From my friend at “A Walk In The Word”
Tag Archives: Memorial Day
Honoring Those Who Have Served Our Country – Repost
Harry Otto Boles, 1894-1947,
Died as a result of injuries in WWI
Memorial Day is a solemn day of remembrance for everyone who has died serving in the American armed forces. The holiday, originally known as Decoration Day, started after the Civil War to honor the Union and Confederate dead.
I was originally thinking about showing some of those in my family who have served in the military, but after re-reading the true purpose of Memorial Day, I’ll save that for Veteran Day
I would like to honor my father, Harry Otto Boles. He fought in World War I, went to France, and was in the trenches that the enemy used Mustard Gas on. He suffered for many years from that incident. Then at 53 years of age, he died from stomach related problems because of having been gassed. Here are copies of his transportation over to France and then his departure for home…..
via Honoring Those Who Have Served Our Country
From Lee’s Ancestry Adventures
Cher Ami’s Story for Memorial Day
Thought I would repost Cher Ami’s story in honor of Memorial Day. Thank all of you who have served our country or your country to help preserve peace.
To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, (Luke 1:74 NKJV)
Cher Ami – Homing Pigeon Hero
Cher Ami – WW1 Hero
While researching for a hero for an article on our church blog, I tried to find out about my father, who was in WW1. Being as he died when I was four years old, it is hard to find out a lot of details. All I knew is that he was in the trenches where they were poisoned with mustard gas and that it took years, but he died as a result of that gassing. Talking to my family, I also found out that he was at the Meuse-Argonne Offensive (Argonne Forrest) in which 117,000 of our American troops gave their lives and that he was in a company that had few survivors. Also found that he had fought hand-to-hand with bayonets. But the actual details are still a mystery. So, my dad and all of our men that fought in WW1 are my heroes.What I did find is a hero of the avian kind. His name was Cher Ami and he was a homing pigeonc which had been donated by the pigeon fanciers of Britain for use by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in France during World War I and had been trained by American pigeoneers. He helped save the Lost Battalion of the 77th Division in the battle of the Argonne, October 1918.
On October 3, 1918, Charles Whittlesey and more than 500 men were trapped in a small depression on the side of the hill behind enemy lines without food or ammunition. They were also beginning to receive friendly fire from allied troops who did not know their location. Surrounded by the Germans, many were killed and wounded in the first day and by the second day, only a little more than 200 men were still alive. Whittlesey dispatched messages by pigeon. The pigeon carrying the first message (“Many wounded. We cannot evacuate.”) was shot down. A second bird was sent with the message, “Men are suffering. Can support be sent?” That pigeon also was shot down. Only one homing pigeon was left: ‘Cher Ami’. He was dispatched with a note in a canister on his left leg,
“We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heaven’s sake, stop it!”
Actual Message Sent
As Cher Ami tried to fly back home, the Germans saw him rising out of the brush and opened fire and for several minutes, bullets zipped through the air all around him.The men of the Lost Battalion saw Cher Ami tragically shot down, but miraculously, he was airborne again soon. He managed to arrive back at his loft at division headquarters 25 miles to the rear in just 25 minutes, helping to save the lives of the 194 survivors. In this last mission, Cher Ami had delivered the message despite having been shot through the breast, blinded in one eye, covered in blood and with a leg hanging only by a tendon.
Cher Ami had become the hero of the 77th Infantry Division, so army medics worked long and hard to save his life. They were unable to save his leg, so they carved a small wooden one for him. When he recovered enough to travel, the little one-legged hero was put on a boat to the United States, with General John J. Pershing personally seeing Cher Ami off as he departed France.
Upon return to America, Cher Ami became the mascot of the Department of Service. The pigeon was awarded the Croix de Guerre Medal with a palm Oak Leaf Cluster for his heroic service in delivering 12 important messages in Verdun. He died at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, on June 13, 1919 from the wounds he received in battle and was later inducted into the Racing Pigeon Hall of Fame in 1931. He also received a gold medal from the Organized Bodies of American Racing Pigeon Fanciers in recognition of his extraordinary service during World War I.
Cher Ami – WWI Homing Pigeon Hero – WikiC
Cher Ami was as well-known as any human World War I heroes. Cher Ami was later mounted by a taxidermist and donated to the Smithsonian where he is enshrined in the Smithsonian Institution, and is currently on display with Sergeant Stubby in the National Museum of American History’s “Price of Freedom” exhibit.
Who are these who fly like a cloud, And like doves to their roosts? (Isa 60:8)
Pigeons and Doves are in the Columbidae Family of the Columbiformes Order.
(Wikipedia and other internet sources)
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- Original Post – Interesting Things – World War I Hero – Cher Ami – 2011
- Faith Baptist Church Blog,
- Cher Ami – World War I Hero – 2013
- Death by Love
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Sunday Inspiration – Sunrise Gives A Big Surprise
Sunrise at Mayport 5-23-14
And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. (2 Samuel 23:4 KJV)
Friday, we were on the balcony of our room on Mayport Naval Station, Jacksonville. We were taking photos of the sunrise before packing up to come home.
As I took photos, I noticed a ship pretty far out heading in. Because it was early dawn, we couldn’t really see what it was and decided it was just a merchant ship coming in.
A ship way out coming in.
I kept photographing the sun rising and trying to catch some birds outlined. You know, like those real photographers do. Guess I better stick to birdwatching and leave the photography to those who know what they are doing.
Trying to catch a bird.
As the ship came in, I started trying to catch it as it came under the rising sun. She gave 5 horn blasts, which Dan said, is a sign of an incoming Naval ship. I could not find her number on the bow. So I kept shooting.
Sunrise and the ship at Mayport
As were leaving the base to head home, we came by where the ships dock. There was that ship and then it “hit me,” That was the
USS New York!
Wow! Needless say, we stopped and took more photos of her tied up. Never thought I’d get a chance to see the USS New York, but there it was! It is special and this being Memorial Day weekend, it is even more special.
Now that we are home and I am viewing the photos on a monitor and not through the viewfinder, her number “21” is visible. Also,I found out that Mayport Naval Station is now the USS New York’s homeport as of last December.
Sunrise and USS New York at Mayport
This is not the usual “Sunday Inspiration,” but I want this to be a tribute to those who have served in the military and especially to those who have lost someone who served in the military. My father died as a result of his injuries sustain by “mustard gas.” It was years later, but it caused many problems.
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:18 KJV)
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Romans 15:4 KJV)
Lord Bless all of you as we remember not only the military, but also those who lost their lives in the “Twin Towers” on 9/11. You can see the two tall stacks representing the towers.
Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. (Deuteronomy 32:7 KJV)
Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. (2 Corinthians 1:2-4 KJV)
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“Military Service Medley” – Faith Baptist Orchestra 7-3-11
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Birds of the Bible – Remembering
Bleeding-Heart Pigeon ©WikiC
And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; (Genesis 8:1 KJV)
Today, here in the United States, is Memorial Day. A day when we remember those who have given their all in the service of our country. We honor those who we can no longer thank. As this is being written, they are laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier at Arlington National Cemetary.
My father was one of those who passed away as a result of his being in the trenches in WW I. He suffered for several years from the effects of the “mustard gas” that was sprayed on them. It is good for us to remember things and honor events.
Yesterday, in the morning service, the event of the 12 stones being taken for the Jordon River by the Israelites for a memorial was taught. That was a memorial to remind them of the way the LORD protected them and made a way for them to cross over the Jordon. It is good to remember things and honor events.
And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel: That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever. (Joshua 4:5-7 KJV)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) by Quy Tran
Our Scripture above is where the God remembered those He was protecting from the flood that were aboard the ark. He did not forget them. In time, the waters went down and they were able to leave the ark.
And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried. Then God spoke to Noah, saying, “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” (Genesis 8:13-17 NKJV)
It does us good to remember what the God has done through His creation and protection during the flood. Just as He provided salvation for them from the flood, and only those in the ark were saved. Today, we have a Savior who said:
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6 KJV)
Bald Eagle Brings Nesting Material by Aesthetic Photos
Happy Memorial Day! Lord Bless your day as you remember.
See:
P.S. Check out this article:
‘Sarge, Will You Tell Us About God?’ – The Story of God’s Miraculous Protection of an Entire U. S. Marine Unit, From A Walk In The Word
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Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 