1 Last carrier pigeon?

2 The research by the US Navy during WW II to use trained pigeons to pilot bombs into enemy ships?

3 Let me rephrase the question: Why THIS PARTICULAR pigeon?

4 Cher Ami.

5 Muppet wins... now the question is, why does he know so much about pigeons?

6 To clarify: Cher Ami was a homing pigeon in the service of the US Army Signal Corps in WWI.  He was attached to the famous "Lost Battalion" of the 77th Division during the battle of the Argonne.

Surrounded, being pummeled by friendly artillery, all communications were cut off.  Two other pigeons were sent off, and both were shot out of the air.  Cher Ami was the last chance the Battalion had.  He was shot in the breast, blinded in one eye, and had one leg nearly blown off, yet he still managed to get to Division HQ.  His message received, the Battalion was soon relieved, saving nearly 200 troops.

The Division hailed Cher Ami as a hero, and doctors spent long hours trying to save him.  Eventually he pulled through, though he lost the leg.  Doctors whittled him a wooden one, however.

He was awarded Croix de Guerre for heroism, and died in 1919.  He's preserved in the Smithsonian.

7 So...no ducks have ever been awarded medals for heroism?

8 None that they can wear in public.

9 Brickmuppet, you're a cruel man.

10 Hey! Does this mean I get to choose a topic for a post!? Does it does it does it? Ok...How about this I would like to see an analysis of the comedic subversion of patriarchal hegemony in Rio Rainbow Gate with particular emphasis placed on how its ironic juxtaposition of non empowering clothing and female power contains subtle references to the life experiences of women of Ryukian descent and their quest for equality in post Taisho Japan using the symbolic meaning of the differences between a true flying squirrel and an Australian sugar glider as a starting point.

11 ...or APDs...or blimps. Any one of the three. 

12 Blimps. I vote for blimps. Symbolic, you know?