Carrier Pigeon. He was one of 600 birds flown by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in France during World War I. He had delivered twelve secret messages in Verdun France. He was on his last mission when he was shot through the breast by enemy fire and still managed to reach home. He had one of his legs shattered by enemy fire and hanging from his ligaments was a message capsule. He had carried a message from Major Whittlesey's "Lost Battalion" of the 77th Infantry Division and just a few hours after 194 survivors of the battalion were safe. He was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for his heroism and died as a result from his battle wounds in 1919. He was then inducted into a hall of fame and received a gold medal for his service to America. He is on display at the National Museum of American History, Behring Center, in the Armed Forces History Hall.
Actual burial here
Actual burial here
Carrier Pigeon. He was one of 600 birds flown by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in France during World War I. He had delivered twelve secret messages in Verdun France. He was on his last mission when he was shot through the breast by enemy fire and still managed to reach home. He had one of his legs shattered by enemy fire and hanging from his ligaments was a message capsule. He had carried a message from Major Whittlesey's "Lost Battalion" of the 77th Infantry Division and just a few hours after 194 survivors of the battalion were safe. He was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for his heroism and died as a result from his battle wounds in 1919. He was then inducted into a hall of fame and received a gold medal for his service to America. He is on display at the National Museum of American History, Behring Center, in the Armed Forces History Hall.
Actual burial here
Actual burial here
Bio by: Gregory Speciale
Inscription
IN MEMORY OF
CHER AMI
HOMING PIGEON US ARMY AEF
WORLD WAR I
CROIX DE GUERRE
1918 1919
Gravesite Details
LTC Charles White Whittlesey
Advertisement
