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President Obama awarded Donny with a Purple Heart. Enslinger was wounded when he was hit by mortar fire while on patrol in September, suffering a penetrating chest wound, a head injury, broken ribs and leg.
(Eslinger family)
(DAILY MAIL) It was a mission just as important as any other they had encountered during their time in Afghanistan. This time the 1-24 Infantry Battalion of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team were determined to reunite soldier Donny Eslinger - who was seriously injured in a mortar attack in September - with a puppy he rescued during his deployment called Smoke.
And now it is Smoke's turn to rescue Donny says his father, Seminole County sheriff Don Eslinger Sr, who is reuniting the puppy with his son.
When Donny, who was serving in Afghanistan encountered the pup in August, he fell in love with him and stashed him in his backpack to hike back to his camp.
When a photo of the adorable puppy peering out of the backpack appeared on the cover of Army Life magazine, Smoke became an instant sensation.
But only a month after the puppy was rescued, Donny, 20, was seriously injured in a mortar fire attack on September 24 and suffered a penetrating chest wound, a head injury, broken ribs and a broken leg. He also lost his spleen.
He has since underwent a number of surgeries, was placed in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator before being transferred to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
It was here that President Obama presented him with a Purple Heart for being injured in the line of duty.
Donny was finally able to return to his Florida home to a hero's welcome in December, just in time for Christmas. But now, his father has made it his job to reunite Donny with the dog in the hope it can boost his spirits in the same way it did the soldiers in Afghanistan for Smoke proved to be a morale booster when a member of the platoon was killed the day after the dog was found.
Staff Sergeant Daniel, squad leader for B Co. 1-24 Infantry Battalion of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team said of the puppy's presence: ''Smoke was the only bit of morale that made these kids forget where they were and cope with the tragedy we just experienced. It is amazing how therapeutic a little creature can be.''
In a letter to the North Country Gazette, he revealed that many in the platoon would love nothing more than to see the dog reunited with Donny, saying: 'It would be the only decent thing to come from this place.
They managed to raise thousands of dollars to fly Smoke to Florida, where Donny's father was there to pick him up so he could reunite him with his son.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the seven-month-old puppy arrived at Orlando International Airport last Wednesday, five months after staff sergeant Daniel organized for him to be returned to his owner.
Donny Sr said he has arranged to board the dog with a veterinarian near Walter Reed so he can take him to visit his son.
Donny has told his dad he can't wait to be reunited with his pup.
For more on this story, CLICK HERE.
TXT 24
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