There is only one dog in American history who officially earned the rank of a U.S. Coast Guard non-commissioned officer and who won fame both for fighting Nazis and for causing international incidents. Chief Dog Sinbad’s career is as exciting as that of any human hero of our U.S. military.
Sinbad was a beer-drinking, feisty sailor who earned himself both a hero’s welcome in the USA and a court martial in Greenland. “Sinbad [will] never rate gold hash marks nor good conduct medals…he’s raised hell in a number of ports,” the old Coast Guard magazine described the mongrel. But in light of the dog’s courage and morale boosting, especially under fire during WWII, the magazine added, “Perhaps that’s why Coast Guardsmen love Sinbad; he’s as bad as the worst and as good as the best of us.”
In 1937, crew from the USCGC Campbell were on the streets of New York when they came upon a perky mutt of obviously mixed parentage, according to Military.com. Coast Guardsmen later described the dog as “liberty-rum-chow hound with a bit of bulldog, Doberman pinscher and whatnot — mostly whatnot.” But Chief Boatswain Mate A.A. “Blackie” Roth liked the mutt so much that he planned to give him to his girlfriend as his shore leave came to an end. Then the girlfriend’s landlord threw a wrench in the plans by refusing to let her keep a pet. Unwilling to abandon the dog, Blackie Roth smuggled him on board the Campbell instead.
Roth’s shipmates were as delighted with the spunky, mischievous dog as he was and decided the mutt needed a “salty” name. They agreed on “Sinbad,” the name of the adventurous sailor in the famed Arabian Nights.
During this holiday week in 1951, the only dog to earn a United States Coast Guard NCO rank passes away. Sinbad has been described as a “rough tough and rowdy” dog who was a combination of “liberty-rum-chow hound with a bit of bulldog, Doberman pinscher and whatnot–mostly… pic.twitter.com/aqkMF4iExL
— Tara Ross (@TaraRoss) December 27, 2024
A lively dog could hardly stay hidden on the ship, but fortunately the Campbell’s captain took a liking to Sinbad and decided he should enlist officially in the U.S. Coast Guard. Sinbad was given enlistment papers, which he signed with his paw print, according to historian Tara Ross. The captain assigned Sinbad his own bunk, or hammock, along with a specific battle station. The dog even learned to stand at attention. And no member of the crew was so popular as Sinbad.
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As noted above, Sinbad was not always on his best military behavior. When the Campbell was sent to Greenland to conduct surveys, First Class Dog Sinbad became rapidly bored at lazing around while his shipmates carried out their mission. So Sinbad decided to entertain himself by chasing local sheep every single day. Sinbad’s enthusiastic chases proved so wearing on the sheep that many were losing weight and some actually dropped dead of exhaustion, according to Ross.
Enraged locals called on the Americans to put Sinbad down. The captain of the Campbell said no; First Class Dog Sinbad was a Coast Guardsman, and when a Guardsman causes an international incident, he has to face a court martial. Sinbad was found guilty, banned from Greenland for the future, and demoted in rank to Seaman Pup.
It could hardly be said that this punishment dampened Sinbad’s spirits. The canine Guardsman made his way up the ranks again as his popularity grew. During World War II, he became an international sensation. The mischievous mongrel was a brave Guardsman under fire, as he proved in a 1943 naval engagement. Ross quotes Sinbad’s biographer: “[W]hen the U-boat was sighted, Sinbad was right on deck, barking furiously at the sub and the Nazis pouring out of the conning tower, his teeth bared, his whole body tense and quivering with anger. ‘Sinbad led the attack’ say the crew, and certainly the little mongrel, braving shellfire and heavy seas was a stirring sight for all who took part.”
The damaged Campbell was towed to port for repairs, but when “essential” crew were selected to stay on the ship, Sinbad was among them. The Captain and crew were sure that luck would be with the ship so long as Sinbad was on board guarding it.
Sinbad was a hero, but he had his flaws, too. He was known for his predilection for beer and whiskey, Military.com notes. Once, the mutt went AWOL while in New York. But through all his scandals and international incidents, Sinbad was always loyal, spirited, cheerful, and brave. If a crewman on the Campbell was depressed, Sinbad would perform tricks until he got the man laughing. Through peace and war, under fire and in port, Sinbad was always ready for whatever happened.
Chief Dog Sinbad retired from the Coast Guard in 1948 and lived out his few retirement years in New Jersey at the Barnegat Coast Guard Station. He passed away on Dec. 30, 1951. The canine Guardsman was given a full military funeral, according to Military.com.
The U.S.C.G.C. Campbell on which Sinbad served was later decommissioned, but in 1986 the Coast Guard launched a new Campbell, Ross notes. On board they placed a statue of Chief Dog Sinbad. When the cutter is underway, it hoists a flag that reads “Sinbad lives.” And indeed, in the hearts of Sinbad’s fellow Guardsmen and all U.S. patriots who hear his story, Sinbad will live forever.
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