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Cher Ami

National Museum of American History
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Object Details

Description
Physical Description
Stuffed carrier pigeon.
Specific History
Cher Ami was a registered Black Check cock carrier pigeon, one of 600 birds owned and flown by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in France during World War I. He delivered twelve important messages within the American sector at Verdun; on his last mission, October 4, 1918, he was shot through the breast and leg by enemy fire but still managed to return to his loft with a message capsule dangling from the wounded leg. The message Cher Ami carried was from Major Charles S. Whittlesey's "Lost Battalion" of the Seventy-seventy Infantry Division that had been isolated from other American forces. The message brought about the relief of the 194 battalion survivors, and they were safe behind American lines shortly after the message was received.
For his heroic service, Cher Ami was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with palm. He was returned to the United States and died at Fort Monmouth, N.J. on June 13, 1919, as a result of his wounds. Cher Ami was later inducted into the Racing Pigeon Hall of Fame in 1931, and received a gold medal from the Organized Bodies of American Pigeon Fanciers in recognition of his extraordinary service during World War I.
Credit Line
War Department. U.S. Signal Corps
associated date
1917 - 1918
ID Number
AF.30714
accession number
65695
catalog number
30714
Object Name
pigeon, stuffed
pigeon
Physical Description
feathers (overall material)
glass (overall material)
plaster (overall material)
wood (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 9 1/2 in x 11 in x 5 1/2 in; 24.13 cm x 27.94 cm x 13.97 cm
occurred
France
See more items in
Political and Military History: Armed Forces History, Military
Military
ThinkFinity
Exhibition
Price of Freedom
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
National Museum of American History
subject
Birds
related event
World War I
The Emergence of Modern America
Record ID
nmah_425415
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a2-2f37-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Related Content

  • Birds

  • World War I Collection Sampler

Cher Ami
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