Dexter was a very special horse. He became a U.S. Army artillery horse during World War II, and when the Army phased out their horses after the war ended in 1945, Dexter was assigned to the U.S. Navy. He was placed at the Philadelphia Naval Home for disabled and retired sailors where he hauled trash for twenty years and became a much-loved mascot of the old sailors at the home. He was formally retired as a working horse and enjoyed several years roaming around the grounds of the beautiful and architecturally distinguished surroundings near the banks of the Schuykill River. When he died in 1968 he was given a military funeral and taps were played per a UPI newspaper article written in July 1968. Three acres of the grounds were designated "Dexter Park" and Dexter was buried there. The naval home was re-located to Mississippi in the 1970's and the Philadelphia Naval Home complex was sold to developers who created luxury condominiums which retained the historically significant architecture of the buildings which were originally designed in the early 1800's by William Strickland. A fictional short-story entitled, "Dexter, the Last Navy Horse" was based on Dexter's life at the naval home.
Dexter was a very special horse. He became a U.S. Army artillery horse during World War II, and when the Army phased out their horses after the war ended in 1945, Dexter was assigned to the U.S. Navy. He was placed at the Philadelphia Naval Home for disabled and retired sailors where he hauled trash for twenty years and became a much-loved mascot of the old sailors at the home. He was formally retired as a working horse and enjoyed several years roaming around the grounds of the beautiful and architecturally distinguished surroundings near the banks of the Schuykill River. When he died in 1968 he was given a military funeral and taps were played per a UPI newspaper article written in July 1968. Three acres of the grounds were designated "Dexter Park" and Dexter was buried there. The naval home was re-located to Mississippi in the 1970's and the Philadelphia Naval Home complex was sold to developers who created luxury condominiums which retained the historically significant architecture of the buildings which were originally designed in the early 1800's by William Strickland. A fictional short-story entitled, "Dexter, the Last Navy Horse" was based on Dexter's life at the naval home.
