Military Campaign Stories Archives - Page 10 of 149

Civil War – The Battle of Glendale: The Day the South Nearly Won (1862)

It has become an accepted historical fact that the South could not have won the American Civil War. The North's advantages in finance, population, railroads, manufacturing, technology, and naval assets, among others, are often cited as prohibitively decisive. Yes, the South had the advantage of fighting on the defensive, this with interior lines, but those two meager pluses appear dwarfed by the North's overwhelming strategic advantages, hence defeat virtually a foregone conclusion. But if strategic advantage alone was always decisive in warfare, then names like Marathon, Cowpens, Rorke's Drift, and Cannae would today be meaningless, and they are not. Battle of Glendale: A Seven Days Fight Indeed, there are times when the decided underdog wins in war, and there was one day in 1862 when the stars aligned, so to speak, to offer the South a victory of such magnitude that the Civil War might have ended in its favor. It was June 30, 1862, and for days the Federal Army of the Potomac had...

Service Reflections of SS2 Stephen E. Winiecki, U.S. Coast Guard (1973-1979)

Coast Guard Reflections, Vietnam War

A family of service to the country, I volunteered during the Vietnam War. My Dad, older brother, brother-in-law, and several uncles served in the Navy, Air Force, and Army. My desire to serve my country and help others was an easy choice during our country’s most troubled times.

Last In, First Out A Desert Storm Diary by Ed “Tuna” Fisher

Gulf War, Military Book Reviews

These days, Ed Fisher (callsign: “Tuna”) is twice-retired and living with his wife on Washington State’s Whidbey Island. His second career was as a lecturer at the Naval Postgraduate School, from which he retired in 2021. His first career was much more exciting. As Lt. Col. Fisher, he was a U.S. Air Force Wild Weasel Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO), who performed this duty during Operation Desert Storm. “Last In, First Out” is his diary from his days fighting combat missions there.

4 Vietnam War Myths Civilians Believe

Military Myths and Legends, Vietnam War

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...

The Boys on Cherry Street by Ron Boehm

Military Book Reviews, Vietnam War

Tens of thousands of books have been written on the Vietnam War. Thousands more are in the process of being written, and thousands more are being considered by other veterans. Such books inevitably deal with heroic actions and stories of courage and sacrifice. Boehm brilliant book also includes stories about heroes and their courage, but he wrote the book to be a different kind of book on Vietnam. He was highly successful.

Service Reflections of AVT1 Daryl Harrington, U.S. Coast Guard (1988-2001)

Coast Guard Reflections, Cold War

A classmate introduced me to the idea of joining the Coast Guard, something I knew little about at the time. Curious, I met with a recruiter, and after watching their video, I was sold. It looked like a great opportunity to serve while furthering my education. My friend and I planned to enlist together through the “buddy system,” but in the end, I got in, and they didn’t. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Pvt Harvey Keitel, U.S. Marine Corps (1956-1959)

Celebrities Who Served, Vietnam War

Harvey Keitel is widely recognized as one of Hollywood’s most intense and versatile actors, known for his unforgettable performances in films like Taxi Driver, Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. But before his rise to cinematic fame, Keitel served in the United States Marine Corps, an experience that would shape discipline throughout his life and career. Beyond his military service and acting, Keitel has dedicated himself to philanthropy, supporting veterans and aspiring artists alike. Harvey Keitel’s Early Life and Education Harvey Keitel was born on May 13, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish immigrant parents from Poland and Romania. Raised in a working-class family, Keitel grew up in Brighton Beach, where his parents owned and operated a small luncheonette. As a child, he was known for his rebellious streak, often getting into trouble at school. Despite this, he possessed a deep curiosity and an independent spirit. His teenage years were marked by a search for direction. Keitel...

Service Reflections of MST2 David Brennan, U.S. Coast Guard (1971-2003)

Coast Guard Reflections, Vietnam War

My dad served for 27 years and retired from Jack C. Brennan RMC in 1974. Through his influence growing up and seeing him put on his uniform every Monday afternoon, I wanted to do that someday, too. When I was a senior in high school in 1971, I heard through my dad that the Coast Guard reserves had just opened up for enlistment. My brother, who had graduated in 1970, had a low draft number and was looking for the correct service to join. He went to the recruiter, took the test, and qualified to go to basic training in April. I went as well, still being a senior in high school, and took the exam as well. I failed the first time, but I later retook it and passed. I was to go to Alameda, CA, in May 1971.

The Base Flagpole Truck

Military Myths and Legends, Vietnam War

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...

Famous Navy Units: Coast Guard Station Harbor Beach by A3C Michael Bell

Famous Military Units, World War II

"Immense bright lake! I trace in theeAn emblem of the mighty ocean,And in thy restless waves I see Nature's eternal law of motion; And fancy sees the Huron Chief…" "Lake Huron" by Thomas McQueen The peninsular state of Michigan (est. 1837) resembles an extended left human hand in a mitt with the thumb partly opened outward from the palm. And there, about where the quick of a thumbnail would be on the east side, is US Coast Guard Station Harbor Beach as it's known today. It is estimated that since the 17th century, there are 6,000 maritime wrecks at the bottom of the mighty Great Lakes, one of which is Lake Huron. District 9, consisting of forty-eight active stations, is a United States Coast Guard area of operations based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is responsible for all Coast Guard functions on the five Great Lakes, the Saint Lawrence...

Service Reflections of MUCS James E. Richards, U.S. Navy (1971-1995)

Cold War, Navy Reflections

I was drafted into the military during the Vietnam War and decided to join the Navy instead of entering the Army. My late uncle, a career Navy man, said to me when I was young, “Son, if you ever have to join the military, join the Navy. “You get three squares a day and a dry place to sleep!” I remembered those words, and when it came time to enlist, it was the Navy for me. The strange thing is that I realized that I really did find a home once in the Navy. I enjoyed the self-discipline you had to have to succeed in the military and found that I really liked my job and the shipmates I served with. I was out of “A” School and at my first command for about a month when I was ordered to sea. I enjoyed sea duty, especially the days steaming underway. I found the solace of being at sea very enjoyable. I was having such a great time in uniform, and I decided to keep re-enlisting and ended up with a wonderful 24-year career.

Fire in the Hole by Bob Parsons