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This Day in History: Pfc. Hammer, the Cat

tara

On or around this day in 2004, a United States soldier works to take his war animal home. Pfc. Hammer wasn’t your typical war animal. Instead, Hammer was a tabby Egyptian Mau cat who had been supporting our soldiers in Iraq ever since he’d been rescued as a kitten.

 

He got his name from the team that adopted him, Team Hammer.

 

Staff Sgt. Rick Bousfield was among those who befriended the little tabby, and he was determined to take Hammer home when he learned that his unit was leaving Iraq and returning to Fort Carson.

 

“He was like our stress therapist over there,” Bousfield described. “You’d come in off raids where we’d been kicking in doors and guys would be sitting outside by themselves. He’d come over and take their minds off the war.”

 

Hammer earned his rank by keeping the mess hall clear of mice, but he was with the men at other times, too.

Bousfield’s reunion with Hammer at Denver International Airport in 2004. Photo credit: Department of Defense website.
Bousfield’s reunion with Hammer at Denver International Airport in 2004. Photo credit: Department of Defense website.

“He has been through mortar attacks,” Bousfield remembered. “He’d jump and get scared liked the rest of us. He is kind of like one of our own.” During some of these artillery attacks, apparently, soldiers would hide Hammer in their body armor.

 

Hammer was “one of our troops,” Bousfield concluded. The little cat couldn’t be left behind.

 

Bousfield emailed a cat advocacy organization, Alley Cat Allies, asking for help. “If there was a way that ACA could help get Hammer back to the States,” Bousfield concluded, “it would be a wonderful boost for the men to see the cat who has won their hearts free . . . .”

 

The request came as a surprise to those at ACA because their work isn’t typically conducted in war zones. Nevertheless, they were touched by the “moving” email and decided to help. “This was a soldier in Iraq writing us,” ACA national director Becky Robinson said. “How could we say no to a soldier in Iraq fighting for freedom?”

 

Together with another group called Military Mascots, they raised $2500 to cover expenses, and they brought Hammer home. He traveled in cargo class to San Francisco, but his flight to Denver with an ACA volunteer was in First Class. Bousfield was to meet them at the airport.

 

The ACA volunteer would later remember how reserved Hammer was during that last flight.

 

“[M]aybe it was the trauma of his travels,” she wrote on ACA’s Facebook page, “but he didn’t purr even once from the moment I picked him up through the entire flight. I will never forget though the moment I called out to Rick—and when Rick answered Hammer started purring immediately—it was an amazing reunion to witness!!”

 

Hammer lived with the Bousfield family for just over a decade before passing away. He’d lived a good life and was much-loved, but that outcome had not been inevitable. But for the help of ACA and Military Mascots, Hammer’s story would have ended differently.

 

“If left behind,” ACA concluded in an annual report, “Private Hammer would have become a casualty of war. . . . ‘ACA had never done anything like this, but the moment we finished reading Rick’s e-mail, it was a given that we were going to figure out how to do this.’”

 

 Enjoyed this post? More stories about war

animals can be found on my website, HERE.

             

Primary Sources:

4 comments

4 Comments


Stephen
Jan 22

Nice story ! Thanks Tara Ross !

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pamrobison
Jan 22

Great Story! This is the first time I've read about a cat helping our service personnel. Thanks for sharing it!

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Pauline
Jan 22

We have read many stories about dogs, and some about horses, but to read one about cats is wonderful. Thank you.

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Mike.ancil@comcast.net
Jan 22
Replying to

Thank you Tara for this heartwarming story. "Nobody left behind!"

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