Packed House for El Cerrito High Grad Who Wrote “Sergeant Rex” Book

It's probably rare that an El Cerrito High School grad gives a talk about his recent book on the same day that his subject makes national news.

But that was the case Monday night when ex-Marine Mike Dowling told a packed house the story behind his 2011 book, Sergeant Rex: The Unbreakable Bond Between a Marine and His Military Working Dog.

The event for about 75 “close friends and family,” as Dowling described it, was at the Kensington home of Pauline and Roger Iliff. It was standing room only, with most guests seated on folding chairs filling two rooms. 

Dowling thanked those who came as supporters of his Marine career from 2001-05 and 2008-10, the first including seven months in 2004 in the heat of battle in Iraq with German shepherd Rex.

He also told of the the news that broke that day: the Marine Corps had cleared Rex, sometimes called Sexy Rexy or T. Rex for his on-command ferocity, for adoption by his subsequent handler, former Cpl. Megan Leavey of New York. Leavey and Rex had survived the blast of an improvised explosive device that ended Leavey’s career, but Rex continued active duty until last year.

Dowling, 32, who was born in Berkeley and effectively grew up in El Cerrito while living at his family home in the Richmond Annex right off San Pablo Avenue, recalled another Rex, his childhood pet dog.

He spoke also of dropping out of college to enlist and accidentally becoming a war dog handler, participating in raids and firefights, and being in the lead Humvee heading for Fallujah.

“Every house had insurgents shooting at us,” Dowling recalled of the battle. And although the dog sometimes did things his own way, “that was the beauty of Rex. He knew it was the real deal.”

Dowling, now living in San Diego and studying at UCLA Extension, also explained how the book arose from his dog blog, which attracted author Damien Lewis to propose the project. 

Asked how it was selling, he quipped with a grin, “On Amazon.com, it’s the number one book on dogs.”

A movie based on the book may be in the works, he said.

"Mike and Rex were one of the first dog teams to be sent to the front lines of war since Vietnam," his mother Lorraine Dowling, who attended the event, told Patch before the gathering.

Among those who attended the talk Monday was Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, whose district includes El Cerrito and Kensington.

A short video interview with Mike Dowling was published by the Orange County Register.