Military Campaign Stories

SM2 Humphrey Bogart, U.S. Navy (1918-1919)

SM2 Humphrey Bogart, U.S. Navy (1918-1919)

Celebrities Who Served, World War I

While Humphrey Bogart is primarily celebrated for his legendary performances on the silver screen, his contributions off-camera during World War I remain a lesser-known yet significant aspect of his life. Beyond the glitz of Hollywood, Bogart served his country with honor and distinction, embodying courage and resilience. From Privilege to the Stage: The Early Dramas of Humphrey Bogart Humphrey Bogart, born on December 25, 1899, in New York City, had a childhood marked by privilege. His father, Belmont DeForest Bogart, was a prominent cardiopulmonary surgeon, and his mother, Maud Humphrey, was a successful commercial illustrator. However, his parents' marriage was troubled, and they divorced when Bogart was young. Bogart had been poised to enroll at Yale, but his plans were abruptly derailed when he was expelled from Phillips Academy before completing his transfer. Though the specifics surrounding his departure remain ambiguous, Bogart was left with an education cut short and limited...

WW2 – The Battle of the Bismarck Sea

WW2 – The Battle of the Bismarck Sea

Battlefield Chronicles, World War II

As 1942 turned to 1943, a victorious end to World War II in the Pacific Theater was still far from assured for either side of the conflict. The Allies were celebrating a string of strategic victories over the course of the previous year. After the devastation of Pearl Harbor, the Americans scored a major victory against the Imperial Japanese Navy at the Battle of Midway in June 1942. A few months later, U.S. forces launched the Solomon Islands campaign, invading Guadalcanal and its strategic airfield. The Crucial Moments of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea The Japanese, of course, suffered a string of setbacks. A joint Australian and American force pushed back Japan’s offensive on the Kokoda Trail on New Guinea, the losses it suffered at Midway were not replaceable and by February 1943, the Japanese Army would be forced to abandon Guadalcanal. The Japanese Imperial Staff knew it needed to reinforce its positions in New Guinea, which was fighting in some of the most grueling swamp,...

Cold War Double Agents Within the CIA

Cold War Double Agents Within the CIA

Cold War, Military Myths and Legends

How much do you know about Cold War double agents within the CIA? Just recently, news has been released by a CIA analyst that, during the Cold War, there were double agents who worked for the CIA while remaining secretly loyal to communist spy agencies. There were nearly 100 fake CIA “agents” in East Germany, Cuba, and the Soviet Union. These “agents” made up false intelligence that was then passed on to the U.S. policymakers for years.

LTC Paul Riley, U.S. Army (1990-2014)

LTC Paul Riley, U.S. Army (1990-2014)

Global War on Terror, VA Military Memories Competition

Of all the medals, awards, formal presentations, and qualification badges you received, which one(s) are the most meaningful to you and why?:

My initial battery commander humorously referred to the collection of awards on an Army dress uniform as a ‘sausage.’ The term resonated with my fellow platoon leaders and me, as it vividly captured the mishmash of colors, textures, and symbols resembling a chaotic mosh pit when adorning the chest. During my time in ROTC, cadets sported extensive racks of awards reminiscent of a Russian Field Marshal post-Battle of Moscow, fostering a sense of accomplishment. However, upon graduating college and ROTC, the slate was wiped clean. After completing the Officer Basic Course, new officers were granted the privilege to wear the Army Service Ribbon and the National Defense Service Medal, offering a modest start to their uniform embellishments.

SP 4 Tom Hirst, U.S. Army (1969-1971)

SP 4 Tom Hirst, U.S. Army (1969-1971)

VA Military Memories Competition, Vietnam War

Of all the medals, awards, formal presentations, and qualification badges you received, which one(s) are the most meaningful to you and why?:

“What is that?” asked the person parked next to me in the “VETERANS ONLY” parking space at Home Depot. “That’s the COMBAT MEDICAL BADGE,” explaining my vanity license plate. “It’s the Army Medic’s version of the Combat Infantry Badge.” “I’ve seen some of the other Florida license plates, with medals and stuff, but I’ve never seen that one. I was in the Air Force.”

A1C Joseph Jr. Carvalko, U.S. Air Force (1959-1964)

A1C Joseph Jr. Carvalko, U.S. Air Force (1959-1964)

VA Military Memories Competition, Vietnam War

Of all the medals, awards, formal presentations, and qualification badges you received, which one(s) are the most meaningful to you and why?:

Post Cuban Crisis, October 1963, I was honored as Outstanding Airman of the 818th Strategic Aerospace Division Lincoln, AFB. I had three consecutive monthly wing recognitions while serving in the 307th Bomb Wing, Medium, SAC, Armament, and Electronics Squadron. Now, from a pool of 6,000, I, amongst five others, was nominated for the Award that included two bomb wings and a missile wing. I took home the honor, partly due to my role in the critical launch of the final B-47 Bomber during the Cuban crisis.

HM1 Robert Hays, U.S. Marine Corps (1967-1969)

HM1 Robert Hays, U.S. Marine Corps (1967-1969)

VA Military Memories Competition, Vietnam War

Of all the medals, awards, formal presentations, and qualification badges you received, which one(s) are the most meaningful to you and why?:

On April 9, 1969, an event happened which made bona fide heroes out of three of us. I was sitting on my cot writing a letter and heard an explosion. When I looked up, I saw a ball of fire rising from the ammo dump about 200 yards away. This dump was a big one. It was about 300 yards long and 200 yards wide, covered with pallets of ammo and explosives of every size and description.

A1C Jim March, U.S. Air Force (1964-1967)

A1C Jim March, U.S. Air Force (1964-1967)

VA Military Memories Competition, Vietnam War

Of all the medals, awards, formal presentations, and qualification badges you received, which one(s) are the most meaningful to you and why?:

USAF Airman’s Medal. Stationed at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas, social opportunities for a young Airman were somewhat limited. My mode of transport was a Vespa motorscooter — not designed to attract young ladies. One Saturday evening, while driving back to the base, I passed by an establishment known as a Texas Ice House. Such establishments were a combination of local delis, local bars, and weekend party sites, serving primarily the Tex-Mex community. Since it was a warm summer evening, there was also dancing to a Mariachi band on the front porch. I decided to stop and check it out.

1SG Randy Jr. Taylor, U.S. Army (2002-2023)

1SG Randy Jr. Taylor, U.S. Army (2002-2023)

Global War on Terror, VA Military Memories Competition

Of all the medals, awards, formal presentations, and qualification badges you received, which one(s) are the most meaningful to you and why?:

From the first day of my arrival at a replacement in Fort Benning in 2002, I waited to go over the hill and start my journey through One Station Unit Training. I silently observed my surroundings and the Army posters and informationals. I often observed a rifle against a rectangular background colored in blue etched in wood and was often positioned as the centerpiece on the walls. As I was brought to formation to receive classes, I would observe this rifle mounted on a rectangular background as a badge worn by my Drill Sergeants. In the Soldier Bay, I would observe this rifle badge in the latrines, in the dining facility, and in the Company Training Area.

The Dark Side of Glory by Richard McMahon

The Dark Side of Glory by Richard McMahon

Korean War, Military Book Reviews

In this page-turning suspense novel, Richard McMahon expertly switches between two settings and time periods, the earlier being the Korean War and the current a who-done-it mystery in a world of surprises where nothing is as it seems. The book opens in the present time (the early 1970s) as Biographer Matthew Clark is asked by Miriam Coursen to write a biography of her deceased husband, U.S. Army Major General Philip Coursen, a highly decorated Army officer. When Clark agrees to write the biography of General Coursen, he has no idea the layers of deceit and deception he'll uncover, not to mention a brutal covered-up murder, a secret mistress, an abandoned illegitimate daughter, and a tragic love. Nor does he realize his own life will be forever changed in the process. The story is principally told through the lives of five characters: Philip Coursen, who appears at first to be the perfect Army officer, but who seems to have an increasingly mysterious dark side; Miriam Coursen, equally...

The Battle of Buena Vista

The Battle of Buena Vista

Battlefield Chronicles, Civil War

The Mexican War was one of the United States' shortest wars, and it's a conflict that often goes overlooked in American history books. But it was one that literally shaped the country and its future in so many ways. It added more than half a million square miles to the United States, from the Rio Grande to the Pacific Ocean, establishing a southern border and creating a territory that truly spread from sea to shining sea. It was also where many future commanders of the American Civil War would cut their teeth in the art of war, applying what they learned from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. These notables included Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, George G. Meade, George McClellan, George Pickett, Joseph E. Johnston, Braxton Bragg, Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. The Battle of Buena Vista: General Taylor's Stand At the start of the war, the Mexican claimed its border with Texas was the Nueces River, while the U.S. upheld the Texas claim that the border was the...

A Pilot’s Story from Tennessee Eagle Scouts to General Montgomery’s Flying Fortress by Richard Eager

A Pilot’s Story from Tennessee Eagle Scouts to General Montgomery’s Flying Fortress by Richard Eager

Military Book Reviews, World War II

Some say the decades between 1930 and 1970 were the golden age of aviation. For many pilots, this was certainly the case. Aviation technology took a great leap forward during and after World War II. Pilots began testing the limits of their craft, from altitude to the sound barrier. Most importantly, the years saw the creation of the U.S. Air Force as an independent military branch. About the Author of A Pilot's Story from Tennessee Eagle Scouts Starting from a must-win air war like World War II, pilots like Col. Richard Ernest Evans could really make a name for themselves and thrive in the skies. Growing up in Knoxville, Tennessee, Evans was practically born to serve. He started his service life with the Eagle Scouts and became a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot in the Mediterranean theater of World War II. He continued his service after the war as Deputy Director of Operations for the USAF Strategic Air Command. During the Cold War, he was promoted to colonel and was the...