He put Lassie and the dearly departed dog from “The Artist” to shame. He served his country in military uniform, but he was just a little terrier, with a big heart. The documented true story of the 102nd Infantry Regiment’s mascot comes to animated life in Richard Lanni’s “Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero,” which opens April 13 nationwide.
The story of the ferocious little canine hero of World War I might sound like a tall tale, but most of the high points of his chronicle are confirmed by the Smithsonian’s “The Price of Freedom” exhibition, where Sgt. Stubby was one of the stars. Like many war heroes, he came from modest beginnings. In this case, he was a stray, living paw-to-mouth on the streets of New Haven, Connecticut, before he attached himself to the 102nd in general and particularly to Private Robert Conroy, who was eventually promoted to corporal.
