Midway Island - 1966

Image submitted by Dusty Durst.

Eastern Isl dogs - Lonnie and Scuzzer

Story about Lonnie from Frank Cawley

What memories. I opened Dusty's picture of the dogs we had on Eastern Island and who should be there but Lonnie. I remember when I was on Midway (Sep 61-Oct 62) Lonnie would sleep at the foot of my bunk, mainly because when I woke up each day, I gave her a treat my mother had sent for her in my monthly care package. She looks a little older and shaggier than I remember in 62 but it's still her. All the guys enjoyed having her on the island -- and she was a good ratter. There is actually a story connected to her. We received Lonnie from the departing CO of Midway Is. in 1961 because he knew the guys on Eastern Island would take good care of her and give her a good home. In 1962, our OIC decided to play "nice guy" and gave her away to a family on Sand Island. Apparently the women of the family was suffering from depression and a doctor said it would be good for her if she had a pet around the house. She said that she had seen Lonnie on one of her fish-ball trips to Eastern so our OIC just up and gave her away without any discussions with the troops. Needless to say, we just about revolted. We even made a couple of night-time runs over to Sand Island on the Mike-boat to try and dognap her back to Eastern. In the end, we insisted on a written statement from the family on Sand that Lonnie would be returned to Eastern upon their departure from Midway. Obviously, they lived up to their part of the agreement. Not certain of the dog in the pic with Lonnie. When I was there, it was Lonnie, Boats (an old brown shorthair) and Herman (a dashound). We spent many evenings out in the bushes with the dog ratting and poor Herman would almost always get beaned by a shovel or club. See, he was short so he could chase the rats under the low branches of the bush. We'd surround the bush then wait for Herman to flush out the rat, only problem was, once in a while, we'd wind up to slam the rat but by the time the shovel reach where the rat was, Herman was there and bingo, he'd get nailed. Once he'd get hit, he'd just head on back to the barracks for the evening, he'd have enough. But--he was always ready to go the next time, of course until he'd get hammered again. Anyway, the dogs were a real source of entertainment and companionship. We often place Boats in front of a DF scope, put a pair of earphones on him then place a chief's hat on his head. I think a stranger seeing that might just think he could copy MM.

Story about Lonnie from Dave Bricker

I was just checking out the Midway Is. page. I remember Lonnie and the other dog (took them "rat hunting" tons of times). What the heck was the other dogs name - it's driving me crazy. I was on Midway from 65-66. Used to cut hair with Reb Rebholtz. I remember when Bajuk wanted to get rid of the dogs. It was the nearest that I had ever been to a mutiny. Remember that we dressed Lonnie up for the 4th of July parade too. She was beautiful (except for the runs that brownies gave her).

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