b. ? d. ?
DATE OF DM ACTION: 02-03/1944 Manus Islands, Papua New Guinea.
DD43Q879 DM
Bred by the Australian Voluntary Pigeon Service, DD43Q879 was borrowed by the US Marines for the attack on Manus Island. A group of Marines was sent to patrol the village of Dravito and took this pigeon with them. The Marines came under attack and the Marines radio was damaged and inoperable.
The men tried to repair it to call in air support but they couldnt salvage it. They only had one option left which was to release the two pigeons they had with them with a message for Allied HQ. As they were released the first bird was immediately shot down, but the second, DD43Q879, evaded all bullets as the Japanese intensified their assault on the village. The pigeon made it to HQ in quick time, and an Allied bombing raid was launched and the men were rescued.
DM CITATION:
For carrying an SOS message under heavy fire which brought relief to a patrol of US Marines cut off by Japanese on Manus Island.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.