Holley, Joe. “James Fitzgerald; Pioneered Military’s Use of Dolphins.” The Washington Post, January 27 (2006). Web. 5 Oct. 2011. <http://www. washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/26/AR2006012602222html>.
Summary:
In the article “James Fitzgerald; Pioneered Military’s Use of Dolphins” by Joe Holley, the author describes how Fitzgerald was hired by the CIA in 1964, to perform experiments to determine if dolphins could possibly be trained to perform missions for the Navy. He came up with this idea of using mammals in warfare when he thought about how they rely on natural sonar for navigation and hearing. While working with only six dolphins, Fitzgerald and his associates discovered that the animals were rather intelligent and could be used to “seek out underwater mines, attach explosives and eavesdropping devices on enemy ships and help diver recover lost weapons from the ocean floor.” Without wasting any time, in 1965, the Navy put the dolphins into action. Tuffy, a bottlenose dolphin, became the Navy’s first sea mammal to complete a military mission by delivering tools and mail underwater to another military post. Fitzgerald’s work later expanded to sea lions and whales, also using them in missions. Even though he has past away, his methods are still controversial and therefore, the military tries to keep the mammals’ missions a secret. Recent operations using combat-trained dolphins in the Iraq war have proven extremely successful. They were reportedly able to detect six enemy mines during their first 36 hours in water.
Response:
After reading this article, I was amazed how James Fitzgerald was able to train these dolphins to perform in combative military situations so long ago. Technology in 1964 was not very advanced, so he figured out a way to use mammals in the Navy that is much safer and effective than previous methods. I was surprised how Fitzgerald was clever enough to realize that dolphins could be used in the military with their natural sonar as a way to detect mines and explosives. I thought this was a very good concept considering that human lives are no longer at risk when searching for these dangerous objects. Those who oppose Fitzgerald’s method should think about the lives that are being saved in the Navy and how much safer his method really is. His original approach was to create a way in which mammals could be used to complete underwater combat, and he did just that. Some people who disagree with Fitzgerald’s system believe that it is unfair to use the dolphins because they have no choice. They claim that the dolphins are being tortured and forced to complete missions that they do not desire. Opponents are essentially comparing humans to mammals when they are entirely different, and the only positive entity coming out of his method is human lives being saved.
Next Steps:
As I searched for information about the military use of dolphins, I decided to use this source because it shows where the method originated and what it has done positive for our United States Navy. I was curious as to how many dolphins the military keeps in captivity to be trained for combat at any given time. I know that it is not healthy for mammals to be contained in small areas because they are supposed to be roaming the oceans freely. It would also be interesting to find out if there were any other alternatives to completing these dangerous military operations that could save the lives of humans and mammals. Perhaps a remote controlled underwater craft could seek out submerged mines and explosives. Many possibilities for underwater combat exist, but it is up to the Navy to determine the safest and most effective method.
You addressed all parts of the assignment very nicely. I enjoyed reading your log because the topic was very interesting. I had no idea that Dolphins were being used for military combat. I think your research should be more broad for your next log, because it might be hard to write a lot on dolphins. You could try researching other unusual forms of combat.
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