The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-17
CHER AMI, SOLDIER
BIRD, COMES HOME
Pigeon With Remarkable War
Record. and Valor Cross
: Arrives on Transport.
SAVED WHITTLESEY'S MEN
- ---
Gallant DIST Division, After
Fine Work in Belgium,
Also Arrives.
SAVED WHITTLESEY'S MEN

A soldier bird that is a bird OF SOL
der came In yesterday from the battle
fields Of France on the transport Ohioan
Cher Ami Is her name. and that she
proved herself truly a dear friend Of
liberty is attested by the circumstances
that she left leg in the Argonne that
across her dauntless breast there is a
chastity scar that marks the trail OF n
German bullet that spilled her blood but
failed to chill her spirit, and that she
wears the symbol Of her homeland's
gratitude for her brave and able service
the Distinguished Service Cross con-
ferred upon her by Gen. Pershing him
self.
Cher Ami is a pigeon, and she It was
who winged her way from a cote on the
back OF a doughboy in our own Major
Whittlesey's "lost battalion" bearing the
precious message that informed the
Americans of the plight OF their COM
patriots; thus setting in motion those
relief measures that saved the battalion
from probable determination.
The Pigeon Division was commanded by
Capt John L. Carney. formerly a news
paper man of Pittsburg. veteran of the
Spanish-American war and an enthusi-
astic breeder of carrier pigeons. who
Views the accomplishments of his feath-
cred scouts as the most romantic of the
great conflict.
Worked Over Front Lines.
The Pigeon Division was assigned to
General Headquarters, commanded by
Gen. E. Russell. signal officer OF Gen.
Pershing's staff. The chief work Of
Capt. Carney. ably seconded by Cher
Ami. was to get the cotes to the front
line trenches SO the birds might have
short flights and incidentally become
used to the roar Of war. 1t took five or
elk days for them to settle in their new
places. which shows what a nerve they
have and how intellectual they are, even
II they do not brag about it. They did
their duty, as the big list of missing
shows, but no one did larger share
than Cher Ami
Cher Ami went out altogether nine
times. and the last flight. made under
mighty eruptions Of shell and everything
else that erupts between on the firing
lines, was on November /, ten days be-
fore the armistce. She brought an i'm
portant message to headquarters at
Rembrandt She was pretty we'll all in
with the lower half OF her message leg
gone. but the message still clinging to It,
and her breast SCARED by the rifieman's
bullet. She was breveted, metaphor
fcally, Major-Gen. Cher Ami, and the
best in the house was thereafter not too
good for her.
She was introduced to Gen. Pershing,
who stroked her neck and almost red
white and-blue body. and told Capt.
Carney to feed her up and take great
care OF her otherwise and to be sure to
take her to Washington and just let
her do as she pleased until the bugle
sounded ushering her into the skies of
the Immortals that have wings to uti-
lie the same.
Gen. Russell set a precedent when he
recommended the bestowal of the d. S.
@. on Cher Ami, but who cares for the
invention OF presidents. particularly
when they are sanctioned by the Com
mander-in-C Chief in the Field
Altogether 1000 American birds were
taken abroad. and their talent, not to
say genius, was of 80 high an order
that Belgium and France and England
insisted that they should have some of
the same stock. That is why they left
some of the Star Spangled Banner birds
on the other side-just to improve the
breed.
There were other voyagers by the
Ohioan who got decorations but they
said they felt as II they would be do
ing an ungallant thing to mention their
own exploits In connection with those
Of the Wonderful Pigeon. the Dove Of
War.
The Calamares. which berthed in
and several detachments of tho Ninety
First Division, all under command of
Major-Gen. w. II. Johnston. a regular
army OFFICER who went out as a Briga-
der. He said the casualties of the
Division had not been large considering
what they had accomplished The great
difficulty was keeping the convalescent
wounded men in hospita. from rejoning
their commands.
Fought in Belgium.
After fighting In the Argonne the
Ninety-frst battled in Belgium under
her King. At Iraest a thousand men
stole from the hospitals, got into box
cars and got back to their companies
and Joined the fighters in the Argonne.
Gen. Johnston has written letters to the
Governors OF eight Northwestern States
contributing most OF the strength of the
division. telling what the boys did. Five
men OF the division have received the
Congressional Medal OF Honor $50 off,
GERS and men have won the Distin-
guished Service Cross, 1o1 have the
French Croix de Guerre and $50 the Bel
gian Cross of War. Also the Ninety
first captured 500 pieces of heavy artil-
lery and 500 machine guns,
Company l OF the 316th Engineers ar
irving by the Calamares. told OF the gal
lantry Of Capt. John II. Lavell of Salt
Lake City. who with twelve men occu-
pied on November the Belgian town OF
Oudenarde. which the British. they say.
declared they had captured. The facts
of the case, they say. are that their
bakers dozen. after house to house Tight
ing two days. killed fourteen Germans
and captured thirty-fve. and that the
British were never nearer than ten miles
before the town was taken by the Amer
Jeans. Every man of the squad received
the Distinguished Service Cross
Chauffeur Gets Plane.
Private ]. II. La Rue OF Santa Clara,
Cal. n chauffeur had to take Colonel
and Major from Il point on the front on
September 20. where they had been
looking at an air battle in which $50
planes were engaged. to another point
back of the lines
One Of the German planes decided to
leave the hght and knock out the Colo
mel and the Major. likewise Private La
Rue. The daring German swooped down
II