Lucca served six courageous years with the U.S. Marine Corps, deployed across Iraq and Afghanistan. Trained to detect explosives, she performed over 400 missions with no human casualties under her care. In 2012, her service came at a cost—she lost her leg in an IED explosion. Still, she stood again just ten days later.

For her unparalleled bravery, Lucca became the first Marine Corps dog to receive the Dickin Medal—the animals’ Victoria Cross—and her legacy was further honored posthumously with the U.S. Animals in War & Peace Medal of Bravery. Retired with dignity, she spent her final days with the handler who trained her, passing peacefully in 2018.