The accomplishments of the ursine allies of World War II are often overlooked, but not by the city of Edinburgh. They're building a $318,000 monument to honor "Private Wojtek," a 500-pound brown bear that served in the Polish Army in the fight against the Axis before retiring to the Edinburgh zoo.

"Wojtek" translates to "the happy warrior," and the bear's contribution to the Polish military effort was largely noncombative. He was an unofficial mascot for the 22nd Army Corps, providing much-needed entertainment and distraction during brutal desert warfare.

But Wojtek's greatest moment may have come when he voluntarily braved Nazi fire to help soldiers unload artillery shells at the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944....