With the recent 75th anniversary of D-Day, we're thinking a lot about the military heroes of World War Two. Rachel Clark of the Michigan History Center joins us to share the story of G.I. Joe, a pigeon and highly-decorated war hero who got through World War II and lived out his retirement at the Detroit Zoo.
The winged WWII hero who retired to the Detroit Zoo
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In 1943, one winged war hero helped save a thousand British lives by calling off an American bombing mission. His name was G.I. Joe, and he’s known as the most outstanding military pigeon in history.";
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On the day of G.I Joe’s heroic mission, American forces intended to bomb an Italian city to clear the way for British troops, but these troops arrived early. It was vital to cancel the bombing, but communication lines were down.";
Courtesy of the Michigan History Center
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As a last resort, G.I. Joe was sent on a mission to fly 20 miles to call off the American bombs. He made it in just 20 minutes, soon enough to stop the mission and save the 1,000 British soldiers in the city.
Courtesy of the Michigan History Center
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Afterwords, G.I. Joe was awarded the Dicken Medal For Gallantry by the Lord Mayor of London. Eventually, the pigeon was sent back to the United States, where zoos across the country lobbied to host him.
Courtesy of the Michigan History Center
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The Detroit Zoo was ultimately successful, and put G.I. Joe as a main attraction close to the entrance, where he lived out his retirement.
Courtesy of the Michigan History Center
