Update on Luci and Michelle - Animals You Should Know

Posted By Blackfive • [July 13, 2004]

Here's an update to the story of Luci and Michelle - two cute pooches adopted by Special Forces Soldiers and Marines in Iraq. Don't remember them? Here's the link to the original post.

Seamus sends a letter from Marine Major General James Amos:

I want to see if I can get a couple of current pics...of at least the pup and LtCol Leppelmeier. Gouge on Luci is a bit tougher to get. She remained at my HQs for about 6 weeks...moving from under my HUMVEE to inside the bldg where she would sleep all day on the persian rug and then she would be out and about all nite. Regardless...she hung around my HQs and was very content to get all of the attention. Bonnie [Blackfive edit: Bonnie is the General's wife] had a personal collar made from Orvis with her name on it so nobody would mistake her for a local Iraqi dog. We had a battery of 155mm guns on the base to do counter battery fire when we took incoming rockets (which was happening with all too much regularity). When the guns fired the first time Luci took off on a dead run.

We found her several days later down on the flight line (about a mile away) where she had nestled up to one of my squadrons and was being fed and cared for well by them. We loaded her back up in my HUMMER and brought her back to the HQs. We had her inside the bldg the next time the guns fired...she almost came unglued...but when we thought it was all over we let her outside where she calmed down nicely...about that time one more round went overhead and she took off. I honestly had not seen her for about 3 weeks when I left country. My security detail had been all up and down the flight line looking for her but were unable to locate her. I am confident that she is with one of the 18 sqdrns on the base...I have some folks looking for her now. She is very independent and honestly was not the least bit interested in becoming a HQs lap dog...but she was a sweetie when she wanted to be.

Too much time on the streets in Baghdad I suspect made her pretty hard-headed. She was very well cared for with us and all stopped by to pet her and love on her...at the end of the day though she wanted to do what she wanted to do. She absolutely disliked anyone who wasnt in a uniform...she could tell.

She was a pretty good protector of our HQs as you might imagine. Let me see if I can get some current info on her Seamus...regret that she ran off...not sure that we could have stopped her. More to follow...at the least I will write you something that you can send along the net that will explain to all what has happened. And hopefully I will be able to get you some updated news and pics on the puppy.

More to follow...

semper fidelis

jim

At the bottom of the page is a picture of Melissa. Here is what MajGen Amos says about the picture:

Attached is a current picture of Mellissa the pup. She is in the arms of LtCol Dave "Lep" Leppelmeier, Squadron Commander of MWSS-374. As you remember we gave Dave the pup several months ago and she hardly ever leaves Lep's side. She is seen here posing in front of an Iraqi MIG-29 at the Air base where Dave's squadron's HQs is located. She's gotten considerably bigger since I left 5 weeks ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<

[read about other heroes that you should know - here!]

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Update on Luci and Michelle - Animals You Should Know

Here's an update to the story of Luci and Michelle - two cute pooches adopted by Special Forces Soldiers and Marines in Iraq. Don't remember them? Here's the link to the original post.

Seamus sends a letter from Marine Major General James Amos:

I want to see if I can get a couple of current pics...of at least the pup and LtCol Leppelmeier. Gouge on Luci is a bit tougher to get. She remained at my HQs for about 6 weeks...moving from under my HUMVEE to inside the bldg where she would sleep all day on the persian rug and then she would be out and about all nite. Regardless...she hung around my HQs and was very content to get all of the attention. Bonnie [Blackfive edit: Bonnie is the General's wife] had a personal collar made from Orvis with her name on it so nobody would mistake her for a local Iraqi dog. We had a battery of 155mm guns on the base to do counter battery fire when we took incoming rockets (which was happening with all too much regularity). When the guns fired the first time Luci took off on a dead run.

We found her several days later down on the flight line (about a mile away) where she had nestled up to one of my squadrons and was being fed and cared for well by them. We loaded her back up in my HUMMER and brought her back to the HQs. We had her inside the bldg the next time the guns fired...she almost came unglued...but when we thought it was all over we let her outside where she calmed down nicely...about that time one more round went overhead and she took off. I honestly had not seen her for about 3 weeks when I left country. My security detail had been all up and down the flight line looking for her but were unable to locate her. I am confident that she is with one of the 18 sqdrns on the base...I have some folks looking for her now. She is very independent and honestly was not the least bit interested in becoming a HQs lap dog...but she was a sweetie when she wanted to be.

Too much time on the streets in Baghdad I suspect made her pretty hard-headed. She was very well cared for with us and all stopped by to pet her and love on her...at the end of the day though she wanted to do what she wanted to do. She absolutely disliked anyone who wasnt in a uniform...she could tell.

She was a pretty good protector of our HQs as you might imagine. Let me see if I can get some current info on her Seamus...regret that she ran off...not sure that we could have stopped her. More to follow...at the least I will write you something that you can send along the net that will explain to all what has happened. And hopefully I will be able to get you some updated news and pics on the puppy.

More to follow...

semper fidelis

jim

At the bottom of the page is a picture of Melissa. Here is what MajGen Amos says about the picture:

Attached is a current picture of Mellissa the pup. She is in the arms of LtCol Dave "Lep" Leppelmeier, Squadron Commander of MWSS-374. As you remember we gave Dave the pup several months ago and she hardly ever leaves Lep's side. She is seen here posing in front of an Iraqi MIG-29 at the Air base where Dave's squadron's HQs is located. She's gotten considerably bigger since I left 5 weeks ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<

[read about other heroes that you should know - here!]

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Remember Melissa? Photo by Staff Sgt. Houston F. White Jr. Melissa, the mascot of MWSS-374 was a gift from the 3rd MAW commanding general, Maj. Gen. James F. Amos. This picture was taken April 29, 2004 Blackfive has an update... [Read More]