Hundreds of people turned out to bid a tearful farewell to Cena the military dog. Cena had to be euthanized for his untreatable cancer. Cena was carried in a wheeled cart to the USS LST 393, a museum ship in Muskegon, Michigan.
On board, he was euthanized. Then he was carried back out in a flag-draped coffin, befitting a veteran who had given years of his life to serve his country.
Cena served as a bomb-sniffing dog with the U.S. Marines in Afghanistan. He served three tours of duty before retiring in 2014.
After retiring Cena was adopted by his handler, Lance Cpl. Jeff Young. The pair met in Afghanistan in 2009 and worked together there.
Young said they took care of each other while fighting the Taliban. Young carried Cena across rivers and protected his pet with his body while under heavy fire.
Cena provided comfort when Young lost seven friends in three weeks.
When both returned home, Cena became a service dog, and helped Cpl. Young cope with his post-traumatic stress disorder.
After his retirement Cena was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer.
Young drove Cena to the ceremony in the open-topped Jeep, which was decorated with streamers and named “Cancer Response Team.
