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Flashback: Captured War Pigeons!
By
Jen Carlson
Published May 7, 2011
Modified May 7, 2011
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By
Jen Carlson
Published May 7, 2011
Modified May 7, 2011
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In 1919 this truck rolled through the streets of New York City, carrying cooped up pigeons... or as the sign declared: CAPTURED GERMAN WAR PIGEONS. They made their appearance during a parade celebrating Armistice Day and the end of WWI. The pigeons at the time would carry messages, or be equipped with cameras for aerial reconnaissance... and these guys pictured were the enemy. (Do you think their ancestors are flying around New York right now?)
Homing pigeons were used a lot during World War I (the French army had 72 pigeon lofts which advanced with the troops!). The US Army Signal Corps had 600 pigeons in France, one even delivering a crucial message that would save around 200 US soldiers, despite being shot in the wing.
Meanwhile, back here in the future, we're using war dogs to catch terrorists! (And don't forget about all of the other possible war animals out there.)
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flashback
homing pigeons
pigeons
war pigeons
WWI
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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