SGT Adam Leigh Cann-Semper Fi War Dog
Everyday we hear about many of or our men and women in our armed forces dying while fighting the war on terror. It has become so common to see headlines that say another military member has died that most of us have become numb to this kind of news. We glance at the headline and then move on. But to others those men and women mean so much more than just another statistic in the news. In their families and their hometowns they are a child, a sibling, an inspiration, a teacher, a classmate, a teammate, a parent, and so many other meanings. Well Sgt. Adam Cann was one of my best friends.
Adam Cann is from Davie, Florida and he died on January 5th, 2006 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, he was 23 years old. He came to Camp Pendleton in the fall of 2002. He followed his older brother Justin and enlisted in the Marines in 2000. He had done a year tour in Okinawa prior to coming to us at Pendleton and he brought both experience and leadership. He was tough and full of ambition and had a never back down mentality. In fact, we would often have to back him in confrontations he would get into over the weekends. However, if there were anyone I would want to be in a fighting hole with it would be Adam. They guy was as dedicated and loyal Marine I had ever met. He loved being a dog handler, but he loved being a Marine even more. When you love what you do you usually do well at it. Well Adam was an excellent Marine and a fantastic dog handler. He constantly pushed himself and others to be better.
Adam’s dog Bruno was not the ideal dog a handler would like to be partnered with. Bruno came to Pendleton as a young newly certified dog at the same time Adam arrived. Bruno displayed a submissive personality and didn’t seem to be very tough. We would often tease Adam about his “pet” dog. However, under Adam’s guidance, Bruno made great strides and eventually Bruno became a tough, aggressive, very reliable dog. Through Adam’s hard work and persistence, Bruno and Adam had become one of Pendleton’s premier dog teams. Adam’s hard work rubbed off on everyone else as we all competed to be the best teams we could be.
Adam and Bruno went on to do two tours in Iraq. While overseas Adam was never one to stay at the base and work the gates. He volunteered for every mission and patrol he could. In fact, after Adam’s first tour ended he volunteered to immediately go back onto his second tour without taking much of a break. The guy just loved being in the action. In fact, the day Adam died, Adam wasn’t even supposed to be there either. He had just come off some missions in the city when he got back and saw that two other dog teams, Sgt Jesse Maldonaldo and Cpl Brendan Poelart, were about to go out on another one. They had told him he didn’t have to go but Adam refused and insisted he go with them.
There was an Iraqi police recruiting event going on and they were tasked to help provide security to the area. There was a line of Iraqi’s waiting their turn to be interviewed outside of the compound Adam was helping secure when somehow a suicide bomber had snuck into the middle of the line. The bomber set himself off and killed many of the Iraqi’s in the line and wounded dozens more. Sgt Maldonaldo was towards the front of the line, Cpl Poelart was toward the rear and Adam was in the middle with no one between him and the bomber and took the full hit of the blast. A US soldier was also killed and many others wounded including Jesse and Brendan. However, someone who wasn’t killed was Adam’s dog Bruno. Bruno survived the blast with minor wounds. As Adam lay there Bruno laid next to him and put his head on Adam’s chest. Bruno is still apart of the Camp Pendleton unit today.
I remember all the great times Adam, myself, and all the Marines had together over those couple years. Adam, myself, and another good friend of ours Sgt. Jason Cannon all loved football and every Sunday we would go to a bar in Oceanside called “Rookies” to watch all of our favorite teams and talk smack to one another. Adam was a die hard Miami Dolphin fan, being from Northern California I am a Oakland Raider fan, and Jason from Tennessee was a die heard Titan fan. We would each wear our team jerseys and watch football all day. As good as a Marine Adam was he was just as good as a friend. Prior to Adam leaving on his last tour I had just gotten out of the Marines and was in a transition period. Adam had shared an apartment with Sgt Maldonaldo and Maldonaldo’sgirlfriend. He allowed me to stay in his room when he left until I found a place to stay. I had just started moving all of my things to a new place when I found out about him. I helped his brother Justin pack all of his belongings up. Ask any Marine who knew him, and they would all describe him in similar ways, he was a true Marine, loved all the action, and you could count on him with your life.
Adam is buried at Arlington National 
Cemetery.
April 22, 2008 at 8:07 pm
This brings tears to my eyes and pride to my heart. I think of Adam everyday and push myself harder with him in mind. When I run 5 1/2 miles and feel like I want to stop, I imagine him laughing at me and expecting for me to set the standard and lead by example. He never wanted anyone to show their weakness, and he was a guiding force that brought many of us close together over several years.
The last time I hung out with Adam, we all got really drunk and talked about life, friends, the Marine Corps. Adam was there to help me move my stuff before I deployed and to lift my spirits after what was a hard time in my life. He was always having fun and loved to just live in the moment.
I have lots of memories of Adam, Cannon, and I going to the gym every day while the 2 of them were ending their deployment, and I was beginning mine. The three of us would eat together for lunch and dinner every day. Almost never skipping a beat in our routine, he was always a friend and confidant that I could depend on. We both always strived for excellence and I always have him in mind in my daily routine today.
I am proud of him, and I imagine that he is proud of all of us!
April 22, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Wow, what a great story.
RIP brother…
Mike thanks for sharing from your heart!
April 27, 2008 at 8:05 am
Hi Lori, I’m Adam’s Dad. That sure was a nice piece that you put in the website. This is the first time that I have seen it. I guess that you had just put the comment in.
Everything you say, I know. Adam was such a joy; such a strong personality that lives the moment, but gave so much to others.
I hope that you are doing well.
My wife and I just came back from USMC Logistics Base, Barstow, Ca. for another dedication of a new K-9 training facility. Sure did make us proud. We stayed with Joe Prado and had a great time there.
Write back if you get the chance. My e-mail is Leigh.Cann@dot.state.fl.us.
Thanks for being a graet friend to Adam and serving our country.
Sincerely,
Leigh
July 1, 2008 at 2:48 am
Unfortunately, and ironically I just learned about Adams death from You-tube. Still a little in shock about this. Adam was one of my best friends from boot camp, and unfortunately, we lost touch over the years.
To the Cann family, I can only empathize for your loss. Adam was an awesome human being who managed to bring a smile to everyones face even in the worst of times, and was an inspiration to all who were around him.
Semper Fi,
SSgt Vince Barna
August 24, 2008 at 2:54 am
This is this the first time I have seen this since the day Cannon and Dowing called me while I was working for Blackwater after Hurricane Katrina and everyday I think of him I start to cry as a grown man and then stop and remember that Cann would smack me silly if he saw me doing that and I lift my head high and salute him as he looks down on us still protecting..
Adam Cann was a great friend and we all know you only find few of those that are truly great. I could go on and on about him but Lori said enough and all is true. We all had great friendships with him.
I sometimes go on base to the kennels and found out that his dog Bruno is gonna be decertified and adopted and and I am working this process to adopt him. I would rather see on of his friends or family get this dog and not a random person cause Bruno acts like Adam alot lol…..
To the Cann family:
If ANYTHING I can do ever please let me know cause I will make sure it gets done or talk to someone who can. My heart goes out to all of you and love you all like I love Adam as a brother. When all the adoption stuff is done with Bruno I will email and see if any of you interested in having him and if not I would gladly take care of him…
shiner9@yahoo.com 951-375-8599 or 979-865-1616
January 4, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Thank you to whoever made this. Adam is my little brother and I (we)miss him more than you can possibly imagine… The effects of his death were catastrophic. But, he truly believed and loved what he was doing… And we supported him. I’ll miss him forever. And tomorrow I’ll proudly be wearing the T-shirt that was made (By Jason I believe) after he died.
-Em
(The big sister)
January 14, 2009 at 3:02 pm
I think what you had to say was realy touching and it makes meso sad to here that such a good person had to lose his life in the line of duty i hope for the best in the family and in his friends… you will be in my prayers. OOHRAH!
April 9, 2009 at 9:05 am
I just want to say thank you for having this on here. I never knew SGT Cann, but I do wish i could have met him. From everything I have read he was a great Marine and a great person. I enlisted in the Marines eight months ago and one of the reasons why I did was because I think its the best way to say thank you to all the heroes like Sgt. Cann. I am filled with great sadness to hear what happened to him. I just want you to know that he is a inspiration to me and I will be thinking about him while I am in boot camp and also everyday I put on the uniform. I just want you all to know how much I appreciate Sgt.Cann. My prayers are with him and all his friends and family. Thank you
Poolee Hanner