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Pigeons have been military messengers for many years. A US Army pigeon named Cher Ami was awarded a medal in 1918. She carried a message that saved the lives of 194 soldiers. The message told French military leaders where to send help to a trapped group of soldiers. Cher Ami shot while flying, but she still delivered the message.
Both cats and dogs work for militaries. Most cats help keep buildings and camps cleaner for soldiers. But some carry messages. One cat named Mourka helped deliver messages in the 1940s. Mourka did this during a battle in Stalingrad, a city in Russia that is now called Volgograd. Mourka went from the battlefield to the Russian headquarters. The cat’s message told the Russians where enemy soldiers were located.
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Making Connections
Text-to-Self
Would you trust an animal to carry a message for you? Why or why not?
Text-to-Text
Have you read other books about military animals? How were those animals similar to or different from the ones described in this book?
Text-to-World
Animals help people do many tasks. Besides helping in the military, what else can animals do to make people’s lives easier or better?
Teacher Resources
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