On This Day

WWII Pigeon Saves 1,000 Lives

On this day in 1943, U.S. air bombings were scheduled against German positions at Calvi Vecchia, Italy. However, British troops had captured the village. Unable to get a message to the Americans to stop the bombings, they sent a carrier pigeon, named G.I. Joe. The pigeon traveled the 20 miles in 20 minutes, just in time to halt the bombings. G.I. Joe's swift flight is credited with saving over 1,000 lives.