It was early 1966 and they were on a mission to find a black labrador for an important Army project training dogs to be used as trackers in Vietnam.

Jumping up and down behind the mesh was a black labrador-kelpie cross which seemed to be saying "pick me, pick me''.

The soldiers paid $3 for the dog and took it to Ingleburn Training Centre where it became a war dog trained to find the Viet Cong.

In keeping with the long history of dogs in war, the labrador cross was given the Roman name Caesar.

Caesar is one of 11 dogs whose Vietnam War service is commemorated in a special book written by Sylvania author Mary Small and Anzac Day Commemoration Committee publisher, Di Burke.

The book seek! includes a short history and many photos from the war, and is packed with interesting information about how the dogs and their handlers operated in the steamy jungles of South Vietnam.

Mrs Small, a "10-Pound Pom'' who migrated to Australia in 1962, has written many children's books since her first, A Bear in my Bedroom, was published in 1976.

Several years ago her book Tracey McBean's Stretching Machine was also turned into a television series.

She has written a number of books for the commemoration committee, including The Unknown Australian Soldier (2001) and Feathered Soldiers (2006) co-authored by Vashti Farrer with information supplied by Lieutenant Keith Wrightson, of Carlton, a veteran of Australian Corps of Signals Pigeon Service during World War II.

"Seek!, with its informative text and many photographs should be in school libraries, as there is little available for students on the war in Vietnam,'' Mrs Small said. The book will be launched at a Sutherland Shire Historical Society meeting on Saturday, November 21, and Mrs Small is looking for a Vietnam combat tracker to launch it.

seek! is available from the publisher.