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Military Campaign Stories

Famous Marine Corps Unit: VMFA-214 (The Black Sheep Squadron)

Famous Marine Corps Unit: VMFA-214 (The Black Sheep Squadron)

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"…We are poor little lambsWho have lost our way?Baa! Baa! Baa!We are little black sheepWho have gone astray.Baa! Baa! Baa!Gentlemen songsters off on a spreeDamned from here to eternityGod have mercy on such as we.Baa! Baa! Baa!" From Espiritu Santo, the Squadron was moved forward to Guadalcanal and Henderson Airfield in the Solomon Islands. At first, the Squadron was not assigned aircraft or ancillary personnel; its pilots flew to Guadalcanal and later the Russell Islands in borrowed planes. From Guadalcanal, they would be moved to Munda and Vella Lavella. Originally, the Squadron called itself "Boyington's Bastards" after its new commander, for the fact that all the pilots had been "orphans" and not attached to a squadron when they got together, and the fact they possessed few reliable planes and no mechanics. Although they dropped the moniker "Boyington's Bastards," the Squadron still retains the black bar of bastardy across its insignia. They chose for their badge the black shield...

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LCDR Montel Williams, US Navy and USMC (1974-1986)

LCDR Montel Williams, US Navy and USMC (1974-1986)

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Montel Williams is best known as the Emmy Award-winning host of The Montel Williams Show, which aired nationally for seventeen years. Montel Brian Anthony Williams, known to most as simply “Montel,” is also an actor and motivational speaker. But did you know that Montel Williams served in the military? His decorated military service spanned 22 years in two branches of the service—the United States Marines and the United States Navy. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1974 and later became the first black man to graduate from the Naval Academy in 1980. Today, along with being a New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Montel is a passionate advocate for veterans.  Montel Williams’s Early Years Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 3, 1956, Montel was the youngest of four children born to Marjorie and Herman Williams. Montel's father was a firefighter who in 1992 became Baltimore's first African American Fire Chief. Williams was raised as a Roman Catholic and...

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Service Reflections of SP 5 Charles V. Rogers, Jr., U.S. Army (1971-1975)

Service Reflections of SP 5 Charles V. Rogers, Jr., U.S. Army (1971-1975)

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Several things made me choose my military service. I guess it’s the old cliche? I wanted to serve my country, mainly because my Dad did during WWII. It was my birthday in 1971 that I decided to enlist. My draft number was up, so it would only be a matter of time. I went to the recruiter and signed up for the US Army on the delayed entry program. I think it was September 30, 1971. I wanted to fly, but wearing glasses was going to prevent me from doing that. I picked the Army because my Dad had served, and I didn’t want to go into the Navy, Air Force, or Marines. The Army offered the best chance because they might have lifted the restriction on glasses if things hadn’t changed. While I was at the AFESS, and we were being processed, a Marine Sergeant came out and pointed to me and several others and said we were now Marines. I tried to object, and thankfully, an Army Sergeant came out and said no, can’t have him, he’s RA. I looked at the Army and Air Force, and it seemed my best chance to do what I wanted while serving was to join the Army. If I couldn’t be a pilot, I might still be able to fly as a crew member. I worked in a car dealership and had mechanics down pretty well, so I figured I had a little jump in the aviation maintenance department.

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Service Reflections of SP5 Michael Hall U.S. Army (1968-1976)

Service Reflections of SP5 Michael Hall U.S. Army (1968-1976)

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I spent 8 years in the US Army and wanted to make a career out of it and retire. I began with Basic at Ft. Campbell, Ky., the coolest place I’d ever been to. Then, I took Advanced Infantry training at Ft. McLellan, Ala. This place was a mini Vietnam, as it had the highlands and swamps. Afterward, Ft. Benning, Ga., and on to Nam. After my tour, I ended up at Ft. Bragg, NC, and was sent to Parachute Rigging School in Virginia. Learning to pack your own chute was definitely a confidence builder! My direction changed when the military was converted to a voluntary unit while stationed at Ft. Bragg. Now you have people who couldn’t even read a map telling you where to jump from the Huey or whatnot. People were getting promoted for the wrong reasons, and I knew then my time was up.

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Service Reflections of Cpl Donte Moore, U.S. Marine Corps (2002-2006)

Service Reflections of Cpl Donte Moore, U.S. Marine Corps (2002-2006)

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While in high school, I was a member of the Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (1998-2002). This interest was ignited by observing my uncle, mentor, and Vietnam Veteran, Percy. I always considered him a hard-working and disciplined person. We both also served as Law Enforcement Officers. During my Junior year in high school (2000), I met with a Marine Corps Recruiter, Staff Sergeant Johnson, and from that moment, I was struck! I had to be a Marine! Then, the events of September 11th, 2001, transpired, and that further tugged on me. I enlisted that year in the Delayed Entry Program. I left for Recruit Training in September 2002.

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Service Reflections of SMSgt Michael Kiedrowski, U.S. Air Force (1969-1993)

Service Reflections of SMSgt Michael Kiedrowski, U.S. Air Force (1969-1993)

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I had known for a long time that I would serve in the Air Force but didn’t know when. The draft helped me decide when they sent me a letter that began with the word ‘Greetings”. I believe the fact that my dad served in the Air Force had a great deal of influence on my decision. He had some great stories, and I guess I felt that it was what I wanted to do as well. He was a Clerk/Typist.

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U.S. Military Rank Insignia

U.S. Military Rank Insignia

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The U.S. Military Rank Insignia has a long and proud history. Many of the ranks adopted by the United States military at the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 are still in use today. The early military took a lot of inspiration from the British and French forces. Over time, the military rank insignia has come to represent American valor. These emblems, worn on the uniform to denote rank, help people identify military personnel’s rank and pay-grade at a glance. Evolution of U.S. Military Rank Insignia There are general rules for ranks that can help those unfamiliar with ranks to get a broad idea. The US Military rank insignia has humble beginnings. Initially, while the Continental Army had militia with a rank structure based on British tradition, they lacked uniforms or the money to buy them. At the time, General George Washington proposed “badges of distinction” to separate enlisted men's appearance from the commissioned officers. He recommended a color-coding system. This...

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Cpl Charles Dennis Buchinsky (Bronson), U.S. Army Air Force (1943-1946)

Cpl Charles Dennis Buchinsky (Bronson), U.S. Army Air Force (1943-1946)

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Charles Dennis Buchinsky (or Bronson) who served in the US Army Air Force between 1943 and 1945, went on to be one of Hollywood’s pre-eminent tough guys, the face of the Death Wish film franchise. However, his time as the silver screen’s top draw was preceded by a very humble childhood. Enlisting in the United States Army during World War II, Bronson’s service would lay the foundation for a remarkable career in Hollywood, where he would go on to captivate audiences with his unique charisma and tough-guy persona. Join us as we follow the military journey of Charles Bronson, honoring the indelible mark he left both on the big screen and in the hearts of his fellow servicemen. Charles Bronson’s Early Life Born on November 3, 1921, in Ehrenfeld, Pennsylvania, Bronson grew up in a modest family of Lithuanian descent. The 11th of 15 children, Charles grew up speaking three languages at home, but none of them English. The Buchinsky family lived in the coal region of the Allegheny Mountains,...

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US Navy C-130 Hercules Plane Lands & Takes Off From An Aircraft Carrier

US Navy C-130 Hercules Plane Lands & Takes Off From An Aircraft Carrier

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Aircraft carriers are enormously important. They serve as mobile bases for warplanes at sea. They have flight decks for planes to take off and land. They carry equipment for arming warplanes and recovering planes that have been damaged. An aircraft carrier is considered a capital ship, the most important ship. This is because the Navy can use it to extend its power anywhere in the world. Countries that want to exercise influence need to have aircraft carriers. History of the C-130 Hercules Plane Aircraft carriers arose from cruisers that had been converted to carry aircraft in the early twentieth century. They were important during World War II, especially in the Pacific. Nowadays, they are some of the largest ships on the water and carry all kinds of aircraft, including helicopters, fighters, reconnaissance planes, and strike aircraft. They are, of course, enormously expensive to build. When on duty, and especially in war zones, they are protected by other ships. When it comes to...

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The True Story of The Great Escape

The True Story of The Great Escape

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More than likely, many of us have seen the 1963 American World War II epic film "The Great Escape" based on a real escape by British Commonwealth prisoners of war from a German POW Camp during World War II, starring Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Sir Richard Attenborough. The film is based on Paul Brickhill's 1950 book of the same name, a non-fiction first-hand account of the real mass escape from Stalag Luft III in Sagan (now Zagan, Poland), in the province of Lower Silesia, Nazi Germany. The characters are based on real men, and in some cases are composites of several men. As in any films depicting real events, many details of the actual escape attempt were changed for the film, and the role of American personnel in both the planning and the escape was largely fabricated. The actual escape attempt took place one night in late March 1944 when 76 Allied Airmen escape through a tunnel from their Prisoner of War Camp deep in occupied Poland. Their aim was not only to get back to...

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Famous Army Units: 8055th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (Mash)

Famous Army Units: 8055th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (Mash)

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In stark contrast with the mission of combat forces, the US Army Medical Corps are committed to providing aid and comfort to the injured: wounded soldiers, civilians and at times even enemy personnel.  There are no medals, no glory, and heroism is measured in blood, sweat and tears.  Though the Korean War has been regarded as a failure by many because of its indecisive outcomes, in one area it was an unbridled success-saving lives.  When the war broke out in Korea on June 25, 1950, there were only two hundred doctors in the entire Far East Command (Japan, Guam, the Philippines, and Korea).  To ensure combat medical services, Congress quickly passed the Doctors Draft Act, requiring all doctors under the age of fifty-one to register for military service.  As a result, ninety percent of all staff doctors in Korea were draftees, displaying a more relaxed attitude about Army rules, regulations, and discipline.  At this same time, the Army authorized new...

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Cpl Clint Eastwood, U.S. Army (1951-1953)

Cpl Clint Eastwood, U.S. Army (1951-1953)

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Clint Eastwood, the renowned actor and director, did not always grace the red carpets of Hollywood. Prior to becoming the legendary "Man with No Name," Eastwood's path unfolded in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Clint Eastwood's military tenure, spanning from his initial odd jobs to a pivotal encounter, marked the commencement of a 70-year career in the entertainment industry. TogetherWeServed salutes Clint Eastwood for his honorable military service and the indelible mark he has left on the world of entertainment. His legacy serves as a shining example of the incredible achievements that can be realized when talent, hard work, and military values converge. We are proud to celebrate Clint Eastwood's contributions to both our nation and the entertainment industry. Clint Eastwood’s Early Years Clint Eastwood, born on May 31, 1930, at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco, California, to Ruth and Clinton Eastwood, boasts a diverse ancestry—English, Irish, Scottish, and...

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