One of the best things I learned in writing a book about local World War II aviators came from the historian of the Eighth Air Force’s 95th Bomb Group, based in Suffolk, East Anglia, from 1943 to 1945. She told me that Yank airmen grew so close to the British dogs they adopted that the dog not only heard the B-17’s returning from their missions before the ground crews did, but they grew noticeably excited on recognizing the pitch of their human’s B-17 engines.

No greater love.

Those dogs either found homes with British families or came home with their humans, like the Scottish Terrier, Stuka, the mascot of the famed B-17 “Memphis Belle.” Stuka lived out her life as a Connecticut Yankee with her human, Capt. Jim Verinis. Verinis, on a pass to London, stopped in his tracks when the puppy pressed her nose against a pet-shop window to greet him. He bought her immediately.

Stuka, of course, was devoted to Verinis. The entire crew was devoted to Stuka.

This reminded me of yesterday.

Elizabeth was in La Jolla for a few days and she came back early last evening. About an hour before she got home, here were Walter and Brigid.

And here—forgive our messy living room— was her reception.