The War Pigeon Who Saved the ‘Lost Battalion’ Brave Little Cher Ami
both birds were shot down. When friendly fire began raining down on the 77th, Major Charles White Whittlesey felt he had no choice but to send the last pigeon, Cher Ami. The pigeon’s desperate note read:
Long before the invention of radios and cellphones, homing pigeons were used to send messages as early as the sixth century. During World War I, war pigeons carried lifesaving messages past enemy lines for the American and French armies, often being wounded in the process. In 1918, Cher Ami, a black check hen used by the U.S. Signal Corps, became the most famous of them all.
“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.”
As Cher Ami rose from the brush, she was shot down, to the despair of the watching soldiers. However, after a few seconds, she fought her way back into the air, flew through a torrent of gunfire, and made it to division headquarters 25 miles away. She had been shot in the breast, the eye, and the leg.
On Oct. 2, the United States 77th Infantry Division was trapped behind enemy lines in the Argonne
Forest during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, a three-month push by the Allies during the final throes of World War I to force the Germans to surrender. It became the bloodiest battle in U.S. history. For six days, the encircled division endured relentless attacks and suffered heavy casualties, but their orders were clear: Don’t retreat and don’t surrender.
Because of Cher Ami’s brave flight, 194 of the original 554 men of the 77th Infantry Division survived the battle. One month later, World War I came to an end. Cher Ami survived the war as well, thanks to the surgeons who performed emergency surgery on her. One soldier even carved her a little wooden leg. She became a well-known hero to both soldiers and children in the States. For her service in Verdun, the French Army awarded her the Croix de Guerre, and she was inducted into the Racing Pigeon Hall of Fame. Cher Ami finally succumbed to her wounds in June of 1919 and is now on display in the Smithsonian alongside Sergeant Stubby, a terrier who served 18 months on the Western Front.
The division dispatched two homing pigeons with requests for help, but
Dr. Sabo Shares Her Son’s Story With Orofacial Therapy Owen’s Story
As a parent, I understand how distressing it can be to watch your child live with sleep-disordered breathing. My son Owen was diagnosed with sleep apnea when he was 4 years old. Now 10, Owen has vastly improved, and part of this growth is due to the tremendous work of his breathing educator and orofacial myofunctional therapist, Emily Clawson. I first began working with Emily when she was a dental hygienist in our practice. Now, as a certified orofacial myology specialist and trained breathing educator, Emily focuses on breathing education and orofacial myofunctional therapy, also commonly called orofacial myology. Together, we treat patients with sleep- disordered breathing and structural and functional craniofacial disorders, such as tongue thrust and mouth-breathing. Each patient varies, but for some, working through how deep, shallow, fast, or slowly you breathe during the day can affect your brain’s response to breathing during sleep. Similarly, the muscle habits during swallowing
and posture in between swallows can affect the child’s posture and tone during sleep. These skills are just a taste of the orofacial therapies Emily coaches her patients through.
For example, Emily explains that she often treats patients who consistently mouth-breathe, which can lead to negative facial and dental changes, especially in the developing child. Emily teaches these patients proper breathing techniques, and the myofunctional therapy then addresses rest position of the tongue, lips, and jaw, as well as tongue range of motion, muscle balance, chewing, and swallowing. Owen is just one example of a growing number of children who have been influenced by this therapeutic method. A 2014 study evaluated children who had undergone surgery to remove their adenoids and methods to expand their palates. All of the children were cured of their obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) after the surgery and expansion, but 13 of the children who did not participate in myofunctional therapy had a recurrence of OSA. Meanwhile, the 11 kids who did the therapy remained free of OSA. Additionally, the study found that myofunctional therapy decreased the severity of OSA by half in adults and 62 percent in children. At Highland Springs Dental Care, we strive to help you and your children breathe easier, sleep better, and live a healthier life. Learn more by calling 951.769.1616. If you would like more information about the work Emily does, please visit her website at RedlandsOFM.com or call 909.809.4083.
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