Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-06-10
"cHER AMPS" WAR RECORD.
How Soldier Pigeon Saved the Lost
Battalion.

Battalion.
The story of Cher Ami, the soidler
nigeon which saved "the lost battal-
ion" and is the only bird in the Amer
lean army which wears the distln-
suished service cross. having lost its
left leg and the plumase from its
breast in action. Is told by Don {.
Seiz in the June ST. Nicholas.
"The airmen, with their wonderful
exploits in the sky, who added new
cha piers to the tales of war in the
great world conflict will have broth
er in the hall of fame who belongs TO
the really and truly feathered tribe
a blue-grey and white carrier pigeon,
named, lovingly Cher Ami-'dear
friend'-by his comrades of the earth
This little messenger came safe to New
York, April 16, 1919, on the transport
Ohioan, under the tender care of Capt
John L. Carney of Pigeon Company
No. /. Out of the 1000 pigeons who
were members of his command, Cher
Ami Is the most famous. and he, alone
of all, is to wear the distinguished
service cross. Gen. E. E. Russell, chief
signal officer of the American expe-
dictionary force, has so recommended
and Gen. John ]. Pershing, the COM
mander- in chief, has indorsed the re-
commentator.
"By Gen. Pershings orders, Cher
Ami yoyaged from France with all the
honors due him for his great serv-
icer; and these were great indeed, for
it was this understood pigeon that
saved the famous Lost Battalion sur
rounded and starving for days in the
Argonne Forest, its whereabouts COM
pletely unknown. The signal sergeant
in the battalion commanded by Major
now Lieut.. Col.-Charles w. Whit
tlesey, carried with him on the ad-
vance Cher Ami, who had been care
fully trained by Capt. Carney, an old
soldiers with liking for homing pig
cons, which he cultivated at Pittsburg
between wars, having served In Cuba
and the PHILIPPINES and China. He took
over this important messenger service
in France, where, after little time
spent in studying geography CherAmi
went on active duty.
I'm the Argonne this was lively
enough. The rough. wooded territory
afforded many hiding places for Ger
man sharp shooters, always on the
lookout for carrier pigeons. So when
the beleaguered battalion found itself
cut off and without food, a message
was tied to the birds left leg, close
up under the feathers, Cher Ami could
not escape the keen eyes Of the sharp
shooters. He was often fired at One
bullet burned the plumage from his
breast, where there is wide scar over
which the weathers still refuse to grow.
Another cut on his leg above the mid
die joint. But the valiant homer came
in, the message dangling from the
wounded joint, telling the peril Of his
comrades. This made it easy for the air.
men to drop food and cartridges to Ma
jor Whittlesey's men so that they
found their way out and made another
record in the long list Of deeds crredi-
ted to American valor.
"By Gen. Pershing's orders, Cher
Ami was billeted to come back a first
class passenger on the Ohioan in Capt.
Carney's stateroom! but he pined for
his companions in the pigeon coop.
and was returned to their society.
He had for fellow voyagers 100
captured German birds, who are to be
given the benefit Of free institutions
Cher Ami is to spend the rest of his
days in comfort as a member Of the
signal service in Washington, where he
is to have the best of everything and
be an example to the squads as they
grow up. What tales he will be able
to tell them-in pigeon English, per-
haps!"