Walter B. Jones: “I rise today in sadness to note the recent passing of Buck, a beloved Siberian Husky who has brought awareness to the…”

“I rise today in sadness to note the recent passing of Buck, a beloved Siberian Husky who has brought awareness to the courage and loyalty of our Nation's heroic K-9 soldiers, the military working dogs. At the age of 15, Buck passed away at home in Lexington, South Carolina, on March 23, 2006. Buck was the companion to Vietnam Scout Dog Handler Johnny Mayo, who served with the 39th Scout Dog Platoon, 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam as a scout dog handler. While traveling in my district last July, I had the opportunity to meet Johnny Mayo and his dog Buck. After having the pleasure of spending a few minutes petting Buck, I can honestly say that Buck was a sweet dog who will be missed dearly by those who knew him. In Johnny Mayo's 2002 book titled, ``Buck's Heroes: A Dog's Tale of Vietnam War Dogs,'' Buck accompanies his master to a reunion of former handlers and their families at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. While gazing at the black granite memorial at his master's side, Buck begins hearing and seeing the ghosts of the dogs who participated in the Vietnam War. Among the scout dogs who speak to Buck are his master's war dogs Tiger and Kelly. The dogs tell Buck what life was like for them and the soldiers they served and protected. By serving as the narrator and storyteller in Johnny Mayo's book, Buck educated thousands of readers about the invaluable service of military working dogs.…”