No homing pigeon ever enlisted in any war, but they were used by the military on both sides of the conflicts during World Wars I and II.
Once in place, they did their jobs well and reliably, and in the process, they saved thousands of human lives. Many of the birds were killed on the battlefields.
Any soldier who participated in war deserves recognition, and the same is true for homing pigeons. That said, there were several remarkable birds who stand out for special recognition.
Table of contents
Cher Ami: Best Known
Cher Ami (“Dear Friend”) is the best known of the heroic homing pigeons. He was a black feather cock whose story has been told in articles and books because of the dozens of vital messages he carried during key battles.
He was born in France and was donated to the U.S. Signal Corps. His first assignment was on the front lines, carrying at least a dozen key messages. However, his fame endures for saving what is known as the “Lost Battalion.”
This occurrence took place during the massive Hundred Day Offensive near the Meuse-Argonne. The 77th Division consisted of nine different companies of the AEF and they were fighting in the Argonne Forest.
Their commander, Major Charles W. Whittlesey of the 308th Infantry Regiment, led more than 500 men in an attack that finally broke through the German line.
The commander thought the unit was well protected from behind, but during the night, the enemy surrounded them. At dawn, Major Whittlesey realized they were trapped. They were running low on food and ammunition, and the other Allies did not know where they were.
Whittesley knew his options were few. Several message-runners had been killed trying to carry out information on foot. The officers turned to the homing pigeons they had with them. The first message sent was: “Many wounded. We cannot evacuate.”
The second message read: “Men are suffering. Can support be sent?”
There was no response from the command center. Whittesley and his men decided to hold firm for as long as they could, despite their dire situation.
For five days and nights, they withstood German gunfire and grenades.
By this time, Allied Forces had a better understanding of where the fighting was taking place. They attempted to direct artillery onto the German positions to help save the battalion, but they had no way to pinpoint where their own men were. Before long, they unknowingly started shelling Major Whittlesey and his men.
Last Pigeon Available
Major Whittlesey had only one more homing pigeon—Cher Ami. Though notes were usually released with two birds, Whittlesey did not have that option and had to rely on Cher Ami. He wrote a note saying:
“We are along the road paralell [sic] 276.4. Our artillery is dropping barrage directly on us. For heaven’s sake stop it.” (October 4, 1918)
The note was inserted into the tube on Cher Ami’s leg, and the bird was released. The men saw that Cher Ami was hit almost immediately, but the bird fluttered back up after initially descending. They hoped against hope that he was on his way.
Shortly, the assault by the American stopped. Cher Ami must have arrived. The Allies redirected their fire. Within five more days, the Germans finally retreated north.
When the Lost Battalion appeared, there were only 194 men, but each of them was incredibly grateful to Cher Ami.
As for Cher Ami, his right leg was shot off and he was blinded in the left eye. Medics immediately attended to the shot he suffered through his breast, and his life was saved.
He was awarded the famous French Croix de Guerre with an Oak Leaf Cluster for his heroic service.
General John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expedition Force noted: “There isn’t anything the United States can do that is too much for this bird.” Pershing ordered Cher Ami to be sent to the United States after the war. He lived in retirement at Fort Monmouth until his death in June of 1919.
Homing Pigeon Named President Wilson
The pigeon known as President Wilson served in World War I. He was born in France, and his first assignment was with the newly formed Tank Corps.
The tanks with which he served were the most forward-serving tanks (326 and 327) under Col. George S. Patton in the St. Mihiel Offensive. President Wilson carried with him numerous messages about the locations of enemy machine gun nests.
He was soon moved to an infantry unit that was fighting in the Meuse-Argonne offensive. On October 5, 1918, his unit came under heavy attack. They needed artillery support. There were no open lines of communication, so President Wilson was dispatched to notify headquarters. Enemy soldiers saw him fly out, and he was immediately fired upon.
His service record notes that “this game little soldier came through fire and fog” though one of his legs was shot off and his breast was pierced by a bullet. But he flew 25 miles to the command post in 25 minutes, and artillery support was launched, shielding Allied troops from German fire and saving thousands of American troops.
Surviving his wounds, President Wilson retired to the U.S. Army Signal Corps Breeding and Training Center in Fort Monmouth, new Jersey. He lived until 1929, at which point he was mounted and put on display at Fort Monmouth.
Eventually he was donated to the Smithsonian. In 2008, the Smithsonian returned him to the U.S. Army, and he is now thought to be on exhibit at the Pentagon, just outside the office of the Chief of Staff of the Army.
G.I. Joe: Hero from World War II
G.I. Joe was a pigeon born in March of 1943 in Algiers, North Africa. Because he was to be part of the U.S. Pigeon Service, he was taken to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Pigeon handlers were experimenting with two-way homing pigeons. Joe was to be part of this training.
Homing pigeons are known for their strong one-way returns–reliably flying from almost anywhere to their home loft. Though the military used them extensively in both World Wars I and II, pigeon handlers were hoping that two-way flights could be perfected, making the pigeons more valuable.
As it happened, Joe was called into service before that training was completed. He was taken to Italy where the Allies were fighting. His heroic moment required a single one-way flight which saved the citizens in the village of Calvi Vecchia in southern Italy.
Calvi Vecchia had been taken over by the Germans but in October 1943, the Allies, led by the 169th London Infantry Brigade, won back the village. They knew a bombing raid was planned, so they needed to alert headquarters that the village was now in Allied hands.
Pigeon handlers took G.I. Joe and wrote out a message. The pigeon was soon off, flying 20 miles in 20 minutes.
G.I. Joe’s arrival in time to halt the planes and over 100 soldiers and the entire citizenry were saved.
For his efforts, G.I. Joe was awarded the Dickin Medal for gallantry at the Tower of London. His citation reads “the most outstanding flight made by a United States Army homing pigeon in World War II.”
After World War II, Joe returned to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, where he lived at the US Army’s Churchill Loft. He died at the age of 18 (1961) at the Detroit Zoological Gardens. He is now mounted and on display at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Note: The Dicken Medal is a bronze medal awarded by the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) to recognize animals for bravery and devotion to duty in war or conflict. The award is generally given to animals of the United Kingdom.
For a comprehensive story about homing pigeons used during World War I and World War II, click here.