Before Texts and E-Mails, Pigeons were the Main Carriers

More reliable than AT&T's iPhone, homing pigeons were almost the "perfect" means for relaying vital information during times of war and served as the home for the Army's breeding and training center for almost 40 years.

A recent article by the Associated Press described the countless contributions these feathered couriers made in delivering military information, including how paratroopers carried pigeons with them during the invasion of Normandy as they jumped behind enemy lines to maintain radio silence.

Fort Monmouth was the site of the Pigeon Service from 1917 to 1957 and the article describes how visitors used to flock to the fort during peacetime to see the pigeons, which were considered the "rock stars" of their day, according to a filmaker interviewed for the story.