Brutus The Dog Hero-Fiction!

Brutus, the Heroic Air Force K9-Fiction!

Summary of the eRumor:
A dog assigned with a K9 group at McChord Air Force Base in Washington allegedly won the Congressional Medal of Honor last year because of his performance in Iraq. The story claims that his handler and four other soldiers were taken hostage by insurgents. His handler gave him a signal that meant to go away and come back and find him. The dog did come back, attacked an insurgent guard, got access to the room where the soldiers were being held, untied his handler, and all the soldiers escaped.

The Truth:
We don't know where the picture is from but the story accompanying it is Fiction!

A long-time member of the K9 group at McCord Air Force base said no dogs named Brutus have been sent to Iraq and there aren't any stories that he knows of that resemble the one related in the eRumor.

Additionally, there is no dog named Brutus who has ever won the Medal of Honor presented by Congress or any other animals for that matter.

Just for the record, the K9 unit member we spoke with said there is no command taught to the dogs that tells them to go away and come back later.

Updated 1/25/08

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

The K9 above is Brutus, a military K9 at McChord. He's huge - part Boxer and part British Bull Mastiff and tops the scales at 200 lbs. His handler took the picture. Brutus is running toward me because he knows I have some Milk Bone treats, so he's slobbering away! I had to duck around a tree just before he got to me in case he couldn't stop, but he did.

Brutus won the Congressional Medal of Honor last year from his tour in Iraq. His handler and four other soldiers were taken hostage by insurgents. Brutus and his handler communicate by sign language and he gave Brutus the signal that meant 'go away but come back and find me'.

The Iraqis paid no attention to Brutus. He came back later and quietly tore the throat out of one guard at one door and another guard at another door. He then jumpe d against one of the doors repeatedly (the guys were being held in an old warehouse) until it opened. He went in and untied his handler and they all escaped. He's the first K9 to receive this honor. If he knows you're ok, he's a big old lug and wants to sit in your lap. Enjoys the company of cats.