Lucca-victoria-cross-505359

Lucca şi decoraţia Crucea Victoria (sursa foto www.dailymail.co.uk)

Unui câine militar care şi-a pierdut o lăbuţă după ce a depistat o bombă i s-a acordat echivalentul decoraţiei militare Crucea Victoria, după ce a servit în mai mult de 400 de misiuni în Irak şi Afganistan.

Lucca, un ciobănesc german de 12 ani, a servit în US Marine Corps timp de 6 ani, protejând vieţile militarilor prin adulmecarea de materiale pirotehnice.

Eforturile căţeluşei au fost premiate cu medalia PDSA Dickin, cea mai înaltă decoraţie care li se acordă animalelor care servesc în situaţii de conflict miliar. Lucca este al 67-lea animal decorat astfel şi primul câine din US Marine Corps care a primit această medalie.

În timpul patrulelor sale nu s-au înregistrat victime umane, dar în anul 2012, căţeluşa a suferit arsuri pe piept şi şi-a pierdut o lăbuţă după ce a descoperit o bombă artizanală în Afganistan. După acest eveniment nefericit, căţeluşa a fost retrasă din serviciul militar.

Proprietarul căţeluşei Lucca, Gunnery Sgt. Chris Willingham, a călătorit la Londra împreună cu aceasta pentru a primi medalia.

Gunnery sergeant Christopher Willingham, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA, poses with US Marine dog Lucca, after receiving the PDSA Dickin Medal, awarded for animal bravery, equivalent of the Victoria Cross, at Wellington Barracks in London, Tuesday, April 5, 2016. The 12-year-old German Shepherd lost her leg on 23 March 2012, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when Lucca discovered a 30lb improvised explosive device (IED) and as she searched for additional IEDs, a second device detonated, instantly loosing her front left leg. Lucca completed over 400 separate missions in Iraq and Afghanistan during six years of active service protected the lives of thousands of troops, with her heroic actions recognised by the UK's leading veterinary charity, PDSA, with the highest award any animal in the world can achieve while serving in military conflict. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Gunnery sergeant Christopher Willingham, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA, poses with US Marine dog Lucca, after receiving the PDSA Dickin Medal, awarded for animal bravery, equivalent of the Victoria Cross, at Wellington Barracks in London, Tuesday, April 5, 2016. The 12-year-old German Shepherd lost her leg on 23 March 2012, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when Lucca discovered a 30lb improvised explosive device (IED) and as she searched for additional IEDs, a second device detonated, instantly loosing her front left leg. Lucca completed over 400 separate missions in Iraq and Afghanistan during six years of active service protected the lives of thousands of troops, with her heroic actions recognised by the UK’s leading veterinary charity, PDSA, with the highest award any animal in the world can achieve while serving in military conflict. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) – sursa foto www.express.co.uk

 

Sursa articolului: SOFREP

– Adina Călin –