Pigeons in War Continued
The following photographs, from the U.S. Army, feature Homing Pigeons that served during wartime. We hope you will find this information enlightening and educational.
Anzio Boy
In 1957, United States Signal Corps transferred two hero pigeons to the National Zoological Park, located in Washington D.C. Anzio Boy and Global Girl completed sixty-one missions between them.
Mocker &Spike
Mocker flew 52 missions and was wounded on his last mission. He was awarded the "Distinguished Service Cross," as well as the French "Croix De Guerre." This pigeon, in splendid time, on the morning of September 12, 1918, from the vicinity of Beaumont, France, arrived bearing a message of great importance, which gave the location of certain enemy heavy batteries. This information enabled the American artillery to silence the enemy's guns within twenty minutes. Mocker is the last WWI hero pigeon to die (1937).
Spike delivered messages between combat squads in the heat of battle. He flew 50 missions without getting injured and earned the Distinguished Service Medal.