In October 1918, in the Argonne Forest of France, the U.S. 77th division attacked the German line under the belief they had support on both their left and right flanks. In reality both their sides were left exposed after the German forces stopped the progress of these support units. Nine companies of the 77th, approximately 554 men, continued to advacnce well past their line and found themselves surrounded by German forces. These men have come to be known as the “Lost Battalion.”
In order to communicate with the rest of the allied forces the leader of the men sent out messengers but after these men were all lost the only effective means of communication was to use carrier pigeons. One of the pigeons sent out the wrong location of their group and as a result the men who were trapped behind enemy lines were subjected to friendly fire. It was only after another carrier pigeon was sent out with the correct coordinates that the lost battalion was saved.
In the end only 194 of the original 554 men were rescued but their presence, and the fact that they stood their ground under intense fighting, allowed for the Allied forces to break through the German lines.
