In conversation with… Vietnam dog handler Sebastian Cardella
US Army Private Sebastian Cardella and his MWD
As with so many of the thousands of men that served in Vietnam, the emotional wounds they sustained as dog handlers who were forced to leave their best friends behind, have yet to heal. Sebastian Cardella served as a private in the US Army after being conscripted, age 19. His military career changed him forever and the bond with his K-9s still brings tears to his eyes, 50 years on.
Accidental Handler
Sebastian ‘Sebbie’ Cardella hailed from Middletown, Connecticut, was drafted into the service and – following basic training – was sent to Military Police school. “Just before I received orders to go to Vietnam, we were given the chance to try out as dog handlers. It was an instant ‘no’ for me. I had been attacked by a German Shepherd when I was ten and had been terrified ever since.”
Little did Sebbie know that one of his Army buddies had forged his signature on an application: An application that had landed him a place on the course.
“I tried to explain the mistake to the Serg. He said I should carry on to Okinawa and explain to the leadership team when I arrived there.” In Japan, Sebbie met with Sergeant Woodward to explain the situation and petition him, in the hope that he would remove him from the K-9 program.
“It’s a moment that is inked in my memory for life”, explains Sebbie. “Sergeant Woodward placed an arm around me shoulder – like you would with your little brother – and said: ‘Son, you’re going to Nam. If you go with a dog, you’ll come home. If you don’t, I can’t tell you what’ll happen.’
“That’s how I became K-9.”
Under the compassionate stewardship of Sergeant Woodward, Sebbie trained with a push-button dog with a great temperament, to help him over his fear of dogs. Soon, he was comfortable around the kennels and after completing his K-9 handlers’ course, was sent to war.”
Hans Up
Sebbie was paired with sentry dog, Hans, and the two of them embarked on their duties – patrolling an ammo dump in the Long Bihn region of the country. “The dump was flanked with an area covered with barbed wire, trip flares and claymore mines. We walked miles around the perimeter and Hans would alert to any dangers out there. If he alerted, I had to put up a flare to illuminate the area and alert the towers and bunkers to start shooting if they saw anything.”
Sebbie recalls being told how valuable a target the dog teams were. “Our company command would constantly remind us that both dog and handler had bounties on our heads for the Viet Kong militia. It kept us hyper-vigilant and maintained our focus through those long hours on patrol.”
The bond Sebbie formed with Hans was instant and unbreakable. “The Serg was right. I came home because of my dog. He saved my life multiple times – whether he alerted to the presence of enemy, wildlife or anything out of the ordinary, I trusted him completely.
“I was young and still so new to the military life, but Hans took a lot of fear away for me. He gave me a lot of confidence. We had a close bond with the other dog teams on base but for me, no human came close to the relationship I had with Hans. He was my best friend.”
Sebby in Vietnam
Heartbreak to Last a Lifetime
Sebby and Hans served together for seven months, patrolling at Long Bihn before moving to a small detachment to protect an air strip. “After patrolling at Long Bihn, Hans and I were an experienced team.”
Tragically though, after a short time in their new post, the symptoms of hip dysplasia set in for Hans and the decision was made to have him put to sleep. “I cried”, recalls Sebby – his voice overcome with emotion. “I was still alive because of Hans. I wasn’t sure how life without him would be in Vietnam.”
Sebby was quickly paired with King – a fierce GSD from the air base kennels. “We set to work and found a groove pretty fast, but I was heartbroken after losing Hans. It hit me hard.”
For King and Country
Although Sebby’s heart had been lost to Hans, he and King shared some important moments together during the last three months of Sebby’s deployment.
“King was a big, scary dog. He would lunge at anyone while we were out on patrol and at 100lbs, he was a handful to stop. Around Christmas time, we were on patrol when this Jeep approached us and stopped about 30 meters away. A woman in fatigues got out and King was going crazy. I told her to announce herself over the commotion King was making.
“She shouted ‘I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas’, then made a hasty retreat back into the Jeep. It turned out to be none other than America’s sweetheart, Martha Raye, who was out visiting troops for Christmas. And King had been a beat from attacking her.”
Aside from paying no heed to celebrities, King was a tenacious detection dog. “He was sharp on the alert and caused many choppers to raise hell in the swamps around our air base. He was one hell of a dog.”
Hasty Exit
In January of 1972, Sebby and King were on a mission in a rubber plantation outside their perimeter, supporting a small unit who were coming under attack from sniper fire. “We were in a bunker, taking enemy fire when the Sergeant patches through on the radio, asking to speak to me: ‘Cardella, you wanna go home?’
“President Nixon was requested any troops with less than 100 days left of their deployment to be sent back to the US. Within hours, I was on a bird out of that hell hole but I had to leave King behind.”
Sebby recalls that when making his hasty exit from Vietnam, he endured his final dance with danger: “The plane took off and we heard a terrific bang. The plane shook, then steadied and after a few minutes, the pilot came on to explain that the airfield we had just left had been struck by an enemy bombardment. We missed it by a minute.”
Home to a New World
Less than 18 hours after receiving that radio call from his Sergeant in the rubber plantation, Sebby was back on home soil in San Francisco, but the world wasn’t quite as he remembered it. “They processed out of Benoir, CA, and we were still in our fatigues. I hadn’t had time to shower or change after leaving that bunker.
“One of the guys told us not to leave ‘looking like we were in the Army’ as guys were being spit on by anti-war protestors, so I threw my cammies in a dumpster outside the base and headed out to San Francisco Airport. Not before heading straight to McDonalds… We spent $35 on burgers and fries. That got you a lot of food back then!”
Coming home after his experiences with Hans and King had left an indelible mark on Sebby. “I came home and married my love, Cathy, who wrote me all the time while I was in Nam. With 50 years of marriage under our belts, I still thank God and my two dogs for bringing me home safely. I wouldn’t be here without them.
“In all the time that has passed since I left Vietnam, the tears still fall easily when I think about Hans and King. Hans was my dog of a lifetime – he taught me love and loyalty that only those in K-9 will truly understand. I keep my thoughts to myself most of the time, but it has been good to share my experiences as a dog handler – I am so proud to have served alongside such intelligent beings. They were our partners, companions and constants. They were never merely gear that could be tossed aside.”
Sebby’s experiences are shared by thousands of Vietnam veterans and we have been honored to share his story – both in recognition of his service – and that of MWDs Hans and King.
Never above you. Never below you. Always beside you.
K-9 leads the way.
