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Military Myths and Legends

Bizarre Crimes in the US Military

Bizarre Crimes in the US Military

We all know that military personnel are held to a different standard than their non-military peers. The Uniform Code of Military Justice makes things that are socially scandalous in civilian life, like adultery, are actually a crime for military members. Other activities, like attending political events, protest rallies, or other events, are protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution for most Americans. The  Constitution won't protect military members who attend those events in uniform, though.  Bizarre US Military Crimes: Dueling and Drunkenness Most importantly, there is a catchall article in the UCMJ that covers conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline, brings discredit to the armed forces, or involves violations of federal law that are not explicitly covered by the other articles. But what might surprise some people – military and civilian – are a few bizarre things that are mentioned specifically.  1. Article 114: Dueling Article 114 of...

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First WW II Aircraft Crew to Reach 25 Missions

First WW II Aircraft Crew to Reach 25 Missions

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1917, and 1918, the United States government issued Liberty Bonds to raise money for our involvement in World War I. By the summer of 1940 when it appeared the United States would be drawn into World War II, bonds again were being sold as a way to remove money from circulation as well as reduce inflation. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the bonds became known at War Bonds.

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4 Vietnam War Myths Civilians Believe

4 Vietnam War Myths Civilians Believe

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Movies and television have painted a deeply embedded picture of Vietnam veterans in the American collective consciousness. Somehow, despite the numerous books, articles, and documentaries produced about the war and those who fought it, some of them are simply untrue. The false ideas aren't just small myths, either. These misconceptions paint a distorted picture of who fought in Vietnam and the ability of the enemy and shaped how we perceived war for decades after the conflict ended. Here are the most common myths about the Vietnam War that civilians really believe, along with the truth about them. The U.S. Won Every Battle of the Vietnam War But Still Lost the War If anyone told this myth to the veterans who fought at Lang Vei in 1968, Kham Duc later that same year, or Fire Support Base Ripcord in 1970, they'd probably get a sharp, curt history lesson in logistics and math. Movies and television make it seem like the Viet Cong (VC), and People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) attacked in...

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The Base Flagpole Truck

The Base Flagpole Truck

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There are a lot of military myths and urban legends out there, but few are more widespread or ridiculous than the legend of the base flagpole truck. No one knows who started it or why. It's just a legend that has been passed down from generation to generation of veterans. It transcends military branches and eras of wars, and it is as common to hear the myths of saltpeter in the Gatorade or "etherbunny."  The Base Flagpole Truck: What's Supposedly Inside The legend goes that the truck above every military installation's flagpole is actually hollow and contains three to five very specific items for very specific uses. The most common legend is that it has three items: a razor blade, a match, and a bullet. The razor blade, it's said, is used to strip the flag, the match is to burn the flag properly, and the bullet is to use in defense of yourself (or, in some versions, to use on yourself). In another version of the myth, the truck also contains grains of rice and a penny (or some...

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Seven Myths About the Military

Seven Myths About the Military

War movies are great to watch and keep us on the edge of our seats with each powerful explosion, hidden sniper attack, and scandalous missions, but the U.S. Military has been shrouded in myth for too long. It’s time civilians quit believing the silly hype and learn more about the protectors of this nation. It would not hurt to ask a member of the military about the service instead of relying on multimillion-dollar Hollywood productions and music videos. Myth One: Physical Perfection Required You need to be a perfect physical specimen to join the military.  Surprisingly, enough, not every single member of the military has a 20/20 vision. If you have ever seen the recruits at basic training, you would think you walked into a Mr. Magoo cartoon. You will make you wish you were blessed with the genes of perfect vision, although it is definitely not required.  Myth Two: Boot Camp is Unbearable You would NEVER survive boot camp The truth is, more than 90% of recruits...

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Emperor of Nicaragua: William Walker

Emperor of Nicaragua: William Walker

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On November 8, 1855, in front of the Parroquia Church in the town square of the Nicaraguan city of Granada, a line of riflemen shot Gen. Ponciano Corral, the senior general of the Conservative government. Strangely, the members of the firing squad hailed from the United States. So did the man who had ordered the execution.  His name was William Walker. Though later generations would largely forget him, in the 1850s, he obsessed the American public. To many, he was a swashbuckling champion of Manifest Destiny. To others, he loomed as an international criminal. In Walker's own mind, he was a conqueror destined to create a Central American empire. His bizarre career would leave a legacy that shadows the relationship between the United States and Central America to this day. Biography of William Walker Walker was born in 1824 in Nashville, Tennessee, to James Walker and his wife, Mary Norvell. His father was the son of a Scottish immigrant. His mother was the daughter of Lipscomb...

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The Lost Battalion

The Lost Battalion

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The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the final push of World War I on the Western Front, lasting from Sept. 28, 1918, until the end of the war, Nov. 11, 1918. The allied forces of Britain, France, and the United States advanced all along the front, making the largest offensive in U.S. military history, involving more than 1.2 million troops. It was also the deadliest, inflicting 350,000 casualties in less than seven weeks. The allies made relatively major gains, considering the course of the war until that point, but it was not without errors – and one of those errors meant the loss of a battalion-sized force. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive: Advance into Argonne Forest The men of that battalion came from the 77th Division, made up mostly of men from New York City. During the allied push, they fought their way into the dense Argonne Forest, where a counterattack soon left them surrounded and cut off from friendly lines. Thinking the unit had been lost, allied artillery shelled their position...

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The Ship That Wouldn’t Die

The Ship That Wouldn’t Die

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The USS Laffey (DD-724) was laid down 28 June 1943 by Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine. She was launched 21 November; sponsored by Miss Beatrice F. Laffey, daughter of Medal of Honor recipient S1c Bartlett Laffey. Commissioned 8 February 1944, Cdr. F. Julian. Becton as her first "Captain". The USS Laffey's Heroic Beginning After shakedown, the Laffey traveled the world in the war effort. She was off the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. Off Cherbourg, France where an unexploded shell bounced off her hull above the waterline and did little damage. Rescuing a badly wounded Japanese pilot off the Philippines. Firing support in Leyete Gulf and Ormoc Bay. Transported intelligence to McArthur in the Philippines. Supported landings at Mindoro and Luzon, Iwo Jima, and Kerama Retto.  That is where this story begins. USS Laffey’s Dangerous Mission on Okinawa Commander Frederick Julian Becton, Captain of the destroyer USS Laffey (DD 724), took the radio message his communications officer...

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Pershing and His Pig’s Blood Bullets

Pershing and His Pig’s Blood Bullets

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It might be difficult today to imagine the United States as a true colonial power, but in the years following the 1898 Spanish-American War, the U.S. became a major global power. The idea of American Imperialism crept into the public consciousness for the first time. During the war, the United States captured several key Spanish possessions, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.  The War in the Philippines At first, it looked as if the U.S. was fighting to grant the Philippines its independence, but when the Americans annexed the islands instead, the resistance fighters that fought the Spanish started fighting the Americans. Combat in the Philippines meant bloody ambushes, lightning-fast raids, and fierce hand-to-hand combat at times. American forces suffered more troops killed in action in the first four months of fighting in the Philippines than they suffered in the entire Spanish-American War.  No rebel group fought more fiercely than the Muslim Moros of the...

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5 Legendary Heroes of the U.S. Air Force

5 Legendary Heroes of the U.S. Air Force

We all know the Marine Corps celebrates its birthday in a big way, but that doesn't mean the other branches aren't worth celebrating. The United States Air Force was created after President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947. On September 18, 1947, W. Stuart Symington became Secretary of the Air Force, making September 18 the service's official birthday. In honor of its 77th birthday, let's take a look at some of the airmen who shaped the history and development of the world's premiere aerospace force. Gen. Billy Mitchell: The Father of the Air Force It's hard to imagine a time when the world's top military thinkers just didn't believe that airplanes would make any sort of difference on a battlefield. Also known as the "Father of the Air Force," Gen. William "Billy" Mitchell had the foresight to know exactly what air power could bring. Mitchell even set out to prove it by sinking battleships.  His advocacy for a separate Air Force landed him a court martial...

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The Chivalry of Medieval Knights

The Chivalry of Medieval Knights

While today's definition of chivalry places a moral emphasis on social virtues, the medieval sense of chivalry guided knights both in and out of combat, especially in their interactions with women. There was a good reason for orders of knights to introduce such a code of conduct: their heavily armored mounted troops needed to be reined in the unrestrained violence they inflicted on civilian populations.  The Chivalry of Medieval Knights: Myths and Mercenaries In the modern day, we tend to think of knights as virtuous and honorable, but in the knights' heyday, they were actually like medieval tanks who could wreak havoc on unarmed populations whenever they wanted - and they often did. They were often hired mercenaries who were promised money or land in return for serving what we would today call a warlord. By 1100, churches all over Europe began to pray for God's help in delivering them from the whims of roving knights - and that deliverance would come in the form of romantic...

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‘Only Son’ Law and the Draft

‘Only Son’ Law and the Draft

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This military urban legend is only as old as World War II, and probably because out of so many Americans registered for the war, a relatively small number were actually drafted for the war. It makes sense that more than a handful might not understand why they weren't called up to serve or what the rules for being called up or passed over might be.  Only Son Being Exempt from the Draft When the war ended, a number of myths and legends began to circulate. Stories about things that happened during the war were repeated time and again, spreading far and wide. Most of them were true - or started out as true. Like a large game of veteran telephone, some stories got a little distorted. The legend of only children being exempt from the draft is one of those stories that began with a true story but morphed into something else entirely.  Over the course of World War II, 49 million men registered for the draft in the United States. More than 407,000 service members were killed, and more...

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