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Great Military Stories

Vietnam War – Operation Ivory Coast – The Son Tay Raid

Vietnam War – Operation Ivory Coast – The Son Tay Raid

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The Operation Ivory Coast has been called the most daring raid of the Vietnam War; Operation Ivory Coast was an effort to rescue prisoners of war who had been held by North Vietnam for years. It did not rescue any of the prisoners, but it did change the way U.S. Special Operations planned and executed its missions.  By 1970, the United States not only knew that hundreds of American POWs were being held by the communist North Vietnamese, but they also knew those prisoners were being subjected to torture and mistreatment - and many had been suffering for years on end.  Special operations planners knew the location of where at least 61 of them were being held, a camp near the North Vietnamese capital of Hanoi known as Son Tay. The United States designed a plan to rescue them right out from under the communists' noses.  The mission would not be an easy one. At least six of the prisoners were believed to be near death, and the Son Tay prison was in an area where intelligence...

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The Mysterious Death of Davy Crockett

The Mysterious Death of Davy Crockett

Among the towering figures of legendary Americans, few loom larger than that of Davy Crockett. His exploits as a militia scout during the Creek War, an Army forager during the War of 1812, a U.S. Representative, and, of course, a frontiersman are legendary and led to his nickname "King of the Wild Frontier."  Davy Crockett Gains Fame as a Frontiersman Crockett made his living in a number of varied, often surprising ways, but much of his renown comes from his day hunting bears in the wilds of Tennessee. He would sell their furs, meat, and oil, which were in high demand at the time. The tales he told of his time in the wilderness became the foundation of "The Lion of the West," an 1831 play about his exploits. Although it didn't mention him by name, Americans knew it was about him. He would later clarify the myths and legends of his life by publishing his 1834 autobiography. Davy Crockett was certainly a legend in his own time, famous for defending the rights of the poor, his...

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Gulf War – Operation Desert Storm

Gulf War – Operation Desert Storm

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The 1990-91 Gulf War was probably one of the best-planned and most well-executed military operations in the history of human warfare. The United Nations, with its resolutions condemning the Iraqi invasion and occupation of Kuwait, worked the way it was intended. UN Resolution 678 called for Iraq to leave Kuwait by January 15, 1991, and authorized member states to use all necessary means to enforce the resolution after the deadline. A coalition of 42 countries, led by the United States, did just that – and abided by the mandate after Iraqi forces withdrew.  Operation Desert Storm Begins After Iraq Invades Kuwait The U.S. military dubbed the combat phase of the war Operation Desert Storm. The use of air power and overwhelming military force took little more than a month to dislodge Iraq from its ill-gotten gains. While Desert Storm is still rightfully celebrated as a resounding victory, the buildup to that victory, Operation Desert Shield, sometimes gets lost to historical...

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Cpl. Dakota Meyer, U.S. Marine Corps (2006-2010)

Cpl. Dakota Meyer, U.S. Marine Corps (2006-2010)

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Dakota Meyer never planned on joining the Marine Corps. Growing up on a cattle farm in Columbia, Kentucky, he planned to play college football after high school. He played running back for his high school team and wanted to play on a bigger stage. In 2006, when he was just 17, a Marine Corps recruiter visited his school and told Meyer that playing football was a good idea because he could never be a Marine. Dakota Meyer Joins the Marines and Begins a New Path Dakota Meyer signed up for the Marine Corps that day. After graduating, he shipped out to training at Parris Island, his first steps toward an entirely different destiny than he'd planned. Meyer would leave active duty in the Corps in 2010. The following year, he was working a construction job in his civilian career when the White House called his office to inform him he was receiving the Medal of Honor for actions he took in Afghanistan in 2009. The office told the White House Meyer would have to call them back during his lunch...

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WW2 – The Angels of Bataan

WW2 – The Angels of Bataan

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When Americans woke up Sunday morning on December 7, 1941, they were stunned to learn Japanese naval aircraft had attacked Pearl Harbor. What they would soon find out that was only the beginning. Pearl Harbor was just one part of the Japanese plan for the day. Within hours, Japanese naval and ground forces attacked and invaded Wake Island, Guam, Malaya, Singapore, Honk Kong, Thailand and Burma. The Onset of War: The Angels of Bataan Face Their First Test Ten hours after the devastating surprise attack that crippled the U.S. Pacific Fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor, Japanese planes launched the first in a deadly series of attacks on the Philippine Islands, bombing and strafing military airfields and bases in and around Manila. Caught in the air raids were ninety-nine army and navy women nurses. Immediately they rushed to their respective hospitals and began assisting with the endless flow of military and civilian casualties. It is almost certain that none ever dreamed they would be...

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Sgt Bill Mauldin: The Foot Soldiers’ Cartoonist

Sgt Bill Mauldin: The Foot Soldiers’ Cartoonist

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During World War II, the glimpse most Americans got of the real war and the American combat soldier who fought it came through the cartoons of infantry Sgt. Bill Mauldin. Week after week, Mauldin defied Army censors and Gen. George Patton's pledged to "throw his a** in jail" to deliver his wildly popular cartoon, 'Upfront' to the pages of Stars & Stripes and hundreds of newspapers back home. Bill Mauldin: The Voice of the Common Soldier His cartoon character were Willie and Joe, two wisecracking unshaven dogfaces whose mud soaked uniforms and army slang and slum dialect bore eloquent witness to the world of combat and the men who lived-and died-in it. To lowly foot soldiers, Mauldin gave voice to their dreams, fears, and grievances of at a time when the official spotlight shown on glamorous flyers and gung ho island-hopping marines. His over 600 wartime cartoons, half of which were sketched in combat, stand as both an authentic American masterpiece and an essential chronicle of...

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The Amazing Story of the USS Kirk

The Amazing Story of the USS Kirk

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Launched in September 1971, the destroyer escort USS Kirk (FF-1087), with a compliment of 18 Officers and 267 Enlisted, sailed the high seas of the Indian Ocean, South America and much of the Pacific Ocean, including the waters off Vietnam. USS Kirk's Unexpected Humanitarian Mission She was a warship in every sense: an efficient, deadly fighting machine with the mission of hunting down, pursuing and destroying her submarine prey. Yet her finest hours were spent tending pregnant women, soothing terrified little children, and saving the lives of tens of thousands. This is the incredible story of a brief episode in the early years of the long life of USS Kirk. Decades of American involvement in South Vietnam came to an end on April 30, 1975 when North Vietnamese troops entered the deserted streets of Saigon on foot, trucks and fighting vehicles. North Vietnamese tanks crashed through the gates of the presidential palace and soldiers hoisted the yellow and red flag of the Viet Cong. USS...

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Famous Army Unit: Project Delta

Famous Army Unit: Project Delta

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Since the beginning of warfare military leaders knew their greatest chance of winning on the battlefield is to know where the enemy is, how great in strength and what they were planning to do. It was certainly no different with Vietnam commanders. To gain useable and timely intelligence on local enemy forces, Vietnam infantry commanders created "unauthorized" or off the book reconnaissance units to penetrated deep into enemy-held territory. So successful were these forays by these small, well-armed Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols (LRRPs) that General William Westmoreland approved the formation of a LRRP unit in each infantry brigade or division. Origins and Mission of Project Delta But there was one reconnaissance unit operating in Vietnam several years before LLRP units existed. It was Project Delta, a clandestine special reconnaissance operations considered the most successful Special Operation units of the Vietnam War, yet few Americans have ever heard of them, or know that this...

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RADM Roy Milton Davenport, U.S. Navy (1933-1959)

RADM Roy Milton Davenport, U.S. Navy (1933-1959)

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Ask any Marine who was Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller and each would quickly respond by saying. "Why, he was the greatest, bravest and most highly decorated Marine in Marine Corp history." Another would inevitable say, "He was not only a tough, no nonsense Marine he is also the only one awarded five Navy Crosses." Both would be right. During his career, Puller fought guerrillas in Haiti and Nicaragua, and participated in some of the bloodiest battles of World War II and the Korean War where he earned his five Navy Crosses, an Army Distinguished Service Cross and a Silver Star. Now ask any Sailor who was Rear Admiral Roy Milton Davenport and while some submariners might know the answer, the majority of Sailor would not even venture a guess. Yet, like Marine "Chesty" Puller, he too was awarded five Navy Crosses making him the first individual (Puller was the second individual) and only Sailor so honored. A student of Christian Science, Davenport was dubbed the...

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SSgt Salvatore Giunta, U.S. Army (2003-2011)

SSgt Salvatore Giunta, U.S. Army (2003-2011)

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On October 19, 2007, American and Afghan forces loaded up onto UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook from Afghanistan's Korengal Outpost. The mission was Operation Rock Avalanche: an insertion into the southern area of the Korengal Valley to prevent Taliban fighters from fleeing the region while reducing their ability to operate against U.S. and friendly troops there. Salvatore Giunta: The Second Deployment to Afghanistan This was Salvatore Giunta's second deployment to Afghanistan. During his first tour in the country in 2005, he was shot in the leg and lost four of his fellow soldiers in an improvised explosive device attack. After a year back at home, he deployed once more. Then-Spc. Giunta was the rifle team leader for B Company, 1st Platoon, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team during Rock Avalanche. Less than a week after landing in the valley, Giunta and his platoon were traversing a steep crest out of the valley when the Taliban ambushed them. By the end...

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Famous Marine Corps Unit: 1st Marine Raider Battalion

Famous Marine Corps Unit: 1st Marine Raider Battalion

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"Always Faithful, Always Forward" The Early History of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion The year was 1942, and a new type of unit was born in the US Marine Corps. Edson's 1st Raider Battalion was designated, and several days later, Carlson's 2d Raider Battalion was named. Later in the year, Liversedge's 3rd Raider Battalion and Roosevelt's 4th Raider Battalion were created. One hundred seventy-five members of Marines TWS are part of the United States Marine Raiders Association as members of one or more of the four Marine Raider Battalions during their respective periods of existence between 16 Feb 1942 and 31 Jan 1944 based on the Master U.S. Marine Raider Roster which contains about 7,710 Marine and 368 Navy personnel. As of 2023, a USMC battalion strength was about 900. Also, 127 current MTWS members had been assigned to the 1st Marine Raider Bn. A special TWS forum dedicated entirely to the late Raymond Louis Merrell (Sgt. USMC) titled "Raider Ray's Remembrances" includes...

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Vince Speranza’s Epic Beer Run During the Siege of Bastogne

Vince Speranza’s Epic Beer Run During the Siege of Bastogne

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The Siege of Bastogne was one of the most crucial fights of World War II, and it came amid the largest battle the U.S. Army has ever fought – the Battle of the Bulge. The Germans caught the Americans by surprise on Dec. 16, 1944, mustering more than 400,000 men, 550 tanks, and hundreds of other vehicles for one last offensive. The goal was to push the Allies back toward the sea and recapture the critical port of Antwerp.  The Siege of Bastogne: Defending Against the German Forces German forces overwhelmed American defenses as they poured through the Ardennes Forest, forcing the retreat of tens of thousands of shocked American soldiers. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower knew his supply lines were already thin, a blizzard negated Allied air superiority and the Ardennes area was full of green and exhausted troops – some who had been fighting since D-Day. Eisenhower declared that holding the Belgian city of Bastogne would be the single most important mission of the battle and sent the 101st...

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