WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C. — Coast Guard members at a North Carolina station are mourning the loss of their station dog of 11 years.

Kale died a week ago and the Coast Guard Station Wrightsville Beach buried him on site in a small ceremony.

"He was just an awesome dog," Petty Officer 2nd Class Dylan Hall told the StarNews of Wilmington . "He was always happy-go-lucky. He was one of the guys. He made the station more like home for us while we were here."

Nobody owned Kale, who stayed at the station, stealing attention during tours, running up and down the beach or in his younger days taking boat rides in his own life jacket.

Marines with 2nd Raider Battalion train with crews from Coast Guard Station Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, in 2017 . (Petty Officer 3rd Class Corinne Zilnicki/Coast Guard)
Marines with 2nd Raider Battalion train with crews from Coast Guard Station Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, in 2017 . (Petty Officer 3rd Class Corinne Zilnicki/Coast Guard)

Even the story about how he ended up at the station is a little mysterious. Hall has heard he was dropped off by a military family who was heading to South Korea and just sort of became a member of the station.

"Since we all rotate through the station, the story has gotten lost," Hall said.

The station plans a more formal memorial service with former officers at the station and is raising money for a statue to honor Kale.

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“He wasn’t a military working dog,” Hall said, “He was here solely for morale purposes.”