Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Borneo orangutan
Malaysia • 12 days, 11 nights
Wild Borneo: Secrets of an Ancient Rainforest
from
Pastel de nata
Portugal • 8 days, 7 nights
Portugal: A Culinary Adventure from Porto to Lisbon
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Ravne tunnels.
Ravne Tunnels
Colors and volumes in the patio.
Monterrey’s Contemporary Art Museum (MARCO)
Inside Wonderwerk Caves, underground caves and excavation, Kuruman, Northern Cape
Wonderwerk Cave
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Pigeons were included in a series of 1891 illustrations entitled “Household Pets.”
What Makes a Pest a Pest?
about 4 hours ago
Burros Alfa and Beto, seen here with Luis Soriano in 2008, have been helping the teacher deliver books for more than 20 years.
How One Man and His ‘Biblioburro’ Spreads Literacy in Rural Colombia
2 days ago
Price Tower
What Happened to Price Tower, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Only Skyscraper?
3 days ago
Jeremy Bentham’s Auto-Icon in its new location in 2020
The Jeremy Bentham Auto-Icon: Why This Legendary Philosopher Put His Own Body on Display
4 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Connecticut Middletown Sergeant Stubby Statue
AO Edited

Sergeant Stubby Statue

This statue honoring the most decorated dog of World War I stands in a Connecticut park.

Middletown, Connecticut

Added By
John Meszaros
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Sergeant Stubby giving a salute.   Johnmeszaros / Atlas Obscura User
Sergeant Stubby giving a salute.   Johnmeszaros / Atlas Obscura User
Another view of Sergeant Stubby.   Johnmeszaros / Atlas Obscura User
A view of Sergeant Stubby’s decorated blanket.   Johnmeszaros / Atlas Obscura User
The plaque at the base of Stubby’s memorial.   Johnmeszaros / Atlas Obscura User
The entrance to the Connecticut Trees of Honor Memorial.   Johnmeszaros / Atlas Obscura User
  Calvin the Courageous / Atlas Obscura User
  Calvin the Courageous / Atlas Obscura User
  Calvin the Courageous / Atlas Obscura User
  Calvin the Courageous / Atlas Obscura User
Sergeant Stubby wearing military uniform and decorations.   https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?...
  Calvin the Courageous / Atlas Obscura User
  Calvin the Courageous / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

While training for combat deployment at Yale University in 1917, Private J. Robert Conroy discovered a stray puppy on the campus field. He named the dog Stubby (because of his short tail) and introduced him to the other men of his unit, the 102nd Infantry Yankee Division.

Stubby became the mascot of the 102nd and greatly boosted their morale. He quickly took to follow the daily training routine alongside his owner, even learning to salute by raising his right paw to his eyebrow. When Conroy shipped out to France, he smuggled Stubby on board the ship. The commanding officer discovered the stowaway once they reached land but allowed him to stay because he improved the men’s mood.

Stubby participated in many battles during the Great War. He frequently led wounded soldiers to safety or barked to summon help for men who were too injured to move. He also alerted his unit to deadly gas attacks thanks to his acute sense of smell. When he himself was injured and taken to a hospital, he frequently visited other recovering soldiers. When Stubby subdued a German spy by biting and hanging onto him, the 102nd Infantry’s commanding officer put in a request for him to receive the title of Sergeant, making him the first dog with a rank in the United States Armed Forces.

After participating in a battle to liberate the French town of Chateau Thierry, Stubby received a hand-sewn blanket embroidered with Allied flags from the local women. His medals and other souvenirs were added to this garment throughout his life. After leaving the army, Conroy regularly toured with Stubby to boost morale during and after wartime. The dog led American troops in parades and received honorary memberships in the YMCA and the American Legion, as well as a medal from the Humane Society. Stubby even met presidents Harding, Coolidge, and Wilson.

After Sergeant Stubby died in 1926, his body was preserved via taxidermy, which can be seen at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. In 2018, he was honored with a statue at the Connecticut Trees of Honor Memorial in Middletown’s Veterans Memorial Park.

Related Tags

World War I Animals War History Dogs Statues

Know Before You Go

 

The Sergeant Stubby statue is located in the Connecticut Trees of Honor Memorial near the Veterans Memorial Park in Middletown, Connecticut. Parking spaces are available at the entrance to the memorial.

Community Contributors

Added By

Johnmeszaros

Edited By

SEANETTA, dfakess, Calvin the Courageous

  • SEANETTA
  • dfakess
  • Calvin the Courageous

Published

February 2, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://apnews.com/article/middletown-us-news-travel-movies-connecticut-17973da298824d27bd87668e85d6e74b
Sergeant Stubby Statue
79 Meech Ct
Middletown, Connecticut, 06457
United States
41.559679, -72.670296
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Joseph Barratt's Grave

Middletown, Connecticut

miles away

Joe Webb Peoples Museum

Middletown, Connecticut

miles away

Wangunk Statue

Middletown, Connecticut

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Middletown

Middletown

Connecticut

Places 5

Nearby Places

Joseph Barratt's Grave

Middletown, Connecticut

miles away

Joe Webb Peoples Museum

Middletown, Connecticut

miles away

Wangunk Statue

Middletown, Connecticut

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Middletown

Middletown

Connecticut

Places 5

Related Places

  • Gabrielle Petit was executed at the age of just 23.

    Brussels, Belgium

    Gabrielle Petit Statue

    Belgium's national heroine turned spy sacrificed her life to combat German occupation.

  • Odate, Japan

    ‘Homesick Hachiko’

    Another statue of Japan's most famous dog stands in his hometown.

  • Le mémorial de Mort-Homme.

    Chattancourt, France

    Le Mort Homme (Dead Man's Hill)

    A memorial to the soldiers who died in the bloody battles to control Verdun in World War I.

  • Statue of Patsy Ann

    Juneau, Alaska

    Patsy Ann Statue

    Known as the “Official Greeter of Juneau,” this dog still welcomes ships and their passengers to Alaska.

  • Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

    Statue of Sallie Ann Jarrett

    The beloved, war-tested mascot of a Union regiment graces their battlefield monument.

  • Mangulica and Pulin

    Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia

    Mangulica & Pulin Statue

    Statues of two of Srem's most well-known animals.

  • 4 cast-iron watchdogs at the foot of Tivoli castle (Ljubljana, Slovenia).

    Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Cast-Iron Dogs of Tivoli Castle

    Strange rumors surround the artist who created these solemn metal guard dogs.

  • Parque del Perro

    Cali, Colombia

    Parque del Perro

    This statue pays homage to a group of kids's childhood companion who once called the park home.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.