The Third Annual Animals in War & Peace Medal Ceremonyrecognized and honored six unsung U.S. animal heroes for their accomplishments in both war andpeace in Washington, DC on March 8, 2023 at the Rayburn House Office Building with five U.S.Members of Congress.

Since 1943, the United Kingdom has been the only country in the world to honor animals with itsinternational PDSA Dickin Medal, also known as

U.S. House of Representatives Julia Brownley (CA) introduced and welcomed guests. U.S House ofRepresentatives Gus Bilirakis (FL), Don Bacon (NB), Maxwell Frost (FL) and Mike Quigley (IL)presented medals to America's six animal heroes for either the Animals in War & Peace Medal ofBravery or Distinguished Service Medal which are both commensurate with the British PDSA DickinMedal. U.S. House of Representative Chaplain, Reverend Dr. Margaret Grun Kibben offered theinvocation and participated with medal presentations and a blessing of the animals

The Animals in War & Peace Medal of Bravery was awarded to one pigeon and four canines thatserved in past wars (posthumous) representing U.S. military services. The 2023 heroes are TheMocker (WW1 pigeon); K9 Jafar (Baytown, TX Police Dept (alive)); MWD Paco P352 (U.S. Army(alive)); MPC Kay (75th Army Ranger Regiment); and MPC Shimanski (Marine Corps SpecialOperations Command (alive)).

The Animals in War & Peace Distinguished Service Medal, was awarded to a horse named Sgt. York(U.S. Army Caisson Platoon (alive)). Sgt. York is distinguished by his exceptionally meritoriousservice to our nation in a duty of great responsibility.

To continue the efforts of creating the annual process of recognizing our U.S. animal heroes, asecond House Resolution will be introduced later this spring sponsored by Representative GusBilirakis (FL).

Nominations are now being accepted for the 4th Annual Medal Ceremony tentatively scheduled forMarch 2024. Go to https://animalsinwarandpeace.org/nomination-form-1

DSM #4 - SGT YORK: Army Caisson Platoon - Military Working Equine(MWE) (alive): Sgt York served 25 years as one of the Caisson Platoon's mostimportant and storied MWEs. He became a Caparisoned Horse (Cap Horse), ariderless horse that symbolizes an officer's final ride in battle, where emptyboots are faced backwards in the stirrups. He was the Cap Horse in PresidentRonald Reagan's funeral, and countless other dignitaries. In 2004, he wasselected as Horse of the Month by the U.S. Trotting Association.

MOB #12 - K9 JAFAR: Baytown Police, Texas, Multi-purpose SWAT,Narcotics Detection, Patrol, Belgian Malinois (alive) - Jafar and his partnerwere called-up to a barricaded armed suspect situation where a suspect wasreported to have piles of weapons and was firing shots from a handgun into hisneighbors "homes. After an eight-hour standoff, K-9 Jafar was deployed intothe residence, which had been heavily tear-gassed. Jafar located the suspecthiding in a pantry with two small dogs. Jafar apprehended the suspect, who inturn grabbed Jafar by the head holding his muzzle closed as the cover officersmoved into the residence and apprehended him without further violence.

MOB #13 - THE MOCKER: WWI, U.S. Army Signal Corps, HomingPigeon: During the Battle of Saint-Mihiel in Sept 1918, Mocker arrived with amessage from the frontlines, despite his right eye having been destroyed by ashell fragment and his head a mass of clotted blood. Thanks to Mocker"s flight,the German artillery guns were silenced in only 20 minutes. Even with the lossof an eye, Mocker continued to fly once he healed, eventually credited withcarrying 33 messages during the war.

MOB #14 - MWD PACO P352: U.S. Army, Afghanistan, Belgian Malinois(alive). Deployed to Afghanistan in October 2012 in support of OperationDetachment Alpha/Special Operations Task Force. Paco led the unit duringnight raids on villages in extremely hostile territories, positively identified 33IEDs during different missions. He was wounded with shrapnel but returnedto duty after treated for injuries. Upon returning to duty, Paco led a 30-truckconvoy 20-miles during an evacuation that was constantly fired upon withsmall arms and rocket propelled grenades. He found 19 IEDs during this 24-hour exfil alone.

MOB #15 - MPC KAY: 75th Army Ranger Regiment, Afghanistan/Iraq,Belgian Malinois: MPC Kay served from 2007-2011 as a Multi-PurposeCanine trained in apprehension, tracking, explosive and article detection, areasearches, and hunting down fleeing insurgents. MPC Kay successfullycompleted over 200 Special Operation nighttime raids, over 75 day operations,and apprehended several high-profile Al Qaeda and Taliban leaders during hisfour deployments. Additionally, Kay located an important phone sim card thatwas thrown by a high value target during a raid that was the key that unlockeda new web of leaders in a specific terror cell.

MOB #16 - MPC SHIMANSKI: MARSOC, Afghanistan/Iraq/Jordan/Somalia,Belgian Malinois (alive): MPC Shimanski served 4 tours in 7 years. During oneoperation in Sangin, Afghanistan, the Team Chief was fatally wounded.Shimanski, his handler, and two other members of the unit rushed to the point ofinjury. Under extremely heavy enemy direct and indirect fire, regardless of hisown safety, MPC Shimanski exited the vehicle with his handler to beginestablishing a safe path to their wounded teammate and the surrounding area.The team cleared two hasty helicopter landing zones to evacuate their teammember. MPC Shimanski preformed to the highest standard, under gravelydangerous conditions, without error

For more information, see:
3RD ANNUAL CEREMONY - MARCH 8, 2023, CAPITOL HILL, WASHINGTON, DC(https://animalsinwarandpeace.org/2023-awp-medalists)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
2023 ANIMALS IN WAR AND PEACE MEDALS(https://www.coinbooks.org/v26/esylum_v26n11a32.html)