War Pigeons
Winged Couriers in the U.S. Military, 1878-1957
Seiten
2020
McFarland & Co Inc (Verlag)
978-1-4766-8080-4 (ISBN)
McFarland & Co Inc (Verlag)
978-1-4766-8080-4 (ISBN)
Provides the first complete account of the remarkable service that homing pigeons provided for the American armed forces, from its fledgling beginnings after the Civil War to the birds' invaluable role in communications in every branch of the US military through both World Wars and beyond.
For more than seven decades, homing pigeons provided the U.S. military with its fastest most reliable means of communication. Originally bred for racing in the early 1800s, homing pigeons were later trained by pigeoneers to fly up to 60 mph for hundreds of miles, and served the United States for almost 75 years, through four wars on four continents. Barely weighing a pound, these extraordinary birds carried messages in and out of gas, smoke, exploding bombs and gunfire. They flew through jungles, deserts and mountains, not faltering even when faced with large expanses of ocean to cross. Sometimes they arrived nearly dead from wounds or exhaustion, refusing to give up until they reached their objective.
This book is the first complete account of the remarkable service that homing pigeons provided for the American armed forces, from its fledgling beginnings after the Civil War to the birds' invaluable role in communications in every branch of the U.S. military through both World Wars and beyond. Personal narratives, primary sources and news articles tell the story of the pigeons' recruitment and training in the U.S., their deployment abroad and use on the home front.
For more than seven decades, homing pigeons provided the U.S. military with its fastest most reliable means of communication. Originally bred for racing in the early 1800s, homing pigeons were later trained by pigeoneers to fly up to 60 mph for hundreds of miles, and served the United States for almost 75 years, through four wars on four continents. Barely weighing a pound, these extraordinary birds carried messages in and out of gas, smoke, exploding bombs and gunfire. They flew through jungles, deserts and mountains, not faltering even when faced with large expanses of ocean to cross. Sometimes they arrived nearly dead from wounds or exhaustion, refusing to give up until they reached their objective.
This book is the first complete account of the remarkable service that homing pigeons provided for the American armed forces, from its fledgling beginnings after the Civil War to the birds' invaluable role in communications in every branch of the U.S. military through both World Wars and beyond. Personal narratives, primary sources and news articles tell the story of the pigeons' recruitment and training in the U.S., their deployment abroad and use on the home front.
Elizabeth G. Macalaster has co-authored award-winning nonfiction books for children and young adults, and her articles and book reviews have appeared in many magazines and newspapers. She lives in Brunswick, Maine.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Prologue: John Silver
Preface
1. The First Feathered Recruits
2. Pigeons for Sea Duty
3. Put to the Test
4. Into the Breach
5. More, Farther, Faster
6. A Call for Champions
7. Staying Power
Afterword
Appendix A. Instructions on Reception, Care and Training of Homing Pigeons in Newly Installed Lofts at U.S. Navy Air Bases
Appendix B. Henri Marion’s Patent for a Message Holder
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
Erscheinungsdatum | 02.10.2020 |
---|---|
Zusatzinfo | 40 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index |
Verlagsort | Jefferson, NC |
Sprache | englisch |
Maße | 152 x 229 mm |
Gewicht | 290 g |
Themenwelt | Geisteswissenschaften ► Geschichte ► Regional- / Ländergeschichte |
Geschichte ► Teilgebiete der Geschichte ► Militärgeschichte | |
ISBN-10 | 1-4766-8080-9 / 1476680809 |
ISBN-13 | 978-1-4766-8080-4 / 9781476680804 |
Zustand | Neuware |
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