When Tim and Sandy Day attended the private unveiling of the Overlook in December 2014 they were told that many people were asking if the bronze German Shepherd who greeted visitors had a name.  The statue honors all military dogs that have provided loyal service and selfless devotion, often making the ultimate sacrifice.  Since no official name had been given, Lt. General Robert Blackman, Jr. entrusted Sandy with this very important task.  As quoted by Sandy, “I’ve had many assignments from a Marine Corps Captain (Tim) but this was my first assignment from a Marine Corps General… so I took it very seriously!”

After reading about many deserving canine Marines from battles both past and present, Sandy chose Caesar, named after a German Shepherd, who was one of the first Marine Dogs.  He fought in the Pacific during WWII, and during the battle of Bouganville in 1944, Caesar took three bullets and was carried off the battlefield by his Marines on a makeshift gurney.  Two of the bullets were removed but the third was lodged too close to his heart, and the surgeon determined it was too risky to remove. After only three weeks of rest and recovery he was back on the battlefield.  Sandy said to Tim, “that sounds like a Marine to me!”

Caesar’s creator, artist Jocelyn Russell (far right), with Tim Day, Sandy Day and Robin Hutton, author of Sgt. Reckless: America’s War Horse