDs. Unlike much of the agricultural land around here, this field was barren. In the distance, a compound, a tree line, some worn-down mountains.
Rod could see Lucca trotting with a purpose, nose down, tail up. She was an old pro at the business of sniffing IEDs off leash. “Good girl, Mama Lucca,” he said under his breath.
Lucca Bear. Lucca Pie. Bearcat Jones. Mama Lucca. The Special Forces soldiers Rod was working with had come to know Lucca by all the terms of endearment she had inspired during her career. She had led more than 400 missions, and no one had been hurt by an IED when they were with her.
Mama Lucca was the name that had stuck lately. She was the only one that the Green Berets felt comfortable hugging after a tough day. The maternal moniker was a natural fit.
Rod saw Lucca moving close to the narrow dirt path. He could sense she was onto something, and watched her intently in case he needed to steer her clear of suspicious-looking spots. She walked back and forth and every few steps turned more quickly, as she traced the scent to its point of origin. Lucca’s tail gave a few high, quick wags. She stopped and stared at Rod.
He got the message and called her back, praising her. “Good girl, Lucca!
“Ben,” he called to the engineer, who was following close behind. “Lucca just responded, right there,” pointing to the spot.
“Okay, we’ll take care of it,” Ben said. “Nice work, Mama Lucca.”
Rod shifted their course to keep Lucca away from the IED. She trotted ahead for about 25 feet, spun around, and headed back toward him.
A cloud of gray smoke erupted before Rod heard the explosion. “No!” Rod shouted, squeezing his helmet between his hands. Radios around him buzzed into a frenzy, but he didn’t hear words. As the curtain of debris curled away, he could see Lucca had dragged herself up and was standing, dazed, alive. Rod dashed toward her, not thinking about IEDs that might be between them. Lucca could take only a few steps before Rod swept her up in his arms. ...........................................
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Tue Sep 30, 2014 2:14 pm
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