The handsome squab pictured at right is none other than Burma Queen, a charter member of the Army Pigeons Hall of Fame (PDF). Back in 1944, this brave pigeon helped save an entire battalion of Allied troops, by racing 320 miles with a key SOS message. She was only five months old at the time—not sure how that translates into pigeon years, but the Hall of Fame committee seemed impressed by BQ’s precociousness.
Strangely, though the Army Pigeons Hall of Fame has seen fit to induct such luminaries as Jungle Joe and Blackie Halligan, the great Cher Ami does not yet seem to have been honored. That’s what you get for doing your deeds during World War I, I reckon.
Learn more about Army pigeons by checking out Al Croseri’s documentary The Pigeoneers. It’ll change the way you think about those mangy featherballs.
Daytona for Squabs // Apr 27, 2009 at 11:15 am
[…] See the video above for an update from the Mercedes Classic loft, where more than 500 pigeons are currently cooling their heels. Or check out the live webcams here. And Microkhan previously delved into pigeon history, by recounting the brave WWII-era work of Burma Queen. […]
Ell // Apr 27, 2009 at 9:35 pm
The ABC screened War of The Birds a while back – wonderful stuff – noble and brave those little birds were. It’s a great doco.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/netw/200712/programs/ZY8444A001D4122007T203500.htm