Feathered Friends!

Hi everyone, I am Squeaker the pigeon. Did you know that the Royal Canadian Air Force has a really cool cap badge with a bird on it? What better symbol for the brave men and women who protect us from the sky than the mighty eagle! Our air force has served in many ways over the years, from the early days flying in old biplanes to the powerful jet fighters used today.

During the Second World War, the members of our air force saw lots of dangerous duty both here at home and in faraway places like Europe, Africa and Asia . . . and helpful little birds were with them to help! Even though our planes had radios during the war, messenger pigeons still often went along on missions. If a plane crashed and its radio was damaged, these special birds would have an emergency note attached to their leg. They would then use their amazing homing sense to fly back to base and let people know where the plane went down so the crew could be rescued. They might not have had smartphones back then, but they sure had smart birds!

Did You Know?

North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, sparking almost three years of combat in Asia. More than 26,000 Canadians served in the Korean War before the fighting finally came to an end. July 27—the anniversary of the day in 1953 when the Armistice was signed—was recently declared “Korean War Veterans Day” in Canada. It has been more than 60 years, but we still remember the brave men and women who served in Korea.