Wojtek was a Syrian brown bear, bought at a railway station in Hamadan, Iran, by Polish II Corps Soldiers evacuating Soviet Russia and was recruited into the 22nd Transport Company's Artillery Division, Wojtek quickly became accepted and rose threw the ranks from Private to Corporal. According to Time Magazine, eye witness accounts, and stories. Wojtek was taken care of as if he was a human being, the soldiers gave him cigarettes which he puffed on and swallowed, and would be given beer bottles, in which he drank and when empty would check to see if there was any beer left in the bottle. He was taught how to salute when greeted, and would wrestle with some of the soldiers being careful to not hurt anyone. Wojtek served in the battle of Monte Cassino where he participated in transporting ammunition and artillery shells, while never dropping a single thing. A truly remarkable animal.