War Animals

America's highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor, was awarded to 440 deserving members of the "Greatest Generation" that served in World War II. But in 1943, before the war was even over, Allied leaders realized they needed another kind of award to recognize a different kind of World War II hero - animal heroes. Founded in 1943, the prestigious PDSA Dickin Medal is the highest award an animal can achieve for gallantry and bravery in the field of military conflict. It was given to 55 animals who served valiantly alongside the members of the Greatest Generation.

At the onset of World War II, Williams formed Elephant Company and was instrumental in defeating the Japanese in Burma and saving refugees, including on his own "Hannibal Trek." Billy Williams became a media sensation during the war, telling reporters that the elephants did more for him than he was ever able to do for them, but his story has since been forgotten.

The Navy SEAL teams' elite K9 warriors do it all - from detecting explosives to eliminating the bad guys. These powerful dogs are also some of the smartest and most highly skilled working animals on the planet. Mike Ritland's job is to train them. This is the tale of how Ritland discovered his passion and grew up to train these elite dogs. After becoming a SEAL, he was on combat deployment in Iraq when he saw a military working dog in action, and he instantly knew he'd found his true calling.

An instant hit in the UK, this is the true account of a German shepherd who was adopted by the Royal Air Force during World War II, joined in flight missions, and survived everything from crash-landings to parachute bailouts-ultimately saving the life of his owner and dearest friend. In the winter of 1939 in the cold snow of no-man's-land, two loners met and began an extraordinary journey that would turn them into lifelong friends.

April 1916, Germany: Anna Zeller, whose fiancé, Bruno, is fighting on the western front, works as a nurse at an overcrowded hospital in Oldenburg, trying to comfort men broken in body and spirit. But during a visit from Dr. Stalling, the director of the Red Cross Ambulance Dogs Association, she witnesses a rare spark of optimism: as a German shepherd guides a battle-blinded soldier over a garden path, Dr. Stalling is inspired with an idea-to train dogs as companions for sightless veterans.

Raised by wolves. Shunned by the alpha’s son. Now, the girl who was tossed away holds the pack’s life in her hands. My heart and soul belong to Nic Kagan, the next-in-line alpha. But as the future pack leader, he’s expected to mate a shifter female, have a couple of kids, and live the perfect life. With another woman. Not me. Because I’m human. I get it. We’re different species. I can’t be who Nic needs me to be. Or so everyone keeps telling me. But I say never underestimate the little human brave enough to trigger the primal instincts of the big bad wolf. Guess we’ll see ...

When Justin's older brother, Kyle, is killed in Afghanistan, Justin can't believe that his brother is really gone. Except there's one thing that Kyle left behind.... Max is a highly trained military canine who has always protected his fellow soldiers. But when he loses his handler and best friend, Kyle, Max is traumatized and unable to remain in the service. Max is sent home to America, where the only human he connects with is Justin, and he is soon adopted by Kyle's family, essentially saving his life.

After being bombed and shipwrecked repeatedly while serving for several wild and war-torn years as a mascot of the World War II Royal Navy Yangtze river gunboats the Gnat and the Grasshopper, Judy ended up in Japanese prisoner of war camps in North Sumatra. Along with locals as slave labor, the American, Australian, and British POWs were forced to build a 1,200-mile single-track railroad through the most horrifying jungles and treacherous mountain passes.

When the Iraq war began, conservationist Lawrence Anthony could think of only one thing: the fate of the Baghdad Zoo, caught in the crossfire at the heart of the city. Once Anthony entered Iraq, he discovered that hostilities and uncontrolled looting had devastated the zoo and its animals. Working with members of the zoo staff and a few compassionate U.S. soldiers, Anthony defended the zoo, bartered for food on war-torn streets, and scoured bombed palaces for desperately needed supplies.

In War Dogs, Rebecca Frankel offers a riveting mix of on-the-ground reporting, her own hands-on experiences in the military working dog world, and a look at the science of dogs' special abilities - from their amazing noses and powerful jaws to their enormous sensitivity to the emotions of their human companions. The history of dogs in the U.S. military is long and rich, from the spirit-lifting mascots of the Civil War to the dogs who lead patrols hunting for IEDs today.

Filled with harrowing tales of knife-edge bomb-detection work, including an extraordinary baptism by fire, Sergeant Rex is a heart-pounding account of how an unbreakable human-canine bond helped Mike and Rex to stay focused on their mission and save countless lives.

In Top Dog, Maria Goodavage takes listeners into the life of Lucca K458, a decorated and highly skilled military working dog. An extraordinary bond developed between Lucca and Marine Corps handler Chris Willingham, launching what became a legendary 400-mission career. A Specialized Search Dog, Lucca belongs to an elite group trained to work off-leash at long distances from her handler.

Hutton has now written a fascinating full biography of Sergeant Reckless, who earned two Purple Hearts for her heroic efforts, among other military decorations. Hutton has spoken with the marines who fought alongside Reckless and tells the complete and captivating tale of how a would-be Korean racehorse became one of the greatest Marine Corps wartime heroes. Sgt. Reckless brings the legend back to life more than half a century later.

Military working dogs gained widespread attention after Cairo participated in the SEAL Team 6 mission that led to Osama bin Laden's death. Before that, few civilians realized that dogs served in combat, let alone that they could parachute from thirty thousand feet up. The Dogs of War reveals the amazing range of jobs that our four-legged soldiers now perform, examines the dogs' training and equipment, and sets the record straight on those rumors of titanium teeth.

I met my destined mate. He’s an angel...an Angel of Death, actually. He’s the guy who makes problems go away. And I’ve just caused him a lot of trouble. A good deed dropped me in the lap of Death. That’s what the shifter assassins guarding me call Ilan Kane...Death. Ilan calls me his fated mate. In the six years I’ve known him, he barely spoke to me. Now that I have a target on my back, he’s decided to keep me. But his claim isn’t free or without punishment. In exchange for saving me, Ilan wants my soul. Not my devotion or my heart. Ilan doesn’t believe in love. But I do. ...

In 1952, the United States was heavily involved in the Korean War. When members of the U.S. Marine Corps bought a horse to join in the war effort, little did they know that a hero would soon emerge. Trained to be a military pack horse, Sergeant Reckless quickly became a part of the unit and served to support the troops in several combat missions during the war.

Turns out the drunk lone wolf I met is the man destined to be mine. He's jaded, dangerous, unstable, and vowing never to let me go. I'm a female wolf shifter without a pack. Punished for a crime I didn't commit. Forced into a life of servitude. And out of options. Or so I thought. My fated mate will do anything to free me. I just have to trust him. And I do...with my body. Our connection is wickedly strong. But loving Rick won't sever the chains binding me to my living hell. Unless...I sacrifice everything—including Rick—for love. ★★★★★ This is a “full-grown-up” paranormal...

My dream job carries one stipulation: play nice with the awkwardly hot shifter agent who keeps threatening to lock me in his bedroom. I have a gun without bullets. No field training. And a mentor who always wants to pounce on me. Or throw me over his shoulder and haul me to safety at the first hint of danger. And since I’ve made it my mission to find the killer targeting homeless shifters in my city, I’ve become a target. Uri Alexander, my reluctant partner, has a problem with his fated mate being in harm’s way. But I’m not worried. Uri’s got my back. As long as he can focus on ...

I stole a car from a powerful shifter. Now he wants my heart and soul in payment. For eternity. I’ll admit it. Kade Alexander is...impressive. He’s a rich, strong, gorgeous Royal alpha. He’s also arrogant and way too demanding. I’ve tried reasoning with him and telling him he doesn’t want me as his mate. But he claims it’s a done deal. We’re fated. Poor guy. Claiming me isn’t worth the whole “love and destiny” nonsense Kade believes in. But at some point, you have to stop fighting. If Kade wants me, then he can have me. All of me, including the side who likes to bathe in...

In this animal fantasy series, 12-year-old Leo is next in line for the throne of Singara. But before he can become king, he must prove his worth in a fight to the death with a slaycon, a scorpion-like monster. However, killing a slaycon may be the least of Leo's problems. The Maguar, Singara's sworn enemy, are rising up, and closer to home, Singara is being torn apart by Leo's cousin. Even worse, Leo is a Spinner, cursed with a dangerous, forbidden magic.