"Dublin Core:Alternative Title","Dublin Core:Abstract","Dublin Core:Table Of Contents","Dublin Core:Date Available","Dublin Core:Date Created","Dublin Core:Date Accepted","Dublin Core:Date Copyrighted","Dublin Core:Date Submitted","Dublin Core:Date Issued","Dublin Core:Date Modified","Dublin Core:Date Valid","Dublin Core:Access Rights","Dublin Core:License","Dublin Core:Conforms To","Dublin Core:Has Format","Dublin Core:Has Part","Dublin Core:Has Version","Dublin Core:Is Format Of","Dublin Core:Is Part Of","Dublin Core:Is Referenced By","Dublin Core:Is Replaced By","Dublin Core:Is Required By","Dublin Core:Is Version Of","Dublin Core:References","Dublin Core:Replaces","Dublin Core:Requires","Dublin Core:Extent","Dublin Core:Medium","Dublin Core:Bibliographic Citation","Dublin Core:Spatial Coverage","Dublin Core:Temporal Coverage","Dublin Core:Accrual Method","Dublin Core:Accrual Periodicity","Dublin Core:Accrual Policy","Dublin Core:Audience","Dublin Core:Audience Education Level","Dublin Core:Mediator","Dublin Core:Instructional Method","Dublin Core:Provenance","Dublin Core:Rights Holder","Dublin Core:Title","Dublin Core:Creator","Dublin Core:Identifier","Dublin Core:Date","Dublin Core:Description","Dublin Core:Source","Dublin Core:Publisher","Dublin Core:Subject","Dublin Core:Contributor","Dublin Core:Rights","Dublin Core:Relation","Dublin Core:Format","Dublin Core:Language","Dublin Core:Type","Dublin Core:Coverage","Item Type Metadata:Text","Item Type Metadata:Interviewer","Item Type Metadata:Interviewee","Item Type Metadata:Location","Item Type Metadata:Transcription","Item Type Metadata:Local URL","Item Type Metadata:Original Format","Item Type Metadata:Physical Dimensions","Item Type Metadata:Duration","Item Type Metadata:Compression","Item Type Metadata:Producer","Item Type Metadata:Director","Item Type Metadata:Bit Rate/Frequency","Item Type Metadata:Time Summary","Item Type Metadata:Email Body","Item Type Metadata:Subject Line","Item Type Metadata:From","Item Type Metadata:To","Item Type Metadata:CC","Item Type Metadata:BCC","Item Type Metadata:Number of Attachments","Item Type Metadata:Standards","Item Type Metadata:Objectives","Item Type Metadata:Materials","Item Type Metadata:Lesson Plan Text","Item Type Metadata:URL","Item Type Metadata:Event Type","Item Type Metadata:Participants","Item Type Metadata:Birth Date","Item Type Metadata:Birthplace","Item Type Metadata:Death Date","Item Type Metadata:Occupation","Item Type Metadata:Biographical Text","Item Type Metadata:Bibliography","Item Type Metadata:Numeric","Item Type Metadata:Edition Statement","Item Type Metadata:Publication Statement","Item Type Metadata:Note statement","Item Type Metadata:Profile description : Creation","Item Type Metadata:Profile description : Descriptive Rules","Item Type Metadata:Profile description : Language Usage","Item Type Metadata:Revision Description : Change","Item Type Metadata:Revision Description : List","Item Type Metadata:Front matter : Title page","Item Type Metadata:Front matter : Division","Item Type Metadata:On Canvas","Item Type Metadata:Selector","Item Type Metadata:Annotated Region","EAD Archive:Descriptive Identification : Heading","EAD Archive:Descriptive Identification : Note","EAD Archive:Appraisal Information","EAD Archive:Arrangement","EAD Archive:Biography or History","EAD Archive:Index","EAD Archive:Level","EAD Archive:Note","EAD Archive:Other Descriptive Data","EAD Archive:Processing Information","EAD Archive:Scope and Content","EAD Archive:Heading","EAD Archive:Table Head","PDF Text:Text",tags,file,itemType,collection,public,featured ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"The Last Pigeonier ","Mark Wallace ",CD004,"2004 April ","A newspaper article about Sgt. Lucas, A US Army Pigeonier.","Military Trader","Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum","United States. Army--Officers","Matthew Fosdick",,,"jpeg ","English ",Text,,"

The Last Pigeonier

Enlisting in the Signal Corps in 1917, Harry Lucas embarked on a career handling more than 20,000 “living military vehicles”-pigeons. As a U.S. Army ‘Pigeonier,’ Lucas’ service spanned a 41-year period, encompassing World Wars I and II as well as the Korean Conflict.

Though all of the birds he trained were important as military communication conveyances, one bird named “G.I. Joe” was perhaps the most famous. Joe was recognized by Congress and awarded the “Dickens Medal For Gallantry” for a job well done while attached to U.S. troops in Italy. On October 18, 1943, Joe flew into the British lines just in time to intercept an allied attack on the village of Colvi Veccia carrying a message that the front line troops had already captured the village. The scheduled bombing raid would have released its ordinance over more than 1,000 British soldiers’ lives.

When the Army ceased pigeon training in 1957, Harry retired. At 74 years old, he was the oldest sergeant in the U.S. forces. During his career, Lucas trained such airborne heroes as G.I. Joe, the Kaiser, Dark Lady, Treasure Trove, Red Eagle, and Black Bill. His “force” carried messages all over the world, ranging from Europe to places like Australia and India.",,,,,,Newspaper,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,20040499,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,https://presidentwilson.org/files/original/13a74618f0e5c0bfdbb1ce1ba712d835.jpeg,Text,"Melinda Cox Collection",1,0