Cher Ami - French Croix de Guer re - an English bred bird (N.U.R.P. 615, blue check cock), is perhaps the best known of all racing homers, having received credit for saving the "Lost Battalion" During his military service, he delivered twelve important messages from the Verdun front to the loft at Ramport, the average distance of which was thirty kilometres. He was attached to a New York battalion of the 77th Division, commanded by Major Charles S. Whittlesey. On October 27th, 1918, the battalion had advanced too far ahead of its own lines at Grand Prix into enemy territory and the men found themselves entirely surrounded by the enemy. Cut off from support and with inadequate rations , they were in sorry plight. Every endeavour to make liaison had failed. Soldier couriers could not penetrate the line; rockets and flares were to no avail; all wires were down or left far behind. Their condition was desperate and, unless their location could be conveyed to Division Headquarters, hundreds of men would perish or have to surrender. Several pigeons released with messages were unable to get through the hell of shell and shrapnel, and fell mortally wounded soon after being released. Only one bird, Cher Ami, remained to be released with the vital message advising their location. With this message attached to his foot, up he rose, circled, and like a dart, headed for "home". There was a sudden burst of shrapnel and Cher Ami was hit. He straightened out and, with one leg utterly shattered, reached his home loft at Ramport in twenty-five minutes, covering a distance of forty kilometres, although the missile which carried away his leg had also passed through his breast. The message holder was attached to the wounded leg, hanging by a few shreds of sinew. Cher Ami that day saved the members of the "Lost Battalion". His body has been mounted and placed in the Smithsonian Institution, U.S. National Museum, Washington, D.C., where it is now on exhibition.

The Mocker - American Distinguished Service Cross and French Croix de Guerre - a red cock with white markings (AU-17-D-4084), hatched in 1917, died June 15, 1937, at the age of twenty-one years. Although he is not generally as well known as Cher Ami, his achievement was equal if not superior. He was attached to the 77th Division during the American drive in the Alsace- Lorraine sector, his uncanny ability to home enabled him to carry many vital messages. His outstanding reported performance was on September 12, 1918, while working from the Beaumont front in the St. Mihiel sector. German heavy field artillery was holding up the American advance. A message from an observation point carried by The Mocker enabled Allied artillery to locate the enemy guns and silence them. The American troops then proceeded to capture Beaumont. During this flight, The Mocker was wounded by shrapnel, one piece carrying away his left eye, another piece gashing the top of his head. In spite of these wounds, the bird, sorely tried, gallantly reached his home loft. His body has been mounted and placed on display in the Post Library, Russell Hall, Fort Monmouth, N.J.