The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1920-03-18
"CHER ANTS" WAR RECORD.
How Soldier Pigeon Saved the Lost
Battalion

The story OF Cher Ami. the soldier
pigeOn which saved the lost battal-
ion" and is the only bird in the Amer
I ican army which wears the distln-
| guished service cross. having lost its,
left Lee and the plunlage from its
! breast in action. is told by Don c.
Seiz in the June st. Nicholas.
The airmen, with their wonderful
exploits in the sky, who added new
chapters 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
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 Pig
con company No. i. Out Of the 1000
pigeons who were members of his
command, Cher Ami is the most fam
Gus, and he, alone of all, is to wear
the distinguished service cross. Gen.
E. E. Russell, chief signal officer of
the American expeditionary force, has
so recommended, and Gen. John j.
Pershing, the commander in chief,
has indorsed the recommendation.
s'By Gen Pershing's orders, Cher
Ami voyaged from France with all the
honors due him for his great serv-
ices; and these were great indeed, for
it was this undersized pigeon that
saved the famous Lost Battalion,
surrounded and starving for days IN
the Argonne Forrest, it's whereabouts
completely unknown. The signal
sergeant in the battalion commanded
by Major-now Lieut.. Col.-Charles
w. Whitlesy, carried with him on the
advance Cher Ami, who had bee9
carefully trained by Capt. Carney, an
old soldier with liking for homing
pigeons, which he cultivated at Pitts
burg between wars, having served in
Cuba and the PHILIPPINES and China.
He took over this important mess
enger service in France, where, after
a little time spent in studying geogra-
ply Cher Ami 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 feathers still refuse to
grow. Another cut off his leg above
the middle joint But the valiant
homer came in, the message dang
ling from the wounded joint, telling
the peril of his comrades. This made
+ it easy for the airmen to- drop food
and cartridges to Major Whittesey's
men so that they found their way OUT
and made another record in the long
list of deeds credited to American
valor.
ssBy Gen. Pershing's orders, Cher
Ami was billeted to come back first
class passenger on the Ohioan in
Capt. Carney's stateroom! But he
pined for his companions in the pig
con 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,
perhaps"