Existing comment:
The Lost Battalion:
When a battalion of 550 men from the 77th Division became separated from Allied forces and surrounded by German troops, its commander, Major Whittlesey, dispatched carrier pigeons and several runners to reach headquarters with the unit's location; however, many were killed. The battalion was fired upon by German soldiers and by American troops unaware of its nationality. The Major sent his last carrier pigeon, "Cher Amie," to tell headquarters to stop firing at them. The bird reached headquarters with the important note attached to its injured leg.
Planes from the 50th Aero Squadron were sent to drop food and medical supplies to the men. After repeated attempts, Lt. Harold Goettler and Guardsmen Lt. Erwin Bleckley of Kansas dropped food to the Americans, but the enemy shot down their plane. That night a relief party located the "Lost Battalion" and rescued the surviving men. Goettler and Bleckley were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for their heroism. |