Military Campaign Stories

National Purple Heart Day 2024

National Purple Heart Day 2024

It might come as a surprise to many, but the United States did not offer its troops medals or ribbons as uniform decorations until the Medal of Honor was introduced by President Lincoln during the Civil War. It was only offered to enlisted troops in July 1862, but by December, it was made available to officers who displayed exceptional gallantry.  Until that point in U.S. military history, military medals were more of a European tradition. Medals and ribbons were seen as a custom practiced by the armies of foreign monarchies. The United States, with its democratic government and egalitarian principles, frowned on such ties to Europe's royal heritage, from which the Americans fought hard to separate themselves.  During the Mexican-American War, a 'certificate of merit' would be issued to soldiers who distinguished themselves in action, but no uniform item existed to identify them. It was simply a certificate. It was discontinued after that war ended in 1848.  Despite a...

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Service Reflections of SMSGT Ronald Radliff, U.S. Air Force (1964-1991)

Service Reflections of SMSGT Ronald Radliff, U.S. Air Force (1964-1991)

I grew up as an Air Force brat. Our travels took us to Germany shortly after WW-II, France in the mid-50s, and a number of states here and there. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t until I was in college that I actually started and completed two consecutive years in the same school.
The college I attended was a junior college. I was studying to be an electronics technician but didn’t graduate as I hadn’t taken all the required courses. I soon found that there was a recession going on and not a job of any kind to be found and the reality of the draft was a very serious part of every young man’s life. Volunteering for the military became the obvious next step, but which one?
I was hoping to get into a technical career field in the military. The Army and Marines seemed like I would have only two chances of a technical field. Slim and None. This left the Navy and Air Force as the obvious choices. I ruled out the Navy as I had no desire to spend any time at sea, let alone extended periods, so the Air Force was my choice.
At that time, my younger brother was out of high school and going nowhere with prospects that looked even less optimistic. I convinced him to go talk to the Air Force recruiter with me. After all the necessary paperwork, the recruiter told us we’d have to come back to take the AFQT (Armed Forces Qualification Test). He scheduled us for the afternoon of November 22, 1963. A historic date indeed. President Kennedy was assassinated that day in Dallas. The recruiters were all gathered around the TV which was playing quite loudly in the next room to where we were taking our tests. The glass partition between the test room and the TV didn’t muffle the sound at all. What a stressful afternoon that was.

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PFC William Mays (Willie Mays), U.S. Army (1952–1953)

PFC William Mays (Willie Mays), U.S. Army (1952–1953)

Willie Mays, widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all time, is known for his incredible athletic prowess and his illustrious career in Major League Baseball (MLB). However, his life story encompasses more than just his achievements on the baseball field. Mays also served in the United States Army during the Korean War. Let’s review and honor Willie Mays' life, his military service, key accomplishments, and the awards he received both on and off the field. Willie Mays’ Early Life and Baseball Beginnings Willie Howard Mays Jr. was born on May 6, 1931, in Westfield, Alabama. Raised in a segregated America, Mays' early life was marked by the racial challenges of the time. Despite these challenges, he exhibited a natural talent for sports, particularly baseball, from a young age. Born to unmarried parents outside of Birmingham, Alabama in 1931, Willie’s mother was just 16 years of age when Willi was born. She abandoned him as a baby, remarried, and had 10 more...

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WO1 Craig Morgan, U.S. Army (1982-1997, 2023 – Present)

WO1 Craig Morgan, U.S. Army (1982-1997, 2023 – Present)

Craig Morgan, the renowned country music artist, is known for his remarkable military service. Before pursuing a successful career in the entertainment industry, Morgan dedicated over a decade of his life to serving his country in the United States Army. Rising through the ranks, he served as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division and later as a member of the 101st Airborne Division. Today, Craig Morgan continues to significantly impact military organizations through his advocacy and support for veterans' causes. The Early Years of Craig Morgan Born on July 17, 1964, in Dickson County, Tennessee, Craig Morgan spent his early years immersed in the rural landscapes of the American South. Raised amidst rolling hills and open fields, Morgan's childhood was a testament to hard work and community values. Influenced by the sounds of classic country music, he developed a passion for storytelling through song. During his teenage years in the early 1980s, Morgan began honing his musical...

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

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

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

"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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Service Reflections of YN2 George Glover, U.S. Coast Guard (1974-1979)

Service Reflections of YN2 George Glover, U.S. Coast Guard (1974-1979)

I was 19 years old, and it was the Vietnam Era. I had registered for the draft the previous year while in High School in San Diego, CA. I graduated HS and tried going to college, but it just wasn’t for me. So, after a semester, I left college. Now, what am I going to do? I really had no idea. I was thinking of the Navy because my father had served in the Navy during WWII. He had a career of over 22 years and was a BMC. I was going to join the Navy when a friend of mine mentioned the Coast Guard. That had never occurred to me. I was familiar with the USCG Air Station in San Diego and the cutters at Point Loma, and I liked what the Coast Guard did. Not only did they train for war, but they trained for SAR, law enforcement, pollution control, marine safety, etc. I knew that my father would be spinning in his grave as he had passed away, but I went down to the Coast Guard recruiter in San Diego, talked to them, and signed up. After the physical and paperwork was done, I was offered a guaranteed “A” school, YN. I took it and was off to boot camp in Alameda.

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The Hunt For “Wolfman 44”

The Hunt For “Wolfman 44”

On Dec 19, 1972, an OV-10 Bronco observation plane flew through the scattered clouds over South Vietnam’s northern region west of the South China Sea. At the controls was Air Force pilot Capt. Frank Egan. His aerial observer (AO), a Marine officer known by the call sign, “Wolfman 44”, carefully searched for enemy activity in the rain-soaked jungle and mountains below.

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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

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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The First Battle of Fallujah

The First Battle of Fallujah

In the earliest years of the Iraq War, the city of Fallujah was one of the most contested cities in the country, but it didn't start out that way. Local citizens had taken control of maintaining order in the city, but a series of misunderstandings between Coalition forces and local leaders soon led to violence and outrage. At the end of March 2004, four private military contractors were massacred and mutilated by insurgents there. The same day, five American soldiers were killed by a massive explosive device near Habbaniyah while en route to Fallujah. The U.S. military decided something needed to be done.  The First Battle of Fallujah: The Surge Begins On April 4, 2004, the U.S. launched a massive operation to capture or kill those responsible for murdering Blackwater contractors and the five American troops while pacifying the city. An estimated 10,000 troops, including U.S. Army soldiers from the 101st Airborne, 82nd Airborne, 10th Mountain Division, 1st Infantry Division, 3rd...

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Famous Coast Guard Unit: USCGC Ironwood (WAGL/WLB-297/NRPN)

Famous Coast Guard Unit: USCGC Ironwood (WAGL/WLB-297/NRPN)

On March 31, 1941, Marine Iron and Shipbuilding in Duluth, Minnesota, laid the keel for the first Coast Guard vessel of a Mesquite new buoy tender class, joining the so-called "Black Hull" fleet. The new vessel measured 180 feet overall and had a beam of 37 feet at the extreme. She had a displacement of 935 tons and drew 12 feet. Marine Iron and Shipbuilding made all but one, the Coast Guard cutter Ironwood (USCGC Ironwood), coming in for $1,388,277, was built at the USCG yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland, and was launched and commissioned in 1943.  USCGC Ironwood in the Pacific Theater After shakedown, USCGC Ironwood departed Norfolk for War in the Pacific, arriving in Noumea, New Caledonia, via Bora Bora and Pago Pago in March 1944. During World War II, the Ironwood and her sister ships covered thousands of miles of open ocean, working to establish LORAN stations, moving and establishing mooring buoys, and carrying cargo, mail, and personnel between South Pacific islands. "Some...

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Service Reflections of OS2 Christopher Hawley, U.S. Navy (1981-1987)

Service Reflections of OS2 Christopher Hawley, U.S. Navy (1981-1987)

I was always sure that I would serve in the military from a very young age. Military Service in my family was always a strong influence. At about fifteen years old, I was very sure that I would make a career in the military. I had joined the Civil Air Patrol at the time, and I loved it. I was also sure that I would be a United States Marine, just as two of my cousins, an uncle, and a Great-grandfather had all been.

My Great-grandfather had joined the Marines in 1910 at 16, lying with his parents’ help about his age, saying his birth year was 1892, not 1893. He served until 1914, participating in the incursion into Vera Cruz, Mexico, after the “Tampico Incident.” During much of his four years, he was detached from his command to the Marine Corps Rifle Range Detachment at the Marine Barracks, Quantico, VA, as part of the marksmanship team. After finishing Boot Camp at Paris Island, South Carolina, he was assigned to an old Battleship, the USS Louisiana (BB-19) and later the USS Texas (BB-35), as part of the Marine detachment. He was a participant in most of the National matches at Camp Perry during that time, earning the National Match, Distinguished Marksmanship Gold Metal.

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