Next time you see a pigeon, thank it for its service.
This is Cher Ami. He saved the lives of 200 American soldiers in WWI:
Cher Ami is stuffed and on display at the Smithsonian.
Smithsonian Institute / Via si.edu
Next time you're scraping hard white stuff off your windshield and cursing "rats with wings", take a moment to think about the noble history of pigeons that have saved hundreds of American lives in war with their bravery.
The story of Cher Ami, the most famous war hero pigeon ever is guaranteed to make you respect these birds a little more.
The Lost Battalion of World War I
It's late September of 1918 in northern France. The war will end soon on November 11, but one last massive battle, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive is raging on. It's one of the biggest conflicts of World War I, lasting 47 days until the Armistice. Over a million Allied soldiers are involved and over 25,000 Americans will die by the end of this battle.
A group of 500 American soldiers led by Major Charles Whittlesey were trapped in a small depression of a hill, surrounded by Germans. After the first day, only 200 of Whittlesey's "lost battalion" were left. To make the situation even more FUBAR, their fellow Americans didn't know their location and had begun firing shells at them.
Whittlesey sent out two messages by homing pigeon asking the Americans for help, but both pigeons were shot down. The friendly fire on them continued. A final pigeon named Cher Ami was released with a with a desperate plea:
