"Possessing a gentle nature
and the exemplary characteristics of loyalty and devotion
to family”.
Words defining the Rock Dove.
A few issues
ago we related the story of “Cher Ami”, a famous
carrier pigeon who in World War 1, braving enemy gunfire
and suffering terrible wounds, delivered a desperate message
to save trapped soldiers. The response to that article revealed
to us the exploits of carrier pigeons in wars dating back
a thousand years.
 In
the history of the United States there have been many lives
saved by the bravery of these little birds.
Perhaps the
most famous of them was “G I Joe”, who, while
just six months old and serving with the Fifth Army in Italy,
G.I. Joe saved the British 56th Brigade from being annihilated
by US bombing. It seems the British 56th Brigade was scheduled
to attack the city of Colvi Vecchia, Italy, at 10 a.m., October
18, 1943. U.S. Air Support Command would bomb the city prior
to the British Brigade assaulting the city. But the occupying
German forces abandoned the city that morning and the British
simply moved in ahead of schedule.
 Then all
radio communication failed to notify US Air Support to cancel
the bombing raid, and with time running out, "G.I. JOE" was
dispatched to Fifth Army Headquarters with a message that
the Brigade now occupied the town. G.I. Joe flew 20 miles
in 20 minutes, arriving just as the bombers were about to
take off.
In 1946, the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Bracewell
Smith, awarded "G.I. JOE" the Dickin Medal. "G.I.
JOE" was the only American war pigeon to receive the
Dickin Medal. The citation reads "For prompt delivery
of a message to XII Air Support Command, thereby preventing
the bombing of advanced elements 56th (London) Division."
31
Rock Doves have been honored with the Dickin Medal.
G.I.
Joe lived out his long life at the U.S. Signal Corps Pigeon
Breeding and Training Center, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.
When the Army closed out the Pigeon Service in 1957, "G.I.
JOE" was transferred to the Detroit Zoo, and died on
June 3, 1961, at the age of 18 and may be viewed at the U.S.
Army Communications Electronics Museum at Fort Monmouth New
Jeresy.
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Beyond “Cher Ami” and “G.I.
Joe”, there are recorded countless exploits of carrier
pigeon in wars throughout the ages. The little birds were
dropped behind enemy lines in small parachutes to be utilized
by resistance forces; spy's often used carrier pigeons; some
pigeons carried miniature cameras photographing enemy positions;
many fell to enemy gunfire while others survived their wars
only after being severely wounded
To read the exploits of many of the Dickin
Medal winners visit Robin Johnson’s great website http://twoworldproductions.blogspot.com/2008/10/famous-war-pigeons.html
Mr. Alessandro Croseri has cronicaled
many carrier pigeons heroics and has presents us with insights
into the various circumstances surrounding these exploits
on his short film.
Visit Mr. Croseri’s website for access to his film
and more of the history of the brave little birds who have
given so much of themselves to assist our efforts.
http://warpigeons.com/index.html
 You might also enjoy “Pigeons inTwo World Wars” by
Major W H Osman & Col. A H Osman, Racing Pigeon Publishing
1976
This is a double volume containing under
one cover two separate books each written about the use of
pigeons in 1914-1918 and 1939-1945.
www.covers.freeuk.com/milit.html
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