He Couldn’t Believe It
Antony held the letter in his trembling hands, unable to believe what he was reading. He looked down at the sad Labrador. The words “final” and “never see him again” pressed onto his heart.
To think, just minutes ago, he was ready to take him back to the shelter. But, this was no ordinary dog.
A Fresh Start
Antony has just moved to a new town, and being far from home can be lonely. It was the perfect time to adopt a pet.
As fate would have it, a local shelter had a Labrador looking for a new home. But despite Antony’s excitement, he had no idea his world was about to get turned upside down.
A Cute Dog
As soon as Antony laid his eyes on ‘Reggie,’ he was instantly smitten. Antony wondered why this cute pup hadn’t been snapped up earlier. He was super adorable and he seemed well behaved.
It turned out that “Reggie” hadn’t clicked with the previous applicants. Would Antony pass the test?
Two-Week Trial
He was given an old box and a two-week trial period to see if ‘Reggie’ would adapt to his potential new surroundings.
So, as Antony drove ‘Reggie’ home, he reveled in excitement at the thought of having a new dog. But unfortunately for Antony, it didn’t start well.
What Was His Problem?
The dog barely responded to training, acted out, and was either miserable or sad. Antony had spent hours trying to bring the dog out of his shell, but ‘Reggie’ was stubborn.
Antony had no idea why Reggie wouldn’t take to him. Throughout Antony’s childhood, he had a dog so he knew what to do and how to treat them. But Antony had no idea just how different this dog really was.
Wondering What To Do
No matter how hard he tried, Antony didn’t seem to click with the dog. He was just about to give up on the idea of keeping ‘Reggie.’
He had just decided to take him back to the shelter when he stumbled across something. And it was something that would change his life forever.
Looking Inside The Box
Antony remembered the old box the shelter had given him. Maybe there was something inside that would help?
He quickly grabbed the box and shuffled through the tattered items – an old sleeping pad, some dirty toys, and a sealed letter from the previous owner. What was inside this letter? Antony wondered. He had no idea what was coming.
Reading The Letter
Antony picked up the crisp letter and held it close to his chest. ‘Reggie’ turned and looked at Antony, his big brown eyes pulling at his heartstrings.
Antony hoped there was some useful advice inside the letter. But he could never have expected to find what he did.
Not What He Expected
“If you’re reading this, it means I just got back from my last car ride with my Lab after dropping him off at the shelter,” the letter read.
“He knew something was different. So let me tell you about my Lab in the hopes that it will help you bond with him and he with you.”
Relief
Relief washed over Antony as he continued to read the letter. This was exactly what he needed. Maybe their relationship could be salvaged?
He found out that ‘Reggie’ loved to play with tennis balls and often tried to hoard them in his mouth. But as Antony continued reading more of the letter, he came across a warning.
Playing With The Ball
“Doesn’t matter where you throw the balls, he’ll bounce after it, so be careful — really don’t do it by any roads. I made that mistake once, and it almost cost him dearly.”
Antony picked up one of the worn, green balls. Reggie jumped up, tail wagging. It was the first sign of real energy. But Antony had no idea things were about to get even more strange.
Teaching Him Tricks
The sleeping pad worked too, and he snuggled in. There was also useful information about past training techniques. “He knows ‘ball’ and ‘food’ and ‘bone’ and ‘treat’ like nobody’s business.”
“I trained Reggie with small food treats,” the letter continued, “Nothing opens his ears like little pieces of hot dog.” But the next piece of advice that Antony read hit hard.
A Heartbreaking Revelation
“Finally, give him some time. I’ve never been married, so it’s only been Reggie and me for his whole life,” the letter continued.
“He’s gone everywhere with me, so please include him on your daily car rides if you can. It will be hard. And that’s why I need to share one more bit of info with you.” Antony was not expecting what the owner would say next.
Not His Name
“I don’t know what made me do it, but when I dropped him off at the shelter, I told them his name was Reggie,” the letter continued.
“He’s a smart dog, he’ll get used to it and will respond to it, of that I have no doubt. but I just couldn’t bear to give them his real name.” The letter then revealed why.
Too Final
“For me to do that, it seemed so final that handing him over to the shelter was as good as me admitting that I’d never see him again,” the previous owner confessed.
“And if I end up coming back, getting him, and tearing up this letter, it means everything’s fine. But if someone else is reading it, well…”
His Real Name
“His name’s not Reggie. His real name is Tank. Because that is what I drive,” the letter revealed. Anthony’s eyes widened. It turns out that the previous owner was a soldier deployed to Iraq.
Antony was lost for words at the truth. But the situation with the soldier and his dog was about to get even more heartbreaking.
One Request
“I told the shelter that they couldn’t make “Reggie” available for adoption until they received word from my company commander. See, my parents are gone, I have no siblings, no one I could’ve left Tank with,” the letter continued.
“… it was my only real request of the Army upon my deployment to Iraq, that they make one phone call to the shelter … in the “event”… to tell them that Tank could be put up for adoption.”
Making Good On His Word
“Luckily, my colonel is a dog guy, too, and he knew where my platoon was headed. He said he’d do it personally. And if you’re reading this, then he made good on his word,” Antony read.
“Well, this letter is getting too downright depressing, even though, frankly, I’m just writing it for my dog.”
His Only Family
“I couldn’t imagine if I was writing it for a wife and kids and family. but still, Tank has been my family for the last six years, almost as long as the Army has been my family.”
“And now I hope and pray that you make him part of your family and that he will adjust and come to love you the same way he loved me.”
To Serve And Protect
“That unconditional love from a dog is what I took with me to Iraq as an inspiration to do something selfless, to protect innocent people from those who would do terrible things … and to keep those terrible people from coming over here,” the soldier wrote.
“If I had to give up Tank in order to do it, I am glad to have done so. He was my example of service and of love. I hope I honored him by my service to my country and comrades.”
The Weight Of His Words
“All right, that’s enough. I deploy this evening and have to drop this letter off at the shelter. I don’t think I’ll say another goodbye to Tank, though,” the letter continued.
“I cried too much the first time. Maybe I’ll peek in on him and see if he finally got that third tennis ball in his mouth.”
More Questions Answered
Having no family or friends to leave Tank with, the heartbroken soldier was forced to leave his beloved dog in a shelter. Antony stopped reading to let the weight of his words sink in.
The letter was signed off by a man named Paul Mallory, and as soon as Antony read the name he knew it sounded familiar. Suddenly, a terrible feeling hit the pit of his stomach.
A Familiar Name
It had been during the first couple of months in Antony’s new home that he had heard that familiar name.
There had been a story about a young man who would have received a Silver Star for heroically saving three fellow soldiers during his deployment in Iraq – and sadly, he was a soldier who didn’t make it back home.
Transformation
Antony looked at the Labrador and whispered, “Tank?” The dog’s tail wagged, ears perked and he came in for a snuggle. The transformation was astounding. Antony couldn’t believe it!
He was happy he found the letter from Tank’s previous owner, but what he read next would make his eyes well up and rip his heart in two.
Go Fetch
Antony picked up all the tennis balls from the box and tossed them down the hallway. Tank jumped around, clearly bursting with excitement when he saw the balls - he was acting like a puppy!
As the dog quickly dashed after the balls, Antony read the final part of the letter. These last words shattered his heart into a million tiny pieces.
A Goodnight Kiss
“All the best of luck with Tank. Give him a good home, and give him an extra kiss goodnight- every night - from me. Thank you.”
Out of all the dogs at the shelter, Antony had ended up with this one. The best friend of a fallen hero. Tank returned … with three tennis balls in his mouth.
Reflection
Antony folded the letter back up and slipped it back into its envelope. He sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking about all the flags that had been flown at half-mast all summer.
He leaned forward in his chair, wiped the tears from his eyes, and looked at Tank. “Hey Tank,” he said quietly.
1.9 Million Americans
Since the beginning of the war in Afghanistan, more than 1.9 million Americans have been deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
These brave men and women had to give up their lives and families to serve and protect their country. As of 2019, more than 7,000 of those 1.9 million never made it home. That much is true.
The Truth?
There have been several articles that debate whether or not this story is true. Aside from inconsistencies about not opening the letter sooner, database searches have not shown anyone that fits Mallory’s description.
There also appears to be no record of a Silver Star going to that name. There is, however, one thing that everyone agrees on.
A Happy Ending
Tank’s story doesn’t have to be true to be important or impactful. There are countless soldiers who have had to give up their pets. Dogs on Deployment and Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet are places that help with fostering or finding forever homes. Reach out. Maybe you’ll find a special friend and fulfill someone’s wish.
In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.