Other Military Articles

Historic Japanese Internment Camps At Risk!

Historic Japanese Internment Camps At Risk!

Because of proposed cuts in the United States budget for 2019, the National Park Services would be severely reduced. This may have a negative impact on many NPS sites, including those where Japanese Americans were confined following America's entry into WWII in 1941. In 2006, the government set up the Japanese American Confinement Sites Grants Program via the National Parks and set aside thirty-eight million dollars to educate the public as to the importance of remembering this sometimes-controversial story in the nation's history. The grant money is typically used for site preservation, research, preserving oral and written histories, museums, educational materials, and archeology. As the years go by, fewer and fewer formerly incarcerated Japanese Americans are left to tell the stories. To keep those stories from fading away, work must be done, and that costs money. President Made Sure the Story of Japanese Internment Camps is Not Forgotten Ever since Ronald Reagan signed the Civil...

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Destroyed Military Records. A Disaster with Long-Lasting Repercussions

Destroyed Military Records. A Disaster with Long-Lasting Repercussions

In 1973 a devastating fire in the National Personnel Records Center destroyed about 17 million military personnel files. A loss with long-lasting repercussions, it affects our understanding and knowledge of many individual WWII stories. Here in New Orleans, the destructive power of fire and especially water is well known. Large disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and fires affect our national consciousness, and their devastating power often goes beyond the destruction of buildings and landscapes. In many cases, invaluable records, images, and other memories of human experience are lost in their wake. One such disaster affects our understanding of World War II to this day in that it took millions of records of those who fought it: the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. The National Personnel Records Center was formed in 1956 in an effort to streamline archival processes and merge several archival agencies. Its key job: to house and handle service...

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Cold War Peacetime Warrior by John Beach, U.S. Navy

Cold War Peacetime Warrior by John Beach, U.S. Navy

Last year I attended another Veteran's Day Program and Ceremony at the Local Area Senior Center. It was as impressive as they all are. But that year, I found out there is a real name for people who spent time in the service between conflicts. Previously, there were ceremonies for WWII veterans, Korean War veterans, Vietnam veterans, Desert Storm, Iran, Iraq, etc. During these times, I had always felt like an outsider and wondered why I was participating as a veteran. Sure, I wanted to honor those veterans who served during these conflicts, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice. I was also envious of those men and women who wore their uniforms with an array of medals adorning their chests. Or those with jackets and or hats proudly proclaimed which war theatre they participated in or which conflict they so bravely fought and suffered through. Many had patches, which indicated they had served in multiple areas during their years of service. Who Fought in the Cold War? Yes, I...

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Patriot Army Saved From Disaster

Patriot Army Saved From Disaster

On August 27, 1776, the British Army defeated Patriot troops at the Battle of Long Island, New York. Though the Americans were soundly defeated, they could safely evacuate their troops and avoid what would have been the probable destruction of a large part of the Continental Army. After the British were pushed out of Boston in March 1776, they next set their sights on capturing New York City and the vital Hudson River. During that summer, 32,000 British and Hessian troops under the command of Gen. William Howe arrived on Staten Island, preparing for their attack on Long Island. General George Washington, unsure where exactly the British planned to attack, split his approximately 20,000 troops between Manhattan Island and Long Island, even though he already had fewer troops than Howe. 15,000 British troops landed on the southwest shore of Long Island on August 22, with a few thousand additional Hessian troops arriving later. A portion of the roughly seven thousand American troops on...

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Sculpture Honors Military Working Dogs

Sculpture Honors Military Working Dogs

Sculpture of MWD at Soldier’s Grave Unveiled The sculpture shows a military working dog at the grave of his handler. The dog is wearing a Purple Heart medal and seems to be grieving his human friend's loss. A new sculpture honors the efforts and sacrifices of military working dogs. Susan Norris is the sculptor of "My Hero, My Friend," which has been moving people to tears when they see it. Norris stated in a press release that she has always enjoyed animals but felt that the bond between a military working dog and its handler was "on a whole other level." The sculpture will be installed at the Veterans Memorial Park in Trophy Club, Texas - part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Honoring Four-Legged Heroes Throughout the years, working dogs have been known as War Dogs and K-9 Corps, among many other names. Dogs have served the military as guards, messengers, mascots, and scouts. The working dog program has been increased as US involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq increased....

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Stars & Stripes Newspaper Partners With Together We Served

Stars & Stripes Newspaper Partners With Together We Served

Stars & Stripes Newspaper Partners With Together We Served The illustrious and storied Stars & Stripes newspaper partners with Together We Served to provide its members with a half-price subscription to their publication. Veterans and active service members that make use of Together We Served should not miss out on this opportunity to receive quality military journalism five days a week. Introduction to Stars & Stripes A daily American military newspaper, Stars & Stripes publishes news-breaking stories concerning members of the United States Armed Forces and their communities around the world. The paper is especially focused on service members stationed outside of the United States. While it is within the Defense Department from an organizational perspective, it maintains editorial independence that is protected by the United States Congress.During the Civil War, soldiers of the 11th, 18th, and 29th Illinois Regiments camped in the city of Bloomfield, MO. The local...

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Interesting Facts About the Korean War

Interesting Facts About the Korean War

Sixty-eight years ago, the Korean War began and threatened to turn into WWIII. Here are five basic facts, some small, some large about the Korean War. Korean War & Prisoners of War Tens of thousands of South Korean troops were taken prisoner by the North during the war. Many never returned South. Most are presumed dead, though word has gotten through that many still live as senior citizens in North Korea to this day. Likewise, many North Korean and Chinese were taken prisoner by American, South Korean, and United Nations troops. Unlike the unfortunate South Koreans, many of these captured men survived the war. Surprisingly, most (not all) wanted to return to their native countries when the war ended. One reason was patriotism, but another reason was the fear of what would happen to their families should they decide to stay in the South. Almost ten thousand US and Allied troops were taken prisoner during the war. It was not an easy captivity. They were given bare rations and...

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Fascinating Facts About The Film “Saving Private Ryan”

Fascinating Facts About The Film “Saving Private Ryan”

One of the most accurate and raw depictions of World War II can be found in the film Saving Private Ryan. This film portrayed the terror and chaos that typifies war, rather than the sanitized and unrealistic images that Hollywood tended to put out in past films. Opening scene capturing D-Day, storming the beaches of Normandy, FR. With the realism portrayed in the film, there were many behind-the-scenes tricks that director Steven Spielberg employed to ensure that the ageless footage and intense combat scenes made it from the film set to the cinema screen. Here are a few of the little-known facts that make this film so unforgettable. Scenes of D-Day Landings in Saving Private Ryan One iconic part of the film is the D-Day Landings. The realistic portrayal of the terror of the men landing on the beach, along with the inevitable chaos of efficiently getting so many men into such a small area, is realistically shown, but this came at an enormous cost. The D-Day shoot cost $12...

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Teenage Sisters Persuaded German Soldiers

Teenage Sisters Persuaded German Soldiers

Jannetje Johanna "Hannie" Schaft and Truus and Freddie Oversteegen When the Nazis steamrolled into the Netherlands in May of 1940, Jannetje Johanna "Hannie" Schaft and Truus and Freddie Oversteegen were just 19, 16, and 14 years old, respectively. As for the Oversteegen sisters, their mother, Trijn, had left their father years before. Freddie states of this, "She was just fed up one day - we lived on a large ship in Haarlem, but my father never made any money and didn't pay anything for the barge. But it wasn't an ugly divorce or anything - he sang a French farewell song from the bow of the ship when we left. He loved us, but I didn't see him that often anymore after that." Immediately after the Nazis came to town, despite the risks, Freddie goes on, "During the war, we had a Jewish couple living with us, which is why my sister and I knew a lot about what was going on…" At the same time, their mother also had her daughters join in with her in the rather dangerous task of posting and...

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