Hundreds of people gathered in Muskegon, Michigan, on July 26, 2017, to say goodbye to a black Labrador named Cena. He had served three tours in Afghanistan. For Marine veteran Jeff DeYoung, he was also a trusted partner whose support continued long after combat.
Their story stretched from explosive-detection work overseas to a reunion at home—and a final ride that brought a community together. Source: Associated Press reporting in Military Times.
A partnership built in Afghanistan
Cena and DeYoung met during training in July 2009, before deploying to Afghanistan later that year. Cena worked as an improvised explosive detection dog, using his nose to help locate hidden dangers.
Contemporary FOX 17 reporting on their reunion identifies him as a contract working dog who served alongside DeYoung. Their shared deployment was one part of Cena’s longer working life.
As Task & Purpose explained in 2017, Cena would alert his handler to suspicious smells so an explosives specialist could investigate and deal with the threat. The work demanded trust between dog and handler.
Four years apart, then a home together
After their deployment together, the pair spent four years apart.
On June 5, 2014, DeYoung was due to collect Cena at Detroit’s airport and adopt him. American Humane Association and Mission K9 Rescue helped arrange the reunion, according to FOX 17’s report that day.
A hip injury had brought Cena’s working career to an end, Task & Purpose reported. Retirement gave the two a chance to live together again.
Cena became DeYoung’s service dog, helping the veteran as he dealt with post-traumatic stress disorder. Their partnership now had a different purpose: supporting life at home. Source: Associated Press.
A final ride through Muskegon
In 2017, Cena was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer. He was ten years old.
DeYoung arranged a farewell that included one last ride in an open-top Jeep. Hundreds turned out to honor the dog, whose years of service had become a story the wider community wanted to recognize.
Cena was carried aboard USS LST-393, a museum ship in Muskegon, where he was euthanized on July 26. His body was then carried from the vessel in a flag-draped coffin. Source: Associated Press’s July 27, 2017 report.
Remembering the dog behind the tribute
The farewell was public, but the bond it honored had grown through years of shared experience.
Cena had worked beside Marines in Afghanistan. Later, he helped his former handler face the challenges of returning to civilian life. Remembering both roles gives a fuller picture of what this one dog meant to the person who brought him home.
His story is a reminder of the care owed to working animals during service, in retirement and at the end of their lives.
Image credit
USS LST-393 around 1945: official U.S. Navy photograph, public domain. This historical image shows the ship that later hosted Cena’s farewell; it does not show Cena or the 2017 ceremony.
