Wojtek the Bear — The Soldier Bear of the Polish Army

In April 1942, a young Polish soldier of the II Corps in Iran purchased a Syrian brown bear cub from a boy who had tied it to a string. The bear was named Wojtek (Polish for 'joyful warrior') and was officially enlisted as a Private in the 22nd Artillery Supply Company of the Polish II Corps. He was given a paybook, serial number, and rank. He drank beer, smoked (and ate) cigarettes, and wrestled with soldiers in camp. During the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944, Wojtek was trained to carry heavy 25-pound artillery ammunition crates. He carried multiple crates without dropping any, even under heavy fire — the only animal to be credited as an official combatant in a major WWII battle. After the war, he was shipped to Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland, where he lived out his remaining years. Polish veterans who had served alongside him in the war regularly visited with beer and cigarettes.