Weird Inventions That Saved Lives: Pigeon Vest

Blogger: Amber Lemus

Continuing our series on Weird Inventions That Saved Lives, today we discover a device created by the company, Maidenform. Most women are familiar with this company and have probably purchased one of their products at one point or another. However, did you know this company played an important role in saving lives during WWII?

It is well known that during WWII, many companies that made products during peacetime had to find a way to repurpose and fit into a wartime economy. Maidenform was not exempt from this phenomenon. But how does a company that usually makes undergarments for women adapt to wartime? By making something to strap to soldier’s chests, of course. 

I know this sounds very strange, but bear with me for a moment, because it actually made a lot of sense.

The most reliable form of communication for the US and its allies during WWII were carrier pigeons. These were less likely to be intercepted by the enemy and 95% of the messages delivered this way were successful. There was actually an army of 56,000 pigeons trained to serve in WWII. But while the pigeons could fly themselves back to base, getting them on the ground with the units who needed them was the challenge. That’s where Maidenform came in. 

Pigeon vest blueprint. 
 National Museum of American History, Archives Center,
Maidenform Collection, 1922-1997. 

Maidenform designed and produced two devices that aided in getting the pigeons where they needed to be. The first option was for them to travel along with the soldiers. They designed “pigeon vests” that securely cradled the birds to the chest of the paratroopers as they deployed to their positions. The vest was shaped to the pigeon’s body, holding true to Maidenform’s slogan, “There’s a Maiden Form for every type of figure.” The pigeon vest was strapped to the outer jacket of the paratrooper, as pictured below. The birds could then be released with a message when the unit was on the ground and needed to send one.

Pigeon in pigeon vest harnessed to a paratrooper.
National Museum of American History, Archives Center,
Maidenform Collection, 1922-1997. 

The other method was to deliver pigeons to troops already on the ground. Maidenform also designed and produced “pigeon parachutes” which attached to a cage and would float the birds down to the troops below. 

Between these two devices, the army could use the birds to communicate effectively and without enemy interference. 

As strange as these inventions are, they saved many lives, howbeit in an indirect way. Carrier pigeons saved thousands during WWII, including one instance when a message to call off a bombing was successfully delivered by a pigeon, saving the lives of over 1,000 allied troops. 

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Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award, Amber Lemus writes enthralling non-fiction for children and adults alike. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior, so her writing is centered around faith, family and history.

She lives at the foot of the Rocky Mountains with her prince charming and two boys. Between enjoying life as a boy mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at www.AmberLemus.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!