"From the green countryside of England and the gray canyons of Wall Street come two unlikely heroes: one a pigeon and the other a soldier. Answering the call to serve in the war to end all wars, neither Cher Ami, the messenger bird, nor Charles Whittlesey, the Army officer, can anticipate how their lives will briefly intersect in a chaotic battle in the forests of France, where their wills will be tested, their fates will be shaped, and their lives will emerge forever altered. A saga of hope and duty, love and endurance, as well as the claustrophobia of fame, Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey is a tragic yet life-affirming war story that the world has never heard. Inspired by true events of World War I, Kathleen Rooney resurrects two long-forgotten yet unforgettable figures, recounting their tale in a pair of voices that will change the way that readers look at animals, freedom, and even history itself"-- Provided by publisher.
Answering the call to serve in the war to end all wars, neither Cher Ami, a messenger bird, nor Charles Whittlesey, an Army officer, can anticipate how their lives will briefly intersect in a chaotic battle in the forests of France. Trapped behind enemy lines during the last offensive in the Argonne Forest, Major Charles Whittlesey and his Lost Battalion enemy lines suffered friendly fire. Their only source of communication with the rear lines: a homing pigeon, Cher Ami. Flying through enemy fire to alert the US Army to the location of the Lost Battalion, Cher Ami suffered grievous wounds. This novel is based on true events. -- adapted from jacket and Historical Note at end of text.
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