The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-06-06

3 ton has engaged is the
szzzz9 stuffed body of a scraggly-
tailed pigeon with one leg shattered
and twisted out of shape, yet it is
mute testimony TO one of the heroic
deeds Of the World war. For this bird
is president Wilson," the most IA
nous carrier pigeon of all that served
with the A. E. f. and hero of innumer-
able long ana dangerous flights during
IT, World war.
Pehaps the greatest of this small
winged soldiers deeds Of devotion oc-
Cured during the terrific fighting in
the Meuse Argonne. 1t was certainly
the most costly. for it was here bull
let plowed into the birds fluffy breast.
Another tore away part of its leg. But
through it all president Wilson"
few on.
1t began at Grand Pre-. On the
morning of November 5, 1918, advance
to find their communication lines dead.
Radio failed, too, because of the over
crowded air. At Rampont, % miles
away, was headquarters where staff
officers anxiously awaited word from
Grand Pre-. Between the two points
lay an inferno Of fire and smoke, shot
and shell. But there was no other
way. The all-important message was
intrusted to president Wilson" which
was soon winging its way toward
Rampont.
twenty-five minutes later the pant
ing bird fluttered down in front of
headquarters at Rampont, the mes
sage. intact, dangling from the torn
ligaments of its wounded leg. Like
many a human warrior president
Wilson" had been safely through the
fighting from the start only to meet
mishap with the armistice almost at
hand.
That was the faithful little flyers
last time under fire. Nursed back to
recovery president Wilson" for the
past eleven years has been an active
member Of the army pigeon loft at
Fort Monmouth, n. j., giving the
younger birds valuable pointers in the
art of message bearing under war con-
ditions. Death came quietly to the
famous bird while asleep recently and
the army decided to have the body
stuffed and mounted. An officer of
the signal corps accompanied it to the
Smithsonian institution where it is
now enshrined.
oh hn nf
president Wilson" Army records in
dictate the bird was born in France
and purchased by the American troops.
3 It's first war service was with the
: tank corps In the early American
!. drives.
Many are the accounts of long and
dangerous flights that are scattered
through signal corps archives, but
president Wilson's" fame is most
securely tied up with the American
operations at st. Mihiel and the Meuse
Argonne. A. E. F. reports described
the bird as ga black check cock"
They cite that president Wilson," a
powerful bird, possessed in addition
to its wonderful sense of devotion to
duty powerful frame, logged endur-
ance, and marvellous vitality which
carried it through so many dangerous
and exhausting trips.
But even though "Taps" have sound
ed for this hero bird, there are still
living others of his tribe whose rec
ords are nearly as remarkable. Visit
Mon
and Long Branch, n. j., today and
you can see some of them. Fort Mon
mouth is the only army post in the
United States occupied exclusively by
the signal corps of the army and one
of the important parts of its labora-
the army the latest and most reliable
signal communication are the homing
pigeon breeding and training lofts.
Here you will see most of the IA
nous war birds which rendered such
valiant service with the signal corps
in France, among them those two vet
Grams, Spike" and "Mocker," almost
as renowned as president Wilson,"
Here also you will see number of
captured German birds, but perhaps
most interesting of all are the various
pigeons which played an important
role in the operations of the famous
Lost Battalion"
The story of the Lost Battalion" is
so familiar to most Americans that it
needs no retelling-even though the
name is a misnomer and most Amer
leans therefore have a wrong idea
about it. For Major Whittlesey's out
fit never was really "lost"-it was "cut
off" or ''beleaguered." But be that as
ii may. the fact remains that had 1t
not been for seven carrier pigeons,
which the commander of that devoted
band sent out from time to time. Ma
jor Whittlesey could not have sent
word of his location back to his SUI
perior officers. they could not have