K9 Hero

Published: Oct. 29, 2019, 11:13 a.m.

It played one of the most crucial roles in that top-secret U.S. military operation in Syria on Sunday, racing through an underground tunnel and cornering one of the world's most sought-after terrorists faster than any human or robot could. It's a dog -- a Belgian Malinois, to be exact -- and although top brass is withholding its name, it's being hailed as a hero in the operation that ultimately resulted in the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's death. Lest you think it's silly to classify a dog's name "for its protection," retired Army General Mark Hertling put it into perspective, tweeting Monday that knowing the dog's name, one could determine the handler; knowing the handler, one could determine the unit; and knowing the unit would revel "which Delta unit(s) was part of the raid." Cheri takes a look at the breed -- which has a long history of honor within the US military going as far back as the first World War. ABC News' Cheri Preston joins Tony.