Tough on Tuffy

Not many weeks before, Tuffy had been a wobbly, anonymous pup. A group of First Army signalmen adopted him, gave him a name and tidbits from their rations. Tuffy went along with them to the eastern marches of Belgium.

When the enemy broke through, eight of the signalmen and three other soldiers, with Tuffy along, had to hide in a cellar for ten hours as German armor rolled through the town. Panzermen were stationed in the house overhead. Two Germans looked into the cellar but saw nothing. They heard nothing, either, because Tuffy seemed to be holding his breath like his buddies.

Then Tuffy thought the danger was over and began to bark playfully. The signalmen tried to quiet him, but Tuffy took it for play, and barked again. There was a quick council, conducted in monosyllables, then one of Tuffy's masters reached out in the dark and strangled him. The silence in the cellar was deeper and heavier than ever.

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