The remarkable roles played by animals — from carrier pigeons to war dogs and beyond.
6 factsA Syrian brown bear was officially enlisted in the Polish Army, carried ammunition at the Battle of Monte Cassino, and loved drinking beer and smoking cigarettes.
An American carrier pigeon delivered a critical message in just 20 minutes across 20 miles, preventing Allied bombers from destroying a town just captured by British troops.
A stray terrier adopted by an air raid warden in London located over 100 trapped victims in the rubble of the Blitz, pioneering the use of search-and-rescue dogs.
The British military trained dogs to parachute behind enemy lines with airborne troops, serving as sentries, messengers, and mine detectors.
A black-and-white cat survived the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck, the British destroyer HMS Cossack, and the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal.
Beyond the famous bear Wojtek, Polish forces traveling from the Soviet Union to the Middle East adopted a menagerie including a monkey, a dalmatian, and several other animals.