A new life-sized statue now stands at the Wisconsin Veterans Home, honoring Brownie, a German shepherd mix who served in World War II. Positioned next to the commandant’s house, near the sidewalk overlooking Rainbow Lake, the statue remembers the loyal dog who became a cherished friend to local veterans.
Brownie’s story is one of service and loyalty. During World War II, the U.S. military began using dogs more actively, thanks to a civilian group called Dogs for Defense, which organized a drive to enlist dogs for the war effort. An 11-year-old boy named Oren Kendley donated Brownie, who was then sent to the Pacific to serve as a guard dog from May 1943 to October 1944.
In the line of duty, Brownie was shot in the eye. He survived with a glass eye and, after the war, returned to King, Wisconsin. There, he lived near the Wisconsin Veterans Home, becoming an unofficial mascot and friend to the veterans. Brownie was well-loved by all who knew him.
Author Kelly Nelson, who wrote the children’s book “Brownie the War Dog: Veterans’ Best Friend,” led the effort to raise funds for the statue. Though she had hoped to unveil the sculpture for the 75th anniversary of Brownie’s passing in 2024, delays pushed the dedication to this year. “Every dog has its day,” Nelson remarked.
Brownie passed away in 1949 at the age of eight and was buried in the Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Remarkably, he is the only non-human interred alongside veterans in that cemetery. Nelson believes Brownie may be the only non-human buried in a veterans’ cemetery anywhere in the world.
The new statue ensures that Brownie’s bravery, loyalty, and friendship to veterans will be remembered for generations to come.