While most of us in Owasso were going about our everyday lives, there was a somber ceremony taking place today at Owasso PetSmart.
Several gathered to pay their last respects to Adja, a ten year veteran of the United States Marine Canine Corp who had gone as far as she could go before being put down today.
She received full honors from area VFW members, including a twenty-one gun salute and and Taps, after breathing her last breaths.
Adja, a German Shepard ,served four tours of duty in Iraq, three of those in “Support Combat Operations” as a Bomb Handler, during “Operation Iraqi Freedom”. She and her handlers, of which she had several, were responsible for locating bombs and IEDs. One can only imagine how many American Soldiers and Iraqi civilian lives were saved by these Heroic efforts.
After Adjas Military career came to an end, Staff Sargent Mark American Horse stepped up to help a fellow Marine, adopting Adja and bringing her back to Oklahoma to live out the rest of her life with the love and respect any hero should.
We thank all of the Men, Women and yes Canines, who fight to protect our right to freedom at home and around the world every day.
Thank you to Marine Corp and VFW represenatives from Owasso,Skiatook and Broken Arrow for their participation.