When a U.S. marine was deployed to a remote area of Afghanistan in 2010, he never expected to eventually come home with a new best friend and an adorable story that would lead him to write a book. But as Sergeant Craig Grossi can tell you, no one knows what to expect in war.
As Grossi and his team were fighting off the Taliban, he kept spotting a stray dog walking around. Once the fighting stopped, Grossi decided to approach the dog, at which point, he could tell that he wasn't in great shape. He was covered in bugs and his fur was matted.
But Grossi felt an emotional attachment to him and didn't want to leave him there. He named him Fred and immediately hatched a plan to smuggle him out of Afghanistan and bring him home to America.
Grossi was able to lure Fred onto a helicopter and into a duffel bag, where they flew to a U.S. base. From there, Grossi was able to keep Fred hidden and even got a British Army veterinarian to check him out. Grossi then falsified some paperwork and was able to ship Fred home to his family.
Grossi was later reunited with him when he returned home and the two have been inseparable. After sharing his story with so many people, Grossi decided to write a book. It's titled, Craig & Fred: A Marine, A Stray Dog, and How They Rescued Each Other.
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