Statue In Tuscaloosa Veterans Memorial Park To Honor Beloved Marine Service Dog

TUSCALOOSA, AL — A life-size bronze statue honoring Marine Corps K-9 Lucca K458 will be unveiled at Tuscaloosa Veterans Memorial Park on K-9 Veterans Day.

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The event on March 13 will be at 3 p.m. and is open to the public.

The ceremony wi ll be hosted by the Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority (PARA), the Veterans Memorial Park Association, and the U.S. War Dogs Association. It will also coincide with the anniversary of the U.S. Department of Defense’s K-9 Corps, which established in 1941.

“The addition of the Lucca monument to Tuscaloosa Veterans Memorial Park is a profound tribute to the courage and sacrifice of military working dogs and their handlers," Veterans Memorial Park Association Chair Col. Duane Lamb said. "Lucca’s legacy represents the unwavering dedication of these K-9 heroes, and we are honored to share her story with our community.”

The monument, entitled “Send Me,” depicts Lucca, a German Shepherd mix, in action searching for explosives while wearing her radio harness for her role as a specialized search dog (SSD).

The statue also aims to honor the thousands of military working dogs (MWDs) who have served in conflicts since World War II. Funding was provided by the U.S. War Dogs Association, a nonprofit that supports military working dogs.

Oregon-based artist Jocelyn Russell is responsible for creating the statute, which sits atop a stone base built by Alabama native Richard Bradley.

PARA says two plaques will accompany the monument: one detailing Lucca’s story and another that educates visitors about the role of military working dogs throughout history.

Lucca joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2006, where she trained with her handler, Tuscaloosa native Master Sergeant (Ret.) Chris Willingham.

“Seeing Lucca come home to Alabama is a proud and emotional moment for me and my family,” Willingham said. “There is no doubt that her legacy in the U.S. Military will live on. On a personal level, she saw me through some of my darkest days and truly was my dog of a lifetime.”

Lucca completed over 400 patrols across three deployments — two to Iraq and one to Afghanistan. Lucca's extraordinary sense of smell and intelligence made her a highly effective asset in detecting explosives, weapons and other dangerous materials.

She was so good, in fact, she never sustained an injury while walking point and protecting her team from hidden threats.

Lucca was injured in 2012 by an improvised explosive device (IED) while on patrol in Afghanistan, which ultimately led to her retirement and saw her receive numerous accolades, including a Purple Heart and the PDSA Dickin Medal in London in 2016.

Lucca lived with Willingham and his family after her retirement and became an ambassador for wounded veterans and military working dogs. She died in January 2018 at the age of 14.

“We are honored to welcome SSD Lucca home with this powerful tribute to her and all military working dogs who have served our nation with courage and loyalty,” Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox said. “Lucca’s story is one of dedication and skill, and this monument will ensure that her legacy—and that of all K-9 heroes—lives on for generations to come.”

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