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Damien Lewis

Mike C. Dowling

Sergeant Rex: The Unbreakable Bond Between a Marine and His Military Working Dog Hardcover – December 13, 2011

by Mike Dowling (Author), Damien Lewis (Contributor)

587 ratings

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The Hurt Locker meets Marley & Me in this thrilling and inspiring true story of a U.S. Marine and his German Shepherd Rex, a bomb-sniffing dog on the war-torn streets of Iraq’s most dangerous city.

“In Iraq we put our lives in each other’s hands (and paws) day after day. We took care of each other no matter what. Rex and I have a bond that will last for the rest of our born days. If ever there was a marine who lived up to Semper Fidelis, the motto of the Marine Corps, it’s Rex.”

Deployed to Iraq’s infamous Triangle of Death in 2004, Sergeant Mike Dowling and his military working dog Rex were part of the first Marine Corps military K9 teams sent to the front lines of combat since Vietnam. It was Rex’s job to sniff out weapons caches, suicide bombers, and IEDs, the devastating explosives that wreaked havoc on troops and civilians alike. It was Mike’s job to lead Rex into the heart of danger time and time again, always trusting Rex to bring them both back alive.

Dowling had turned twenty-five and Rex three just after they arrived in Iraq. Neither of them had any idea what to expect, and no training could fully prepare them for this job. An animal lover since childhood, Dowling had fostered and trained dogs for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and he was determined to serve in the military’s K9 unit after joining the Marines. On their first patrols in Iraq, Rex suffered a seemingly incurable fear of explosions and gunfire, but with Mike at the other end of his leash, Rex gained the courage to perform his duty.

Filled with harrowing tales of knife-edge bomb-detection work, including an extraordinary baptism by fire, Sergeant Rex is a heart-pounding account of how an unbreakable human-canine bond helped Mike and Rex to stay focused on their mission and save countless lives. Dowling takes us into the searing 130-degree heat, the choking dust, and the ever-present threat of violent attack that seemed to permeate Iraq’s streets. We experience Dowling’s visceral fear of walking down an IED-laden alley where dismemberment or death can come with any footstep, only his trusted partner, Rex, by his side.

Loyalty is one of the hallmarks of any good Marine, and nowhere is that quality more evident than in this astonishing account of Mike Dowling and Rex’s wartime experiences. A moving story of how a man and a dog developed complete trust in each other in the face of terrible adversity, Sergeant Rex is an unforgettable tale of sacrifice, courage, and love.

Print length

304 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Atria Books
Publication date

December 13, 2011
Dimensions

6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

1451635966
ISBN-13

978-1451635966
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The best kind of nonfiction -- an impossible-to-put-down true life story."
--San Francisco Chronicle

“Briskly written. . . a moving portrait of a relationship between battle buddies that transcends gender and species.”
-- Washington Post

“This is a truly heartwarming and moving story.” —Hollywood Reporter

“Packed with colorful characters and dramatic incidents, Sergeant Rex is a moving story of true grit cast seamlessly amidst tough realism, rich, insightful detail and mutual respect.” —Seattle Kennel Club

“A first-rate buddy story from the front lines of the Iraq war.”
--Shelf Awareness

About the Author

Mike Dowling enlisted with the U.S. Marine Corps in 2001. He was awarded the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his Iraq operations with his dog, Rex. He is currently serving with a Marine Corps rehabilitation unit in Los Angeles.
Damien Lewis has reported from war and conflict zones and aid and conservation projects for twenty years for the BBC, CNN, and many other news organizations. He is the author of a number of books on elite military operations and coauthor of several acclaimed memoirs.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria Books; 1st Edition (December 13, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1451635966
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1451635966
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.13 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #497,021 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #309 in Afghan War Biographies
- #349 in Iraq War Biographies
- #889 in Dog Breeds (Books)

Customer Reviews:
587 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		85%
4 star		10%
3 star		3%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Eric

A man and his dog against the evils of this world

Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2016

Verified Purchase

I finished "Sergeant Rex" by Mike Dowling tonight and found it to be one of the most intriguing and heartwarming books I have ever read so far. One that was emotionally gripping and made me grateful to our armed forces who have protected and served our country.

The story of the author and his military working dog, Rex as they deploy to the Iraq War back in 2004 to operate as the first K9 team to go to war since the Vietnam War. Together, as their bond strengthens, they go on missions to sniff out and obliterate weapons of mass destruction the Iraqi insurgents have stashed away, all the while protecting not only American lives in Iraq, but also Iraqi civilian lives. There are plenty of suspenseful moments throughout the book, but also of sheet joy and victory that will have you glued to the pages. I finished this book in record time. In under a month. Usually it takes me a while to finish a book, depending on how long it is or how dedicated I am to the material within. But this book had me spellbound from start to end. You know a book is good when you bother to read the acknowledgements at the end. The mood of the book is a somber and heroic read. There is no over-mushiness and the author throws in enough of his own backstory to fill you in on how he and Rex met, but doesn't go overboard with his narrative. He makes this all about him and his MWD (military working dog) and the casualties and atrocities of war, as well as the good that he and his dog were doing in Iraq, and that regardless of what's going on around them, there is a silver lining there somewhere.

Please add this book to your literary collection, especially if you're an animal lover or have served our armed forces. You will love the story of the bond that can only be had between a man and his dog.

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

JJ Schwartz

Man and dog and then some

Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2012

Verified Purchase

I've read my share of dog as man's best friend books. Especially the books that show the powerful bonding between handlers and their military working dogs (MWD). I've watched videos of interviews with dog handlers that had to leave their dogs behind when they returned home, especially after Vietnam. Their stories of sacrifice by both dog and handler, shared affection and feelings of betrayal by the handler when he had to leave his dog behind are heart rending. This book is one of the best. In part because it has a happy ending for Rex in spite of the horrific experiences that they had sniffing out IEDs and waiting for a sniper to take either or both of them 'out.' What was surprising to me though was though I thought that I knew a fair amount about dogs I still learned more. Great book.

73 people found this helpful

Helpful

Kindle Customer

Remarkable Read

Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2017

Verified Purchase

To know a fraction of what our military men and women who serve for us and our country go through is humbling. Being allowed to follow one man and his dog's journey was amazing. This book is a must read. I loved it. It brought out every emotion I have in me. I have the utmost respect for our military and veterans always. This book instills even more if that was even possible.

5 people found this helpful

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Pam

Wonderful story!

Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2018

Verified Purchase

I had recently watched a movie about the same military working dog subject and really enjoyed it, so when I stumbled onto this book I immediately bought it and moved it to the top of my list to read next. I was surprised and thrilled to find out it was the same dog in both the movie and the book. Two different handlers, but the same dog. Really interesting to see how the dog adjusts to different handler and how much both handlers loved that dog to the point of putting their own life on the line for the dog.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

G. Martin

Full of excitement, adventure and the unknown!

Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2013

Verified Purchase

Wow, what a wonderful story! Mike Dowling's story of his special bond with his Military Working Dog Rex is full of excitement, wonderment as well as love.
The poem at the front pages of the book sets the scene for what you are about to read. There is marked anticipation for what to expect when you turn to the next page; IED, RPG, a pack of angry village dogs or the breaking of the trail for Military Working Dogs USMC protocol.
I was at Lackland AFB in the 60's and worked at the Sentry Dog Kennel while awaiting Air Police Tech. School. Several times I witnessed a handler who was being discharged after his enlistment, spend days and nights with his dog before their heart breaking departure. More often I saw the Handler re-enlist rather than leave his best friend.
Mike, you and Rex are special Marines! Thank you for your service securing the freedom that I can continue to enjoy with my family and my best friend, my Lab "Colby" I wish the best for Megan and Rex in their retirement.
Semper Fidelis

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Digby

A Jane Austen fan loved this book

Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2013

Verified Purchase

So I'm a middle-aged woman whose typical reading is Jane Austen, T. R. Pearson and John McPhee - never been in the military, and don't read many military-related books (the only other one I can recall reading is "Black Hawk Down," which I also loved). As I type this, my German shepherd (definitely a non-working dog) is lying at my feet. I absolutely bought the book because of the great cover photo of Sergeant Rex, after ascertaining that Rex was still alive at the end of the book.

I thought the book was very well-written - but I didn't have huge expectations going in, since I knew nothing about the authors. I didn't mind the switches from personal to military, from past to present - but maybe that's because I've read a fair amount of fiction that does that kind of jumping around. I agree with another reviewer that it would have been great to learn more about Rex's life in the military post-Mike, especially the incident in which Rex and his handler were injured, but I suppose that wasn't Mr. Dowling's story to tell.

If you love German shepherds, if you marvel at the things they can do, if you want a glimpse into a career you can't even imagine, then you'll probably enjoy this book. If you're looking for perfect prose, hope for John McPhee to write a book about military working dogs - that would be something! Now, I've got to go rub a puppy tummy.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Dr Tim

I Couldn't Put the Book Down Once I'd Started it.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2015

Verified Purchase

I read this book shortly after reading the book by Will Barrow, "Buster: the dog who saved a thousand lives" and it was all the more interesting for that. "Buster" was a British search springer spaniel serving in Afghanistan, "Sgt Rex" was a German Shepherd serving in Iraq. Both accounts gave an insight into the horrors of war and the great courage required by both dogs and their handlers when searching for IED's and explosives. It was interesting to discover how the very presence of serving dogs gave a boost to the morale of the troops they were serving alongside. The training methods employed by the Brits and the Yanks were very similar, although the Yank dogs were dual role, being Search and Patrol dogs, with the Brits preferring to concentrate on the Search role. Consequently the breeds of dogs employed were different. By reading both books you could see the subtle differences in the attitudes of the American military compared to their British counterparts. Of the two, I found "Sergeant Rex" the more exciting read, probably due to the greater number of "Finds" described and the number of Fire fights the author was involved in. Having started the book, I found it very difficult to put it down and consequently read it in record time. As descriptions of the amazing bond between man and his dog, both books were brilliant and I would have no hesitation recommending either book.

9 people found this helpful

G C

Heart warming

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 8, 2019

Verified Purchase

There is everything to like about this book if you are an animal lover. The dedication of service men and women who, with their loyal and brave dogs constantly put themselves in harms way, and are only consoled day to day by each others company, all for the benefit of securing peace, is something we should all be grateful for.

2 people found this helpful

Sue

A must for incredible relevant reading

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 24, 2018

Verified Purchase

Heart-rending story of one man and his dog putting their lives on the line on the frontline. Tells day by day story of their efforts to locate IED's and bomb making equipment etc. Tells of terror and courage of being under heavy fire.

2 people found this helpful

Damaris

Tale of loyalty and devotion to duty

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 27, 2019

Verified Purchase

Having already seen the film 'Rex' which moved me greatly, I was keen to read the earlier adventures of this remarkable dog when with another handler. It is an incredible tale of loyalty and devotion to duty.

One person found this helpful

Amazon Customer

Great book for my teenager

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 2, 2019

Verified Purchase

I struggle to get my 13 year old son to read, but since he’s had this book he actually reads without me even asking him. Defo recommend.

2 people found this helpful

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