During the Vietnam War, war dog teams made up of scout, combat tracker, sentry, and mine and tunnel dogs provided invaluable service, saving thousands of lives by locating injured GIs, finding Vietcong weapon caches, detecting deadly booby traps, and alerting troops to enemy attacks and ambushes. Their handlers lovingly cared for them and carried food and water into battle for these faithful protectors. Despite pleas from handlers, these valorous animals were classified as expendable equipment at the end of the war and were abandoned to unknown fates in South Vietnam. Their courage and loyalty lived on chiefly in the memories of the soldiers whose lives they protected, and their effectiveness was so great that the Vietcong High Command placed a bounty on them. Hundreds of war dogs died in combat, and the brave war dogs that served in the Vietnam War and in every military conflict are honored for their service and sacrifice.