Maggie Stelmacher, “Pigeons, the Birds of War”
Description
When animals are used in war the mind usually goes towards horses, dogs, or even elephants. Many homing pigeons took on treacherous missions during war, possibly the most well-known being Cher Ami. The life of Cher Ami is the story of a real messenger pigeon whose determination in World War I saved the famous Lost Battalion. Using newspaper articles, research essays, and books, this paper will argue for the importance of messenger pigeons in war and shed light on the overlooked training it takes to prepare these birds for battle. The research will show the importance of pigeons during war, explain the training they went through, and argue for their much-needed recognition within human history.
Biography
Maggie is in her third year at UWM as a secondary education major with an emphasis in history. She grew up in Fond du Lac, WI with her mother and father. She adores downhill skiing, education, traveling, and breakfast. Her passion for education comes from her mother’s teaching career as well as the many great educators she had throughout her schooling.