BETHLEHEM, Ga. — A beloved K9 has been laid to rest Tuesday in a full honor guard memorial service Tuesday in Bethlehem, Georgia.
K9 Officer Blue and her handler Officer Byung "BK" Kang served more than 300 combat missions while serving together in the United States Marine Corps on a deployment to Afghanistan from 2011-2012. Blue was trained to detect explosive devices and is credited with saving lives daily.
According to USA Today, Kang adopted Blue after she saved his life countless times while on deployment. During their deployment, Kang would read Blue's body language to know when there was a possible improvised explosive device (IED) to investigate. Blue would then run ahead of their group to determine if there was danger ahead. After detecting an explosive, Kang called Blue back and her reward was playing with a toy, USA Today reports.
The K9 Officer received a 21-gun salute and full military honors during her memorial service at Oak Rest Pet Memorial Gardens.
According to a release from the pet funeral home, Blue received an award for her military services from the United States War Dogs Association. She was also a semifinalist for the 2020 American Humane Hero Dog Awards.
