The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-03-06

messages from the front to headquar
! ters and of these messages 70 were
! listed as urgent and important" The
| record was perfect, every message was
| delivered. War department files are
authority for the statement that mot
single bird failed to return"
I'm the st. Mihiel drive, which fol-
lowed the A1sne-Marne,~ reads an Of
fetal document, 1867 American birds
were available for the use of the
American forces. Many Of these birds
were assigned to the tanks, and al
though their training had been very
brief, and prevailing fog and rain
made flying difficult, 80 important
messages were received. OF the 2O2
birds operating with the tanks "a
were killed in action. OF the other
birds 1884 were assigned to line duty
with the First and Fourth Army corps.
The number Of messages delivered by
these frst-line pigeons is not avail
able, but their work was such as to
call forth the general commentator
of the officers commanding the units
Of these corps.
Ready for Next Action.
ION September 81, following the st.
Mihiel drive, the training of the
pigeons for use In the Argonne- Mouse
offensive was commenced. Because Of
the hurried notice of pending attack,
only five days were available In which
to condition the birds for their work
The number asa1gned for duty was
442, and 400 important messages were
delivered by the pigeon division used
In that offensive. There Is no record
OF single important message going
astray. The casualties among the
pigeons totaled about 10 per cent Of
the number engaged, between 40 and
so. The liaison work performed was
more than satisfying and individual
performances were nothing short Of /,
Pigeons Of the British and French |
armies were just as efficient French |
records state that the service they |
rendered during the struggle about
Verdun was "inestfmable" from the
beginning to the end of that bloody
engagement. The French reports
state that the Verdun pigeons oper-
ated under all conditions-"bombard
nent, machine gun and rifle fire,
smoke and fog"
In the battle Of the Somme from
July 1 to November 80, 1915, the
french pigeon force numbered 1000
birds. On the entire French front the
pigeon force operating In the Somme
md other battles totaled about 5000,
# which 5,1O7 were on first-line duty.
The casualties varied from to 10 per
ent, depending upon the section in
Which the birds operated. The eff
fency of the French pigeons has been :
placed at 90 per cent of the {
lumber that went into action.
The same story of efficiency under 6
ny and all battle conditions is to be
)und in the British reports as well t
S in the records of the birds that Oh
rated with the armies of the former
afser. Among the prisoners of war =
aptured in the st. Mihiel drive was !.
beautiful slate-colored German .
Igeon courier. This bird lived to be-
,me an important member Of the it
merican pigeon army. His death a
as comparatively recent 3.
Experiments prove that information b;
hich is not transmissible by radio,
lch as maps or 10 feet Of moving pic o.
re negative film, can be sent safely o.
ON afrplanes or observation balloons ~
: pigeons. 1t is on record that In -.
ore than one instance pigeons re- Of
ased from aircraft have returned to of
cir stations at q speed of mile a
mute, The French are the pioneers CT
the use of pigeons operating from pi
rplanes and balloons. 1t was the bl
ench who used them in this service al
tn success during the war, one Ia
yeon loft in France reporting that
1916 it received "a pigeon mes &c
ges from airplanes which met dis
ter or We're captured.