Don’t Shoot the Messenger

Justin Duran Junior Division Individual Exhibit Student Composed Words: 500 Process Paper: 430

I stumbled upon the topic of carrier pigeons while watching a documentary show about artifacts in the Smithsonian museum. The show briefly explained that carrier pigeons acted as messengers during different wars and how they did it. After I watched the show the idea of carrier pigeons stayed dormant in my mind. This idea stayed in my mind until I heard the 2021

NHD theme. After seeing how close the topic and the theme relates, I knew it was perfect. The way these specially trained pigeons were used to send secret messages in WWI is a great example of Communication in History.

To start my research, I went to my local library's website and began looking for books that related to my topic. After finding several books I began looking for the documentary that started this idea. The books I found showed that most carrier pigeons were used in WWI because of a lack of advanced technology in communication. Once I had the books, I browsed the web for websites and or documentaries. After finding a lot of general sources, I narrowed it down to the best possible sources. I had to make sure my sources were not tampered with and were official.

As I looked over my sources, I was able to find and think of new ideas to look up and search for.

Using a poster exhibit, I feel like I can express my ideas more creatively and more uniquely. In last year's competition I used an exhibit board and now that I have experience, I feel

I can create and design more effectively and accurately. The way I can use examples and pictures to represent and create my project in almost any way makes it feel unique to my own style. From last year's NHD I realized you could more easily make ideas bold that you wanted to stand out. I also have many resources to create this project due to prior accessibility.

Carrier pigeons are used mainly for communication. Messages sent by these have saved countless lives and have given crucial information. The Communication in History theme fits seamlessly with the topic of carrier pigeons. When all other sources of communication were not available WWI carrier pigeons were always ready. With these pigeon's natural sense of navigation, they were able to send messages hundreds of miles away. With these abilities they helped soldiers if they crashed and needed rescue, or if allies needed an assist when they were trapped behind enemy lines.

Annotated Bibliography

Primary Sources:

“.” Smithsonian Institution, www.si.edu/object/nmah_425415

This is a description of a pigeon at the Smithsonian Institution that was one of the most successful messenger pigeons ever and saved over 300 hundred men trapped by the enemy.

Taylor, Lucy A., et al. “Homing Pigeons (Columba Livia) Modulate Wingbeat Characteristics as a Function of Route Familiarity.” Journal of Experimental Biology, The Company of Biologists Ltd, 15 Aug. 2017, jeb.biologists.org/content/220/16/2908.

This citation was a journal from someone assisting in an experiment that test how far, how fast, and what effects carrier pigeons when flying.

"Carrier pigeons still serve; Even in modern war they do messenger duty", . April 12, 1936. p. SM26.

This is a historical article about carrier pigeons being utilized after .

Dillow, Clay. “How Homing Pigeons Find Their Way Home.” Popular Science, www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-01/geologist-has-probably-figured-out-how-homing- pigeons-find-their-way-home/.

This article talks about theories for why the homing pigeon is so good at navigating across large distance. One theory is that they can hear low frequency sounds which allow them to create acoustic maps of their surroundings.

Secondary Sources:

Greelis, Jim. "Pigeons in Military History". World of Wings. Archived from the original on 2007- 08-25.

This citation tells how pigeons were used mostly during WWI but were still used in WWII. After WWI America had stopped training or going after carrier pigeons to aid in battle, despite this mistake the American army had to build the organization up from scratch.

“Homing Pigeons.” EarthDate, www.earthdate.org/node/127.

This website explains how carrier pigeons are used and how they are trained using food and shelter as an incentive to travel.

Corera, Gordon. Operation Columba: The Secret Pigeon Service. William Morrow, 2019. This book showed how the British resistance used homing pigeons to send secret messages to communicate and defeat the Nazis.

Rooney, Kathleen. Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey. Penguin Books, 2020.

This book is fiction based on accurate events. It tells the story of the Cher Ami the homing pigeon during World War I and how Major Whittlesey was trapped in a small depression and had to call for reinforcements using a messenger pigeon.

“The Incredible Carrier Pigeons of the First World War.” Imperial War Museums, www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-incredible-carrier-pigeons-of-the-first-world-war.

This website contains several true stories of many pigeons who carried messages that would later save lives. It also has pictures of many birds and messages that they sent.

Trueman C.N. "Pigeons And World War One." historylearningsite.co.uk. The History Learning Site, 16 Apr 2015. 14 Dec 2020.

This citation explained how communication even when using the most advanced technologies during World War One could often be not efficient or unreliable in desperate situations. This citation also gave two examples of when these pigeons helped, and what the punishment is for killing a carrier pigeon of an allied side.

Lui, Claire. "Travel: The museum of spies", americanheritage.com, archived from the original on 2011-03-24. 2006.

This website talks about how pigeons since the early 1900s have been taking photos from the air.

Photo Credits:

“Unsung Heroes of World War I: The Carrier Pigeons.” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2018/01/08/unsung-heroes-of-world-war-i-the-carrier-pigeons/.

This picture was of the taxidermized Cher Ami.

“For Real? Pigeon Message, Robot Wolves, & Yellow Turtle.” News For Kids, newsforkids.net/articles/2020/11/14/for-real-pigeon-message-robot-wolves-yellow-turtle/.

A picture of two men from the Swiss army preparing a pigeon for flight.

Military History Matters. “Pigeons at Passchendaele.” Military History Matters, 30 July 2020, www.military-history.org/articles/pigeons-at-passchendaele.htm. A picture of a Carrier Pigeon being released from a tank.

Military History Matters. “Pigeons at Passchendaele.” Military History Matters, 30 July 2020, www.military-history.org/articles/pigeons-at-passchendaele.htm.

This is a reward poster for pigeon poachers.

Imperial War Museums. “The Royal Engineers Signals Service on the Western Front, 1914- 1918.” Iwm.org.uk.

This is a photo of a man during World War I holding a carrier pigeon.

“The Racing Pigeon,” www.royalsignalsmuseum.co.us/ww1-ww2-communications/.

This image displays a soldier placing a carrier pigeon in a basket.

Imperial War Museums. “Top Tips for Managing your Carrier Pigeons.: iwm.org.uk

This is a photo of carrier pigeons getting exercise.

“Unsung heroes of World War I: the carrier pigeons”- Pieces of History. Archives.gov

Photo of a stuffed Cher Ami, the famous World War I on pigeon.

World War I Centennial. “Cher Ami: The Pigeon that Saved the Lost Battalion. Worldwar1centennial.org

Cher Ami’s trainer, Captain John Carney hold Cher Ami.

World War I Bridge- “WWI Centenary from the river Piave: The Pigeon with the Camera.” www.worldwarone.it/2012/10/photos_of_animals_in_world_war_war_one.html

This photo displays a carrier pigeon who took photos from the air during World War I.

“On the water attacked by 3 Huns.” Iwm.org.uk.

This is a copy of a message sent by a carrier pigeon.

“Message dropped by a carrier pigeon in France Found 100 years later. www.com/2020/11/09/europe/pigeon-message-found-france-scli-intl/index.htmlww.cnn

This is a photo of an original message dropped by a carrier pigeon in 1910 and found 100 years later

Full Exhibit Left Top Panel Photo Left Center Panel Photo Left Bottom Panel Photo Center Top Panel Photo

Source Credit Text: Pigeons at Passchendaele – Military History Matters (military-history.org) Center Top Panel Text Thesis Carrier pigeons have been used as a form of Communication as far back as the 6th century. These pigeons have been used for many battles. These Pigeons were the perfect combination of speed, accuracy, and reliability. They were used countless times during World War I. These pigeons helped win battles and save lives during WWI by sending secret messages and making History. Quotes: “Homing Pigeons Killing, wounding or molesting homing pigeons: SIX MONTHS IMPRISONMENT OR 100 POUND FINE. The Public ar reminded that Homing Pigeons are doing valuable work for the government and are requested to assist in the suppression of shooting these birds. 5 Pound Reward” Pigeons at Paschendele- Military_History.org)

This was a message sent by a Carrier Pigeon it reads : “On water attacked by 3 Huns” Center Center Panel Text Carrier Pigeons in WWI

Carrier Pigeons were utilized by both sides in WWI. Tanks often carried these birds to relay positions and to ask to advance their positions. They were also in some sea planes. They were kept in water tight boxes and if a pilot crashed they could send a message that they needed a rescue. Carrier Pigeons were kept in lofts, some of these lofts were mobile and gave Carrier Pigeons shelter and a scene change from constant gunfire. When Carrier Pigeons were sent with messages the message was in a metal capsule on the birds leg or strapped on the back. If two birds were available two copies of the message were sent to ensure the message arrived at its destination. Communicating with Carrier Pigeons

Cher Ami was the most successful Homing Pigeon to ever fly. Cher Ami was a British Carrier Pigeon trained and used by the United States and stationed in France in WWI. Cher Ami was the last hope of the “ Last Battalion” when U.S. troops were trapped behind German lines. The “Last Battalion” was the name given to the nine companies of the 77th division. The 77th division included 554 men who were trapped by German forces after the attack. Of these men, 347 of them were either killed in action, missing, or taken prisoner. Of the 194 men left was Major Whittlesey who lead them. They were under heavy fire and needed assistance. Major Whittlesey used carrier pigeons to request help because all other ways of communication were unavailable. The first two pigeons were almost immediately shot down. The last pigeon, Cher Ami, was shot but still managed to continue flying to deliver the message 25 miles away in 30 minutes. The next day the new coordinates were relayed and the Germans were now under American fire and the 194 men were able to return safely to American lines. Disadvantages of Carrier Pigeons in Battle

Although Carrier Pigeons were very reliable, they had their disadvantages. 1. If a Carrier Pigeon was shot down the message could be easily intercepted by enemy troops. 2. Carrier Pigeons were also high maintenance and needed to be cleaned once a week and exercised twice a day. Advantages of Carrier Pigeons in Battle

Carrier Pigeons weren’t as popular as other forms of communication but they were just as reliable if not more so. Advantages Carrier Pigeons had over other included: 1. When troops travelled beyond pre-laid, closed lines of communications, carrier pigeons could be used to send private messages rather than risk sending those messages over air waves. 2. Carrier Pigeons were often faster and could travel at speeds of over 50 miles per hour. Because of their speed and size they were extremely hard to shoot down. 3. When it came to navigating, Carrier pigeons had a 95% success rate when arriving at the destinated target. Although Carrier Pigeons were very reliable, they had their disadvantages. If a Carrier Pigeon was shot down the message could be easily intercepted by enemy troops. Carrier Pigeons were also high maintenance and needed to be cleaned once a week and exercised twice a day. Center Bottom Panel Text Effect on History

During WWI other technologies in communication were still being developed and carrier pigeons gave an outlet for them while they were still advancing. Even when the technologies were working they would require maintenance and they were large and hard to move. Because of these problems they would used carrier pigeons to send messages. When these pigeons were in use they sent messages that saved hundreds of lives and helped inform commanders on the current situation during a battle. The U.S. Carrier Pigeon program grew from WWI to WWII and assisted allied forces in both wars. Carrier Pigeons in WWI have inspired the sport of today. Right Top Panel Photo Right Center Panel Photo Right Bottom Panel Photo