Blog Post #5

 EOTO Presentations Reflection

The presentations given by my fellow classmates were very impressive. While each technology explained was interesting in their own way, none were as fascinating to me as the carrier pigeon.

Prior to this presentation, I personally had little to no knowledge on the history of carrier pigeons and especially not how they worked. The first thing I learned was that these were birds that were specifically bred and trained for this. These pigeons have an internal magnetic compass that connects them with the earth giving them a sort of built in GPS. Additionally, these pigeons have a natural homing instinct and strong senses of sight and smell.

After learning that these birds were specifically made for delivering messages, I only became more intrigued. One of the most surprising facts is that carrier pigeons delivered messages only 40% slower than today's mail.

The story that touched my heart the most was that there was a carrier pigeon that was delivering a message during the war that was blinded and shot injuring one wing. This same carrier pigeon fought to make sure it returned back to base to deliver its message. After hearing this, I was inclined to learn if there were any other similar stories.

The article "Meet the hero carrier pigeon that saved US troops during a WWI battle 100 years ago" explains the story of President Wilson, the carrier pigeon, who is now showcased inside the Pentagon in the World War I exhibit. President Wilson is honored for his ability to deliver life-saving messages most notably so after being shot at and hit by German soldiers. President Wilson is pictured here to the left. 

Another article I found that highlighted the impacts of carrier pigeons during the war was "The Unsung Heroes of World War I: The Carrier Pigeons". This article also highlighted the success of President Wilson as well as explained how carrier pigeons were especially useful on the front lines. 

The presentation given by my classmate in addition to the articles I read have made me aware not only of how carrier pigeons work, but also just how important they were in history and the impact they played specifically in the war.