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. 

*****

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!

"We Also Serve": Feathered Heroes of the World Wars by Candace West

 

How many of you enjoy watching the British Antiques Roadshow? One of my favorite pastimes is to curl up in my recliner with a snack while the stories unfold. Each object carries me on an adventure.

One episode featured a stuffed pigeon under a glass dome. Sounds a little strange, right? However, this special bird had earned a World War II honor—the Dickin Medal.

My imagination and curiosity sparked. Let’s rewind now to World War I.

At the time, the telephone and telegraph were not reliable sources for relaying messages. Pigeons played an important part in the Allied war effort. These brave birds served in all branches of the service, improving battlefield communications. Flying above the battlelines, they hazarded their lives to save many soldiers.

Pilots launched them mid-air to relay ground conditions to their commanders. Also, they were sent between their lines to coordinate movements. Pigeons were even launched from tanks. They were the perfect shield for soldiers who might otherwise have been killed while relaying messages.

Though enemy snipers targeted them, they continued serving effectively in their missions. Many gave their lives while others suffered severe injuries.  

One of the most famous carrier pigeons of World War I is Cher Ami, whose name means “dear friend.” He served with distinction during the Mesue-Argonne offensive in October 1918. During the battle, German forces surrounded the American 77^th division, cutting them from their supporting units for six days.

The American “Lost Battalion” sustained heavy losses while attempting to send messengers to report their position. The Germans also shot down two of their pigeons. Desperate and almost out of time, they dispatched Cher Ami. They attached a message in a canister on his right leg.

After opening fire on him, the Germans shot down Cher Ami, but the courageous bird took off once more. He successfully delivered the message despite being shot through the breast and blinded in one eye. He also lost his left leg. Yet he survived and was sent back to the United States for retirement.

The hero of the Lost Battalion sadly lived less than a year after his injuries. Visitors can now view him on display at the Smithsonian Institution.

Cher Ami

During World War II, carrier pigeons also bravely served and saved many lives. William of Orange is the most famous of these, whose actions saved over 2,000 Allied soldiers in the Battle of Arnhem. He was awarded the Dickin Medal.

In 1943, the Dickin Medal was designed to recognize courageous animals with the same level of honor as the Victorian Cross. In addition to pigeons, other animals such as dogs, horses, and a cat have earned the award in the years since its creation.

Inscribed on one side are the words, “For Gallantry. We also serve.” Immense heroism is bound up in those poignant words.

Have you ever heard of the Dickin Medal and the carrier pigeons of both world wars?

About Candace West:

A homeschooling mama by day and a historical romance writer whenever she can steal the time, Candace West writes hope-filled, redemptive stories that snag her characters from disaster to victory. In 2018, she published her debut novel Lane Steen. Since then, she has authored the Valley Creek Redemption and Windy Hollow series. She also belongs to The Mosaic Collection of authors. When she isn't crafting her next story, she divides her time between family and three bossy cats.

Connect with Candace:

Visit my website and join my newsletter

Follow me on BookBub Goodreads and Facebook

Find Books on Amazon: 

Revenge and refuge never go together.

Brielle Doyle cannot escape the bloodstains on her hands, not even in the Ozarks. Resolved to catch a wagon train come spring, she secures a job caring for the ailing, elderly patriarch of the Hoskin family.

But Zeke Hoskin hates outside interference. What kind of woman stares down the barrel of his rifle and still barges into his family and his business? Her meddling will upend his plans to gun down the family who killed his brothers.

At any cost, Zeke will not rest until he has carved their epitaphs, one by one.

Only Brielle stands in his way. Her divided loyalties demand answers Zeke has interred deep within himself. To dredge up old wounds might crumble the barricade around his heart.

Find out more

Sources: The National Archives

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickin_Medal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cher_Ami

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Battalion_(World_War_I)