Student Research Documents for Pigeons Use the information on the following Primary Source Documents to complete your Animal Heroes Graphic Organizer on PIGEONS.

Carrier pigeon released from British trench in England Pigeon Document # 1 Carrier pigeon released from British trench in England Source: Birds and the War, Skeffington & Son, London, 1919 URL: http://www.gwpda.org/photos/coppermine/displayimage.php?pos=-83

French soldier releasing carrier pigeon Pigeon Document #2 French soldier releasing carrier pigeon Source: The War Illustrated Album DeLuxe, Vol. 1; Amalgamated Press, London, 1915 URL: http://www.gwpda.org/photos/coppermine/displayimage.php?pos=-464

British mobile carrier pigeon loft Pigeon Document #3 British mobile carrier pigeon loft Pigeons were transported in mobile lofts, that in early days of the war were pulled by horses and later motorized. Source: War of the Nations, New York Times Co., New York, 1919 URL: http://www.gwpda.org/photos/coppermine/displayimage.php?pos=-476

Pigeon Document #4 Cher Ami Dimensions / Weight Dimensions: 9.5" H x 11" W x 5.5" D Physical Description Stuffed carrier pigeon. Specific History “Cher Ami was a registered Black Check cock carrier pigeon, one of the 600 birds owned and flown by the US Army Signal Corps in France during World War I. He delivered twelve important messages within the American sector at Verdun; on his last mission, 4 October 1918, he was shot through the breast and leg by enemy fire but still managed to return to his loft with a message capsule dangling from the wounded leg. The message Cher Ami carried was from Major Charles S. Whittlesey's "Lost Battalion" of the 77th Infantry Division that had been isolated from other American forces. The message brought about the relief of the 194 survivors of the battalion, and they were safe behind American lines shortly after the message was received. For his heroic service, Cher Ami was awarded the French "Croix de Guerre" with palm. He was returned to the United States and died at Fort Monmouth, NJ on 13 June 1919, as a result of his wounds. Cher Ami was later inducted into the Racing Pigeon Hall of Fame in 1931, and received a gold medal from the Organized Bodies of American Pigeon Fanciers in recognition of his extraordinary service during World War I.” Source: Catalog #: 30714    Accession #: 65695 Credit: Division of Military History and Diplomacy, National Museum of American History   URL: http://americanhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=10

Pigeon Document #5 “During World War II, the Army Signal Corps had over 3,000 soldiers and 150 officers assigned to the U.S. Military Pigeon Service, to care for over 54.000 military pigeons. The pigeons were used in every combat theater, and saw service with ground troops, on submarines, in bombers and within the intelligence service. Pigeons had to accomplish their missions in some of the most difficult circumstances: bad weather, flying at night, different home lofts, showers of bullets, as well as fleeing from enemy birds of prey ...countless American soldiers, airmen and naval sailors owe their lives to these brave little warriors!” Source: Other Animals Who Served-U.S. Army Pigeon Service URL: http://community-2.webtv.net/Hahn-50thAP-K9/K9History31/

Pigeon Document #6 “Pigeons had the advantage over dogs in that they were much faster and were not bogged down by mud and shell holes. They also provided a much smaller target, and flew distances of sixty miles without turning a feather, whereas the dog was seldom reliable over five miles.” (p. 99-100) “The French also used pigeons extensively. Of the 4,000 dispatched at the Battle of Somme, only 2 per cent failed to return, and this was usually because they’d been gassed or shot down. If their pigeons showed unusual gallantry, the French rewarded them with the Croix de Guerre, and because pigeons can’t wear medals or their breasts, special bands with the colors of the medal were sewn round their legs.” (p. 100) “As field telegraph and wireless were always breaking down, pigeons were frequently used at the front. Dispatch riders on bicycles took the birds up to the firing line in baskets. As soon as there was anything to report, say a battalion had advanced too far and had been cut off by the enemy, or a certain part of the line was weak and needed reinforcements, a message was scribbled out and put in a small container which was clipped to the pigeon’s leg. It was vital to keep the pigeon under cover, as they couldn’t fly if their feathers were coated with mud, and not to clip the container too tightly, as this stopped circulation.” (p. 98) “More than 100,000 pigeons served Great Britain in the First World War, and a commendable 95 per cent returned with their messages. Despite this, the pigeon navy, air force and army were summarily demobbed at the end of the war. The authorities were convinced that, with the advent of radar, backed up by the wireless, no one would ever need pigeons again. But it was the same old story. Within a few months of the beginning of World War II, British planes were being forced down into the sea, drenching their radios, which left them with no means of telling their aerodrome where on earth they might be. An urgent SOS was therefore sent out for pigeon. Once again the fanciers offered their own services and that of their best racing pigeons, who were soon housed in lofts in every aerodrome. From them on, nearly all British bombers carried pigeons on flights. If the plane had to be ditched in the sea, a pigeon was thrown clear in a waterproof container in which it could survive for half an hour. The crew then got into their dingy, picked up the pigeon and dispatched it to base asking for help.” (p. 104-105) “In World War II, pigeons also did valiant work on the front. GI Joe, for example, who served with the US forces in Italy, was the first winner of the Dickin Medal who wasn’t English. ‘On the morning of October 18, 1943,’ wrote Dorothea St Hill Bourne in They Also Served, ‘a message came from the British 56th (London) Infantry division asking for air transport to help break the heavily fortified German position at Colvi Vecchia. It was accordingly arranged that Allied XII Air Support Command should bomb the town. Just as the planes were about to take off, GI Joe arrived with a message to say that the 169th Infantry Brigade had captured the village. Five minutes later it would have been too late to stop the bombers. Thus by his rapid flight- 20 miles in the same number of minutes- the American pigeon prevented what might have been a tragedy involving the lives of at least 100 Allied soldiers.’ (p. 105-106) Source: Cooper, J. (1983). Animals in war. London: Heinemann.

Pigeon Document #7 During World War I pigeons were frequently used to carry messages from tanks. Source: BBC News URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6686839.stm