With the July Fourth Just days away I decided to post about Dogs and other animals used in War time.
Dogs Of War
Someone once wrote that dogs have been used in the field of battle "almost since the beginning of wars, which date is only a few days later than the beginning of time".
Assyrian temple carvings depict great dogs straining at their leads during battle; ferocious dogs were at the siege of Corinth. During the Middle Ages, dogs dressed in coats of mail fought alongside men and by World War I, France was using dogs in action on a more sophisticated scale than ever before, training them to search for wounded men.
Other nations followed France's lead. The British used dogs as messengers; the Italians, to deliver food to mountainous regions; and, by 1915, the Germans six thousand war dogs had rescued more than four thousand wounded men. From 1914 to 1918 more than seven thousand dogs were killed in action.
The United States began training dogs for combat shortly after Pearl Harbor. A civilian volunteer group called Dogs for Defense set up a reception and training center in Fort Royal, Virginia. This group was later to be come officially recognized by the military when it was incorporated into the Quartermaster Corps as the unofficially named "K-9 Corps." At the height of World War II more than ten thousand dogs from the United States, plus thousands of Red Cross dogs from many nations were in action and the history of courageous service and unstinting valor by dogs in battle continued through the war in Vietnam.
Before being sent overseas, dogs were stationed in army camps where they received an intensive twelve-week training period, usually as sentry and patrol "soldiers." Out of the thousands who were "signed up" for duty, seven breeds were found to be most suitable - Belgian shepherds, German shepherds, collies, Airedales, Dobermans, giant schnauzers and Rottweilers.
The Dicken Medal was instituted in 1943 to honor the work of animals in war recognized for their outstanding acts of bravery and devotion to duty. Recognized worldwide as the animals' Victoria Cross, the medal was awarded 54 times between 1943 and 1949, to 32 pigeons, 18 dogs, three horses and a cat, to acknowledge actions during WWII.
Famous War Dogs
Dogs of World War I
One of the most famous dogs of all time is Rin Tin Tin. He was the puppy of German war dogs, found in Lorraine, France on 15 September 1918 by Captain Lee Duncan, in an abandoned German war dog station. After the war, Duncan developed Rin Tin Tin, or "Rinty" into the first animal actor to achieve wide public acclaim. He made his film debut in 1922 starring in the silent film "The Man from Hell's River." For the next 10 years he was one of the top stars of Warner Bros. and his descendants kept the film dynasty going for many decades. At the time Rin Tin Tin came to the U.S. the German Shepherd breed was not well known, but now it is one of the most popular breeds and dominates the field of Military Working Dogs.
One of the most decorated dogs of World War I, or any war, was Stubby a Pitbull Mix
Dogs of World War II
Gen. Patton's dog Willie
Chips, Hero of the K-9 Corps
Smoky, the Yorkie Doodle Dandy
Smoky (c. 1943 – 21 February 1957), a Yorkshire Terrier, was a famous war dog who served in World War II. She weighed only 4 pounds (1.8 kg) and stood 7 inches (180 mm) tall.
In February 1944, Smoky was found by an American soldier in an abandoned foxhole in the New Guinea jungle. She was already a young adult Yorkie (fully grown). The soldiers initially thought the small dog belonged to the Japanese, but after taking her to a nearby prisoner-of-war camp they realized she did not understand commands in Japanese or English. Another GI then sold Smoky to Corporal William A. Wynne of Cleveland, Ohio, for two Australian pounds (equal to $6.44 at that time)—the price paid to the seller so he could return to his poker game.
For the next two years, Smoky back-packed through the rest of the war and accompanied Wynne on combat flights in the Pacific. She faced adverse circumstances, living in the New Guinea jungle and Rock Islands, suffering the primitive conditions of tents in equatorial heat and humidity.
Throughout her service, Smoky slept in Wynne's tent on a blanket made from a green felt card table cover; she shared Wynne's C-rations and an occasional can of Spam. Unlike the “official” war dogs of World War II, Smoky had neither medical care nor a balanced diet formulated especially for dogs. In spite of this, Smoky was never ill. She even ran on coral for four months without developing any of the paw ailments that plagued some war dogs.
Smoky Served in the South Pacific with the 5th Air Force, 26th Photo Recon Squadron [and] flew 12 air/sea rescue and photo reconnaissance missions. On those flights, Smoky spent long hours dangling in a soldier's pack near machine guns used to ward off enemy fighters. Smoky was credited with twelve combat missions and awarded eight battle stars.She survived 150 air raids on New Guinea and made it through a typhoon at Okinawa. Smoky even parachuted from 30 feet (9.1 m) in the air, out of a tree, using a parachute made just for her.
Wynne credited Smoky with saving his life by warning him of incoming shells on an LST (transport ship), calling her an "angel from a foxhole." As the ship deck was booming and vibrating from anti-aircraft gunnery, Smoky guided Wynne to duck the fire that hit 8 men standing next to them.
Vietnam Dog Heroes
Kaiser was the first Marine Scout Dog Killed in action in the Republic of Vietnam, 6 July 1966. He was with D Company, First Marines, 3d Marine Divison. Lance Corporal Alfredo Salazar was his handler.
Kelly served and died in Vietnam in 1971. As a loyal and dedicated member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, 39th Scout Dog Platoon, U.S. Army, Kelly saved many soldiers from injury and death before he was lost.
Nemo A534 was initially trained as a USAF sentry dog working at a CONUS Strategic Air Command base, but was transferred to Vietnam in 1966. On 4 December 1966 Tan Son Nhut Air Base was attacked by a large force of Viet Cong commando raiders some of whom evaded detection and remained on base into the next night when his handler Airman Robert A. Thorneburg and Nemo were posted. Nemo detected the lurking VC, alerted and was released to attack. Both Thorneburg and Nemo were wounded, but not before killing at least one VC. Despite his injuries, including loss of an eye, Nemo was credited with saving his handler's life and preventing further destruction of life and property. On 23 June 1967, Nemo was returned to the United States as the first sentry dog officially retired from active service. His permanent retirement kennel was located at the Department of Defense Dog Center, Lackland AFB, Texas until his death from natural causes in December 1972.
Desert Storm and Recent Conflicts
Military Working Dogs continue to serve with U.S. forces. In 2004, an Iraqi born German Shepherd named Fluffy was rehabilitated and trained by a U.S. soldier in Iraq and then allowed to come home with him to retire.
After September 11th
Sirius was the only dog to lose his life in the harrowing search and rescure work following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Sirius, who was attached to the Port Authority Police Department
Someone once wrote that dogs have been used in the field of battle "almost since the beginning of wars, which date is only a few days later than the beginning of time".
Assyrian temple carvings depict great dogs straining at their leads during battle; ferocious dogs were at the siege of Corinth. During the Middle Ages, dogs dressed in coats of mail fought alongside men and by World War I, France was using dogs in action on a more sophisticated scale than ever before, training them to search for wounded men.
Other nations followed France's lead. The British used dogs as messengers; the Italians, to deliver food to mountainous regions; and, by 1915, the Germans six thousand war dogs had rescued more than four thousand wounded men. From 1914 to 1918 more than seven thousand dogs were killed in action.
The United States began training dogs for combat shortly after Pearl Harbor. A civilian volunteer group called Dogs for Defense set up a reception and training center in Fort Royal, Virginia. This group was later to be come officially recognized by the military when it was incorporated into the Quartermaster Corps as the unofficially named "K-9 Corps." At the height of World War II more than ten thousand dogs from the United States, plus thousands of Red Cross dogs from many nations were in action and the history of courageous service and unstinting valor by dogs in battle continued through the war in Vietnam.
Before being sent overseas, dogs were stationed in army camps where they received an intensive twelve-week training period, usually as sentry and patrol "soldiers." Out of the thousands who were "signed up" for duty, seven breeds were found to be most suitable - Belgian shepherds, German shepherds, collies, Airedales, Dobermans, giant schnauzers and Rottweilers.
The Dicken Medal was instituted in 1943 to honor the work of animals in war recognized for their outstanding acts of bravery and devotion to duty. Recognized worldwide as the animals' Victoria Cross, the medal was awarded 54 times between 1943 and 1949, to 32 pigeons, 18 dogs, three horses and a cat, to acknowledge actions during WWII.
Famous War Dogs
Dogs of World War I
One of the most famous dogs of all time is Rin Tin Tin. He was the puppy of German war dogs, found in Lorraine, France on 15 September 1918 by Captain Lee Duncan, in an abandoned German war dog station. After the war, Duncan developed Rin Tin Tin, or "Rinty" into the first animal actor to achieve wide public acclaim. He made his film debut in 1922 starring in the silent film "The Man from Hell's River." For the next 10 years he was one of the top stars of Warner Bros. and his descendants kept the film dynasty going for many decades. At the time Rin Tin Tin came to the U.S. the German Shepherd breed was not well known, but now it is one of the most popular breeds and dominates the field of Military Working Dogs.
One of the most decorated dogs of World War I, or any war, was Stubby a Pitbull Mix
Dogs of World War II
Gen. Patton's dog Willie
Chips, Hero of the K-9 Corps
Smoky, the Yorkie Doodle Dandy
Smoky (c. 1943 – 21 February 1957), a Yorkshire Terrier, was a famous war dog who served in World War II. She weighed only 4 pounds (1.8 kg) and stood 7 inches (180 mm) tall.
In February 1944, Smoky was found by an American soldier in an abandoned foxhole in the New Guinea jungle. She was already a young adult Yorkie (fully grown). The soldiers initially thought the small dog belonged to the Japanese, but after taking her to a nearby prisoner-of-war camp they realized she did not understand commands in Japanese or English. Another GI then sold Smoky to Corporal William A. Wynne of Cleveland, Ohio, for two Australian pounds (equal to $6.44 at that time)—the price paid to the seller so he could return to his poker game.
For the next two years, Smoky back-packed through the rest of the war and accompanied Wynne on combat flights in the Pacific. She faced adverse circumstances, living in the New Guinea jungle and Rock Islands, suffering the primitive conditions of tents in equatorial heat and humidity.
Throughout her service, Smoky slept in Wynne's tent on a blanket made from a green felt card table cover; she shared Wynne's C-rations and an occasional can of Spam. Unlike the “official” war dogs of World War II, Smoky had neither medical care nor a balanced diet formulated especially for dogs. In spite of this, Smoky was never ill. She even ran on coral for four months without developing any of the paw ailments that plagued some war dogs.
Smoky Served in the South Pacific with the 5th Air Force, 26th Photo Recon Squadron [and] flew 12 air/sea rescue and photo reconnaissance missions. On those flights, Smoky spent long hours dangling in a soldier's pack near machine guns used to ward off enemy fighters. Smoky was credited with twelve combat missions and awarded eight battle stars.She survived 150 air raids on New Guinea and made it through a typhoon at Okinawa. Smoky even parachuted from 30 feet (9.1 m) in the air, out of a tree, using a parachute made just for her.
Wynne credited Smoky with saving his life by warning him of incoming shells on an LST (transport ship), calling her an "angel from a foxhole." As the ship deck was booming and vibrating from anti-aircraft gunnery, Smoky guided Wynne to duck the fire that hit 8 men standing next to them.
Vietnam Dog Heroes
Kaiser was the first Marine Scout Dog Killed in action in the Republic of Vietnam, 6 July 1966. He was with D Company, First Marines, 3d Marine Divison. Lance Corporal Alfredo Salazar was his handler.
Kelly served and died in Vietnam in 1971. As a loyal and dedicated member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, 39th Scout Dog Platoon, U.S. Army, Kelly saved many soldiers from injury and death before he was lost.
Nemo A534 was initially trained as a USAF sentry dog working at a CONUS Strategic Air Command base, but was transferred to Vietnam in 1966. On 4 December 1966 Tan Son Nhut Air Base was attacked by a large force of Viet Cong commando raiders some of whom evaded detection and remained on base into the next night when his handler Airman Robert A. Thorneburg and Nemo were posted. Nemo detected the lurking VC, alerted and was released to attack. Both Thorneburg and Nemo were wounded, but not before killing at least one VC. Despite his injuries, including loss of an eye, Nemo was credited with saving his handler's life and preventing further destruction of life and property. On 23 June 1967, Nemo was returned to the United States as the first sentry dog officially retired from active service. His permanent retirement kennel was located at the Department of Defense Dog Center, Lackland AFB, Texas until his death from natural causes in December 1972.
Desert Storm and Recent Conflicts
Military Working Dogs continue to serve with U.S. forces. In 2004, an Iraqi born German Shepherd named Fluffy was rehabilitated and trained by a U.S. soldier in Iraq and then allowed to come home with him to retire.
After September 11th
Sirius was the only dog to lose his life in the harrowing search and rescure work following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Sirius, who was attached to the Port Authority Police Department
War dogs
Bamse, a Saint Bernard, was a symbol of the Free Norwegian Forces in World War II.
Chesty, one of a family of bulldogs, serving as the official mascot of Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. These dogs are actually enlisted in the US Marine Corps, most attaining the rank of corporal.
Chips was a hero wardog of World War II.
Gander, a Newfoundland, was posthumously awarded the Dicken Medal for his feats during the Battle of Hong Kong in World War II.
Gunner, Canine air-raid early warning system during the bombing of Darwin in WWII.
Horrie the Wog Dog, found in Egypt by Australian Forces in 1942 during World War II, saved the lives of many Australian soldiers. Horrie was refused admission back to Australia after service in Europe; he was saved by his mates smuggling him to his new home in Australia.
Judy, a ship's dog who served with the Royal Navy, was the only animal to have been officially registered as a Japanese prisoner of war. She was awarded the Dickin Medal in 1946.
Just Nuisance, the only dog to have been officially enlisted in the Royal Navy, was buried with full military honors upon his death in 1944.
Lava, a mixed breed dog, was adopted as a puppy by the 1st Battalion 3rd Marines Unit nicknamed the Lava Dogs. He was rescued from Iraq in 2005 by Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman. Lava is the subject of the book From Baghdad, With Love by Kopelman and Melinda Roth.
Lex, the first actively working Military Working Dog to be adopted by family members of its handler, prior to being retired.
Moustache (dog), said to have participated in several battles of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
Nemo A534, a German Shepherd Dog who saved the life of his handler in battle despite having been shot in the nose and losing an eye.
(Name Edited)A black Labrador Retriever belonging to Guy Gibson, gave his name as the codename for the Dam Busters mission in World War II. His name is usually edited out of modern versions of the film about the mission.
Rags, a Signal Corps mascot during World War I.
Rip, a Second World War search and rescue dog.
Sabi, an Australian special forces explosives detection dog that spent almost 14 months missing in action (MIA) in Afghanistan before being recovered in 2009.
Sergeant Stubby, the most decorated American war dog in US Military history, served during World War I. He was also a mascot at Georgetown University.
Sinbad and crew, 1943 Sinbad, the Coast Guard's most famous mascot. He was adopted by a crewman from the cutter Campbell prior to World War II. He was so beloved by the crew that they actually enlisted him in the Coast Guard. Sinbad had a book written about him.
Smoky, hero war dog of World War II, was a Yorkshire Terrier who served with the 5th Air Force in the Pacific after she was adopted by Corporal William Wynne. Smoky was credited with twelve combat missions and awarded eight battle stars. Wynne authored a book about his adventures with Smoky entitled Yorkie Doodle Dandy: Or, the Other Woman Was a Real Dog.
Military animals are non-human creatures that have been employed for use in warfare. They can be used as working animals to aid in combat related applications or weaponized. Domesticated animals such as dogs, pigs, oxen, camels and horses have been used for functions such as transport and bomb detection. Elephants, pigeons and rats have also been used during wartime, and the use of dolphins has been studied.
For transport and hauling
The horse has been the most widely-used animal throughout the recorded history of warfare. Early mounts could be used to pull a chariot or to carry lightly armored skirmishing forces. With the appearance of heavier mounts and the invention of the stirrup, the horse-mounted cavalry became the most prestigious military arm in Europe for several centuries. A knight's warhorse was trained to bite and kick. The combination of the horse-mounted warrior armed with a bow made the steppe people's armies the most powerful military force in Asian history. With the appearance of modern ranged weapons and motorised vehicles, the use of the horse for military purposes fell into decline. However, the horse and the mule are still used extensively by various armies today for transport in difficult terrain.
While elephants are not considered domesticable, they can be trained to serve as mounts, or for moving heavy loads. Sanskrit hymns record their use for military purposes as early as 1,100 B.C. A group of elephants was notably employed by Hannibal during the Second Punic War. They were employed as recently as World War II by both the Japanese and Allies. Elephants could perform the work of machines in locations where vehicles could not penetrate, so they found use in the Burma Campaign
Camels have typically seen use as mounts in arid regions (Camel cavalry). They are better able to traverse sandy deserts than horses, and require far less water. Camels were employed in both world wars. Camels are used by the Indian Army & Border Security Force for patrolling in the desert regions of Rajasthan.
Mules were used by the U.S. Army during World War II to carry supplies and equipment over difficult terrain. Pack animals that are innately patient, cautious, and hardy, mules could carry heavy loads of supplies where Jeeps and even pack horses could not travel. Mules were used in North Africa, Burma, and in Italy. They are also used for transporting supplies in mountainous regions.
Oxen have been used widely in war as beasts of burden, especially to transport heavy or siege artillery through heavy terrain
As weapons
Dogs were used by the ancient Greeks for war purposes, and they were undoubtedly used much earlier in history. During their conquest of Latin America, Spanish conquistadors used Mastiffs to kill warriors in the Caribbean, Mexico and Peru. Mastiffs, as well as Great Danes, were used in England during the Middle Ages, where their large size was used to scare horses to throw off their riders or to pounce on knights on horseback, disabling them until their master delivered the final blow. More recently, canines with explosives strapped to their backs saw use during World War II in the Soviet Army as anti-tank weapons. In all armies, they were used for detecting mines. They were trained to spot trip wires, as well as mines and other booby traps. They were also employed for sentry duty, and to spot snipers or hidden enemy forces. Some dogs also saw use as messengers.
Pliny the Elder wrote about the use of war pigs against elephants. As he relates it, elephants became scared by the squeal of a pig and would panic, bringing disaster to any soldiers who stood in their path of flight.
It is unsubstantiated that rhinoceros were used for war functions. Analyzing Albrecht Dürer's famous 1515 woodcut, it is possible that the liberties taken with the rhino's design were in fact designs for a suit of armour created for the rhinoceros's fight against an elephant in Portugal.[6] However, rhinos' apparent "thick" or "plated" skin is actually very sensitive and the animals have poor eyesight, limiting their ability to run in any particular direction. Their tendency to charge anything within 10 feet would make them impractical for domestication.
War Elephants were used by India, Burma, Persians, the Hellenistic kingdoms, Carthage, the Numidian Kingdoms, and Rome.
As living bombs
Anti-tank dogs - a Soviet, World War II weapon that had mixed success.
Project Pigeon - a proposed U.S. World War II weapon that used pigeons to guide bombs.
Bat bomb, a U.S. project that used Mexican Free-tailed Bats to carry small incendiary bombs.
According to Pr. Shi Bo, in "Trente-six Stratagèmes Chinois" monkeys were used in the beginning of the Southern Song Dynasty, in a battle between rebels of the Yanzhou province and the Chinese Imperial Army, led by Zhao Yu. The monkeys were used as live incendiary devices. The animals were clothed with straw, dipped in oil and set on fire. They were set loose into the enemy's camp, thereby setting the tents on fire, and driving the whole camp into chaos.
Animal-borne bombs have been used by modern terrorists and insurgents in the Middle East, who have affixed explosives to animals, sometimes left wandering alone, and other times ridden by suicide bombers, in modern insurgent attacks in the Middle East.
A fictional example is in The Day Today, which featured an item on the IRA using bomb dogs (dogs as living bombs set loose on unsuspecting streets).
To conceal explosive devices
Dead rats were prepared for use by the British Special Operations Executive in World War II against Germany. Rat carcasses were filled with plastic explosives, to be left in locations such as factories where, it was hoped, the stoker tending a boiler would likely dispose of the unpleasant discovery by shoveling it into the furnace, causing it to explode. The rats contained only a small amount of explosive; however, a puncture of a high-pressure boiler could trigger a devastating boiler explosion.
Animal carcasses have been used to camouflage roadside improvised explosive devices during the Iraqi insurgency.
In Communications
Homing pigeons have seen use since medieval times for carrying messages. They were still employed for a similar purpose during World War I and World War II. In World War II, experiments were also performed in the use of the pigeon for guiding missiles, known as Project Pigeon. The pigeon was placed inside so that they could see out through a window. They were trained to peck at controls to the left or right, depending on the location of a target shape.
For morale
There is a long-standing tradition of Military mascots - animals associated with military units that act as emblems, pets or take part in ceremonies
Famous Horses of the Civil War
Many a fighting man had one or more favorite mounts, entitled to bountiful corn and fodder, careful grooming, and a name of its own. One clause in the surrender terms at Appomattox in 1865 puzzled some people: every Confederate cavalryman was entitled to take his horse home with him. This provision, insisted on by Lee, was accepted by Grant when he was told that once they returned to civilian life, former soldiers wouldn't be able to plant spring crops without their war horses.
The following are some of the Confederates and the horses they rode into battle and into history:
Belle Boyd - Fleeter - was ridden by this famous Confederate spy.
Maj. Gen. William B. Bate - Black Hawk - was ridden by this general.
Maj. Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne - Dixie- this battle steed was killed at Perryville while being ridden by General Cleburne.
Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell - Rifle - a much cherished steed.
Nathan Bedford Forrest - King Philip - possibly the favorite horse of Forrest, who also owned and rode Roderick and Highlander.
Capt. W I. Rasin.- Beauregard - who survived until 1883, was ridden to Appomattox by Rasin.
Stonewall Jackson - Old Sorrel - formerly a Union officer's mount, was acquired by Jackson at Harpers Ferry when she was about eleven years old. Because the mare was so small that Jackson's feet nearly dragged the ground, she was often known as Little Sorrel. Little Sorrel Lane in Somers, Connecticut, commemorates the animal Jackson was riding when he was mortally wounded.
Brig. Gen. Adam R. Johnson - Joe Smith - was ridden by the general.
Gen. Albert S. Johnston - Fire-eater - a splendid bay Thoroughbred ridden by Johnston when he was killed at Shiloh.
Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee - Nellie Gray - this mare was numbered among the dead at Opequon.
Gen. Robert E. Lee - Traveller - by all odds this best-known horse of the war was Lee's favorite. Earlier he owned and rode Richmond, Brown-Roan, Lucy Long, and Ajax. Traveller is the purported author of a ghost-written volume that depicts the Civil War as seen through equine eyes.
Col. E G. Skinner - Old Fox - ridden by this Col of the First Virginia Infantry.
Maj. Gen. Jeb Stuart - Virginia - credited with having prevented the capture of by jumping an enormous ditch. In addition to the mare, Stuart frequently rode Highfly.
M. Jeff Thompson - Sardanapalus - favorite mount of this partisan of Missouri.
Union officers were as dependent on their horses as were their opponents. Had neither side been provided with mounts, the war might have fizzled out in about ninety days.
The following is the Union side and the horses that helped them make history.
"Mother" Bickerdyke - Old Whitey - the usual mount of Bickerdyke, who was among the most famous of female nurses.
Maj. Gen. Benjamin E Butler - Almond Eye - the steed ridden by Benjamin "The Beast".
Brig. Gen. Kenner Garrard - Nellie - The favorite mare of the general.
Lt. Gen. U. S. Grant - Cincinnati - presented to Grant in 1864 and immediately identified as his favorite horse. When Colonel Grant rode into Springfield, Illinois, in 1861, he was astride a white horse named Methuselah. Grant first rode into battle on the back of Rondy and during the war also used Fox, Jack, Jeff Davis, and Kangaroo.
Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker - Lookout - acquired at Chattanooga and named for a battle of that campaign, stood seventeen hands high and was cherished by Hooker.
Maj. Gen. Philip Kearny - Moscow - a white horse used in battle by Kearny against the advice of his colleagues may have been his favorite. Because the big horse was an inviting target, Kearny switched to a bay named Decatur and then to Bayard, whose color was light brown.
Maj. Gen. John A. Logan - Slasher - ridden into battle by Logan and depicted by an artist as dashing along a line of battle with all four feet off the ground.
Col. John McArthur - Boomerang - named for his tendency to move backward, was owned by this Col. of the Twelfth Illinois Regiment.
Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan - Kentuck - may have been the favorite mount of McClellan. In addition, McClellan rode a black horse named Bums.
Brig. Gen. George G. Meade - Baldy - wounded at First Bull Run and at Antietam, this horse later took Meade to Gettysburg and a promotion. Philadelphia's Old Baldy Civil War Round Table helps to commemorate the memory of the horse.
Col. Philip Sheridan - Aldebaron - an early mount of Sheridan, gave way to a gelding named Rienzi. After taking him on his famous ride to Winchester, the name of the animal was changed to that of the town. Winchester (or Rienzi) was so revered that when he died, his stuffed body was presented to the Smithsonian Institution.
William T. Sherman - Lexington - possibly the favorite of Sherman, who also rode Dolly and Sam.
Maj. Gen. George Thomas - Billy - named for Sherman, this was the bay war horse of Thomas.
Famous War Pigeons
KENLEY LASS was dropped into France with an agent codenamed Phillippe who was parachuted behind enemy lines. In October 1040 Kenley Lass flew back to her loft, the first successful receipt of secret communications from an agent working in occupied Europe. She received her Dicken Medal in March 1945.
MARY OF EXETER, the pigeon that just wouldn't give up.
Also a recipient of the Dickens Medal, she served for five years during the Second World War until 1945, dropped prepeatedly into France and then returning to England. Mary was enlisted in the EXETER GROUP on the National Pigeon Service lines of defensive communication.
Four times she was injured, but each time she recovered to deliver her messages. The first time she was shot. The second time, when she didn't return, they assumed she had been killed. Four days later she dropped down on her loft covered with blood. She was ripped open from neck to her breast, she had been attacked by a falcon. Injured the third time she once more recovered only to be hit by shrapnel during a bombing raid. The shrapnel damaged her head and neck, but her resourceful owner, Charlie Brewer used skills from his trade as a cobbler to make her a leather collar and she lived for another ten years. She was buried with her collar. She had a total of 22 stitches in her one pound body, the equivalent of 4,000 stitches in the body of a 200 pound man.
THE MOCKER, was born in 1917. He was wounded on his 52nd mission. He lost his left eye and part of his cranim. He was awarded the "Distinguished Service Cross," as well as the French "Croix De Guere. The Mocker died on June 15 1937. He was the last WWI pigeon hero to die.
WHITE VISION
The weather was bad and the search was called off. But White Vision was released from the boat and arrived at her home loft at about 5 pm, having flown over 60 miles of heavy seas against a head wind of 25 mph, in poor visibility, to deliver the coordinates of a stranded Catalina Flying Boat. All 11 crew members were rescued.
PADDY
An Irish pigeon awarded the Dicken Medal after being the first pigeon to arrive back in England with news of the success of the D-Day invasion, out of hundreds dispatched. He flew 230 miles across the English Channel in four hours and five minutes, the fastest recorded crossing of the English Channel.
WINKIE, the first ever Dicken Medal recipient.
On Feb 28th 1942 a British Beaufort bomber was forced down in the North Sea. Winkie thrown free of her onboard container, wings clogged by oily water flew to the Scottish coast 129 miles away. Meanwhile the bomber crew huddled in a dinghy shivering from the cold. Shortly before dawn, Winkie arrived in Scotland and a code tied to her leg helped lead the rescue team to the downed plane. The crew later gave a dinner in London to Winkie and her owner in appreciation of her life saving fly.
BLACKIE HALLIGAN
During WWII the delivery of a message that needed to be relayed back to headquarters was entrusted to a member of a special brigade, a homing pigeon named Black Halligan. The journey to headquarters should have taken just 20 minutes, but Blackie was shot down in the Japanese fire. Five hours later the maimed and bloody bird managed to complete its trip bearing the important message.
MARY
She flew during 5 years for the Allied Powers, was wounded 22 times, and killed in action. When her body was found, it was covered with wounds. Mary was decorated with the Dickens Medal, and buried with full military honors.
KAISER
Lastly, the most famous pigeon prisoner of war, Kaiser, a German bird captured during WWI was born in 1917 and captured in 1918 by American forcs in the battle of the Meuse. He was used in the Signal Corp breeding program and sired over 100 children, during his long life. Kaiser died in 1949, at 33, making him not only the oldest recorded Pigeon on record, but also the only pigeon to have served in both world wars.
Other famous pigeons decorated and buried with military honour:
Lord Adelaide
President Wilson
Julius Ceasar
Lady Astor
Jungle Joe
Berma Queen
The most well-known military pigeon from WWI was Cher Ami, and from WWII, G.I. Joe.
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