Military Campaign Stories

Service Reflections of RM2 Tim Roach, U.S. Coast Guard (1962-1966)

I would give most of the credit for my decision to join the Coast Guard to my uncle. He was in the Coast Guard during WWII and often talked about his experiences while patrolling the beaches on horseback along the New Jersey shores. I was in high school during my senior year in Corpus Christi, Texas, in the fall of 1961. My high school counselor informed me that I would not be able to graduate because I had failed to earn credits in algebra during my ninth-grade year. To put it mildly, I was never a fan of school.

Service Reflections of SGT Julie Bryson Muster, U.S. Army (1972-1998)

Army Reflections, Cold War

Facing a dead-end life with limited opportunities and wanting to break free from my circumstances, I enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1987 with a clear vision: to go to college and become someone meaningful. Growing up in challenging conditions from ages 5-12 in group and foster homes in Ohio, with abusive, alcoholic, and addicted parents, I experienced firsthand what it meant to have few options and little encouragement. The Army represented my pathway to transformation – not just a career, but a chance to build the foundation for higher education and personal growth. Military service offered structure, purpose, and the GI Bill benefits that would make college possible. I was determined to use my service as a stepping stone to earn my master’s degree in criminal justice and ultimately create a life of meaning, helping others along the way. The Army wasn’t just an escape from a difficult past; it was my deliberate choice to forge a better future and prove that circumstances don’t define destiny.

Service Reflections of CDR Allen Allegretto, U.S. Navy (1982-2021)

Cold War, Navy Reflections

I was proud that my father served in the Army during the Korean War, and my grandfather and several uncles served in the Navy. While attending Penn State University, I learned about an opportunity to join the Navy Nuclear Power Officer Candidate Program (NUPOC). I loved technology, so the idea of serving on a nuclear-powered submarine and learning about all of the technology on board fascinated me. I was excited to join the NUPOC program and was only required to maintain good grades and graduate with an engineering degree. I enjoyed the monthly E5 pay.

Service Reflections of SK1 Richard Lee Wailes, U.S. Navy (1968-1989)

Cold War, Navy Reflections

I joined the Navy because of my family’s military history. My grandfather was drafted into the National Guard in WWI and was one of the original members of the California National Guard 40th Infantry Division., assigned to the 115th Sanatiation Train. He served in France as a Saddler Private caring for horses and was stationed in France from 1917 to 1919. He was then discharged and returned to Colorado and then to Idaho.

AFN Jamie Farr, U.S. Army (1957–1959)

Celebrities Who Served, Vietnam War

Jamie Farr, best known for his iconic portrayal of Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger on the classic television series *M*A*S*H*, brought an irreplaceable sense of authenticity to the screen—largely inspired by his real-life service in the United States Army. While millions remember him for his comedic antics and cross-dressing attempts to secure a Section 8 discharge, Farr’s genuine military experiences were far removed from the character he played, rooted instead in duty, discipline, and personal growth. This article delves into Farr’s journey through the U.S. Army, exploring how his military service shaped not only his career, but his very outlook on life. Jamie Farr’s Early Life Born Jameel Joseph Farah on July 1, 1934, in Toledo, Ohio, Jamie Farr grew up in a tight-knit Lebanese-American community. His mother was a seamstress. His father was a grocer in north Toledo. He was raised in the Antiochian Orthodox religion. The son of immigrants, Farr’s upbringing instilled in him values of...

AO2 Zachary Bryan, U.S. Navy (2013–2021)

Celebrities Who Served, Global War on Terror, Uncategorized

Zach Bryan is a name synonymous with raw authenticity in the country music world today. But before his rise as a celebrated singer-songwriter, Bryan served an honorable eight-year tenure in the United States Navy. His military service not only shaped his character and worldview but also deeply influenced his music, providing a unique texture and depth that resonates both with civilians and veterans alike. Here, we explore the details of Zach Bryan's military career, his transition to music, and the recognition he has earned as a civilian artist. Zach Bryan’s Early Life and Enlistment Zach Bryan was born into a family with a strong naval tradition. His birthplace was Okinawa, Japan, where his parents were stationed during their military service. He grew up surrounded by the values of duty and service, with his father, grandfather, and even great-grandfather all serving in the Navy. Zach spent the majority of his youth in the rural haven of Oolagh, Oklahoma, with the Grammy-nominee...

WW1 – When Johnny Comes Marching Home

Battlefield Chronicles, World War I

When war raged through Europe in the summer of 1914, the American public wanted nothing to do with it. Not our war, they said. President Woodrow Wilson agreed. He pledged neutrality for the United States.

Side-By-Side

Global War on Terror, Profiles in Courage

Friday morning February 2, 2008 was cold in Baghdad but since Friday is a big shopping day, shoppers crowded the markets throughout the city. At one of Baghdad's most popular gathering places, the al-Ghazl animal market, hundreds of closely packed shoppers moved from stall to stall when suddenly and without warning, a huge explosion shattered the silence, killing dozens of Iraq's. Twenty minutes later, another bomb ripped through an open air market in south eastern Baghdad. The two suicide bombers who carried out the attacks that ultimately killed 99 people were mentally challenged women with Down's syndrome. The unwitting pawns were apparently fooled into wearing explosive vests which were then detonated remotely by mobile phones as the women mingled with crowds, killing 46 people and injuring 100 in the al-Ghazl explosion. In the second bombing at the smaller bird market in south-eastern Baghdad, 27 people were killed and at least 67 wounded, many dying later. When it became...

Air Marshall William Bishop – WW1 Air Ace

Military Myths and Legends, World War I

Air Marshal William Avery "Billy" Bishop was a Canadian fighter pilot in WWI who crashed his plane during a practice run and was ordered to go back to flight school. He didn't. Instead, he went on to shoot down 72 enemy aircraft, making him a legend in his own time and earning him a Victoria Cross. William Bishop Faced Setbacks Before the Skies Bishop's military career didn't start off well. He joined the Royal Military College of Canada in 1911, was caught cheating, and had to start his first year all over again. In 1914, he joined the Mississauga Horse cavalry regiment, but couldn't join them overseas because he caught pneumonia. Once he recovered, they transferred him to the 7th Canadian Mounted Rifles where he proved to be a born sniper, able to take out targets others could barely see. He finally boarded a ship for England on June 6, 1915 as part of a convoy that was attacked by German U-boats. Three hundred Canadians died in that attack, but Bishop's vessel was untouched. The...

CSM Patrick Gavin Tadina – Vietnam War’s Longest Continuously Serving Ranger

Military Myths and Legends, Vietnam War

A 30-year Army veteran who was the longest continuously serving Ranger in Vietnam and one of the war's most decorated enlisted soldiers died. Patrick Gavin Tadina served in Vietnam for over five years straight between 1965 and 1970, leading long-range reconnaissance patrols deep into enemy territory - often dressed in black pajamas and sandals and carrying an AK-47. Patrick Gavin Tadina Left a Lasting Legacy The retired Command Sergeant Major Patrick Gavin Tadina died May 29, 2020, in North Carolina. He was 77. "Early this morning, my Dad ... took his last breaths and went to be with all the Rangers before him," his daughter Catherine Poeschl said on Facebook. "I know they are all there waiting for him." He is survived by his wife, two sisters, two daughters, four sons, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, the family, said in a brief online obituary. A funeral had not yet been scheduled. Patrick Gavin Tadina Became a Decorated Ranger A native of Hawaii, Tadina earned...

WW2 – Operation Centerboard

Battlefield Chronicles, World War II

In 1944, Col. Paul Tibbets was summoned to Wendover Army Air Field in Utah for what must have seemed like an impossible mission. He was ordered to create and organize a combat group with the sole purpose of delivering a weapon that didn't even exist yet. Operation Centerboard Trained Crews on Nonexistent Bombs Tibbets' name might sound familiar to World War II history buffs. He would pilot the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay as it dropped the atomic bomb codenamed "Little Boy" over the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. But before he could fly into the history books with the first nuclear weapon, he had to figure out how to get it to Japan. Tibbets and his aircrews not only had to train on delivering a then-nonexistent bomb with an unknown explosive size or payload to an undetermined but (presumably) heavily defended enemy city, they also had to do it using aircraft specially designed to carry those nonexistent weapons. His aircrews all practiced at least 50 bombing...

Who Brings an Accordion to Vietnam? by V. E. Flango

Military Book Reviews, Vietnam War

Army veteran Dr. Victor Eugene Flango usually writes about court reform. He has authored more than 100 publications and articles (and even a web video) on the topic. His 2024 book, “Who Brings an Accordion to Vietnam?: A Lighthearted Look at the War,” is a standout, not only because it’s not about court reform, but it’s also not a combat memoir, because Flango didn’t serve in a combat role.

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