Pigeon Stories

The Story of Cher Ami

During World War I, a pigeon named Cher Ami, which means "dear friend" in French, saved the lives of many members of what has become known as the "Lost Battalion," part of New York’s 77^th Division of the U.S. Army.

During a battle in France, the battalion was cut off from the rest of the Allied troops. The soldiers found themselves surrounded by the enemy. Suddenly, they were being fired on by their own artillery who didn’t know they were there!

They tried sending a message to their fellow troops by pigeon. The message read, "Many wounded. We cannot evacuate." But the pigeon carrying the message was shot down. They sent out a second bird with a message that read, "Men are suffering. Can support be sent?" That pigeon was shot down, too.

One homing pigeon was left—Cher Ami—the battalion’s last hope. The final message was, "Our artillery is dropping a barrage on us. For heaven’s sake, stop it!" The men watched as Cher Ami was released. They saw him fly up and then saw him shot down. Miraculously, in a moment’s time this bird was airborne again. Hopes soared. But, as he flew over enemy fire, Cher Ami had a leg shot off. A bullet hit his breast. Still, this bird kept flying. Though severely injured, Cher Ami finally got through to U. S. forces with the life-saving message. The shooting stopped. Many lives were saved.

At the end of the war, Cher Ami and more than 40 other pigeons were sent back to the United States and honored for their brave service. They were well cared for until they died. Cher Ami’s preserved body can be seen in Washington, D.C., at the Smithsonian Institution.