G.I. Joe (pigeon)

G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe on display
Born	March 24, 1943 Algiers
Died	June 3, 1961(1961-06-03) (aged 18) Detroit
Place of display	Fort Monmouth, New Jersey
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1943–1945
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Dickin Medal

G.I. Joe (March 24, 1943 in Algiers - June 3, 1961 in Detroit) was a pigeon noted for his service in the United States Army Pigeon Service.

During the Italian Campaign of World War II, G.I. Joe saved the lives of the inhabitants of the village of Calvi Vecchia, Italy, and of the British troops of 56th (London) Infantry Division occupying it. Air support had been requested against German positions at Calvi Vecchia on 18 October 1943, but the message that the 169th (London) Infantry Brigade had captured the village, delivered by G.I. Joe, arrived just in time to avoid the bombing. G.I. Joe flew this 20 mile distance in an impressive 20 minutes, just as the planes were preparing to take off for the target. Up to a thousand men were saved.^[1]

On 4 November 1946, G.I. Joe was presented the Dickin Medal for gallantry by Major-General Charles Keightley at the Tower on London, the citation credits him with the most outstanding flight made by a United States Army homing pigeon in World War II.^[2] G.I. Joe was the 29th and the first non-British recipient of the medal.^[2]

After World War II, he was housed at the U.S. Army's Churchill Loft at Fort Monmouth in New Jersey along with 24 other heroic pigeons. He died at the Detroit Zoological Gardens at the age of eighteen, and was mounted and displayed at the U.S. Army Communications Electronics Museum at Fort Monmouth.^[3]^[4]

References

↑ Levi, Wendell (1977). The Pigeon. Sumter, S.C.: Levi Publishing Co, Inc. ISBN 0-85390-013-2.
1 2 "War Pigeon's Medal." Times [London, England] 5 Nov. 1946: 7. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 6 July 2013.
↑ G.I. Joe Account of G.I. Joe by Otto Meyer, former commander of the US Army Pigeon Service. Retrieved 15 December 2008. Archived October 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
↑ A History of Army Communications and Electronics at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, 1917–2007. Government Printing Office. 2008. p. 25. ISBN 9780160813597.

Dickin Medal recipients

Cats	Simon

Dogs	Antis Appollo Beauty Bing (Brian) Bob Buster Crumstone Irma Diesel (pending) Gander Jet of Iada Judy Lucca Lucky Peter Punch and Judy Rex Ricky Rifleman Khan Rip Rob Salty and Roselle Sadie Sam Sasha Sheila Theo Thorn Tich Treo

Horses	Olga Regal Upstart Warrior

Pigeons	All Alone Beach Comber Billy Broad Arrow Cologne Commando DD.43.Q.879 DD.43.T.139 Duke of Normandy Dutch Coast Flying Dutchman G.I. Joe Gustav Kenley Lass Maquis Mary of Exeter Mercury Navy Blue NPS.42.NS.2780 NPS.42.NS.7524 NURP.38.BPC.6 NURP.43.CC.1418 Paddy Princess Royal Blue Ruhr Express Scotch Lass Tommy Tyke White Vision William of Orange Winkie

War pigeons

Croix de guerre recipients of World War I	Cher Ami

Dickin Medal recipients of World War II	All Alone Beach Comber Broad Arrow Commando G.I. Joe Gustav Mary of Exeter Paddy Royal Blue Tyke White Vision William of Orange Winkie

Others	John Silver Leaping Lena (Cold War)

In fiction	The Pigeon That Took Rome Valiant Yankee Doodle Pigeon

Institutions	National Pigeon Service (UK) United States Army Pigeon Service

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