G.I. Joe (pigeon)
Encyclopedia
G.I. Joe was a pigeon noted for his service in the United States Army Pigeon Service
.
During World War II
, G.I. Joe saved the lives of the inhabitants of the village of Calvi Vecchia
, Italy
, and of the British troops occupying it. The village was scheduled to be bombarded by the Allied forces
on 18 October 1943, but the message that the British had captured the village, delivered by G.I. Joe, arrived just in time to avoid the bombing. Over a thousand people were saved.
In November 1946, G.I. Joe was presented the Dickin Medal
for gallantry by the Lord Mayor of London. After World War II, he was housed at the U.S. Army's Churchill Loft at Fort Monmouth
in New Jersey
along with twenty-four other heroic pigeons. He died at the Detroit Zoological Gardens
at the age of eighteen, and is mounted and on display at the U.S. Army Communications Electronics Museum at Fort Monmouth.
United States Army Pigeon Service
The United States Army Pigeon Service was a unit of the United States Army during World War I and World War II...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, G.I. Joe saved the lives of the inhabitants of the village of Calvi Vecchia
Calvi Risorta
Calvi Risorta is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located across the Via Casilina about 40 km northwest of Naples and about 25 km northwest of Caserta....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and of the British troops occupying it. The village was scheduled to be bombarded by the Allied forces
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
on 18 October 1943, but the message that the British had captured the village, delivered by G.I. Joe, arrived just in time to avoid the bombing. Over a thousand people were saved.
In November 1946, G.I. Joe was presented the Dickin Medal
Dickin Medal
The Dickin Medal was instituted in 1943 in the United Kingdom by Maria Dickin to honour the work of animals in war. It is a bronze medallion, bearing the words "For Gallantry" and "We Also Serve" within a laurel wreath, carried on a ribbon of striped green, dark brown and pale blue...
for gallantry by the Lord Mayor of London. After World War II, he was housed at the U.S. Army's Churchill Loft at Fort Monmouth
Fort Monmouth
Fort Monmouth was an installation of the Department of the Army in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The post is surrounded by the communities of Eatontown, Tinton Falls and Oceanport, New Jersey, and is located about 5 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The post covers nearly of land, from the Shrewsbury...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
along with twenty-four other heroic pigeons. He died at the Detroit Zoological Gardens
Detroit Zoo
The Detroit Zoological Park, commonly known as the Detroit Zoo, is located about north of the Detroit city limits at the intersection of Woodward Avenue, 10 Mile Road, and Interstate 696 in Royal Oak and Huntington Woods, Michigan, USA...
at the age of eighteen, and is mounted and on display at the U.S. Army Communications Electronics Museum at Fort Monmouth.