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Operation Torch Then And Now by Jean Paul Pallud

Operation Torch Then And Now by Jean Paul Pallud

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The Allied invasion of North Africa is a convoluted tale of politics, diplomacy, grand strategy, and a military campaign. Operation Torch introduced the Americans to the swings and roundabouts of land combat against the Axis Powers and showed up some of the military inconsistencies of their allies - the British. The great partnership was underway on the rocky road to total victory in 1945. The invasion pitted Frenchman against Frenchman and culminated in the total defeat of Germany and Italy on the continent of Africa. Victory buoyed the Allies, setting them on course for the invasion of Italy. None of this satisfied Stalin, of course, but we’re too far down the road to get entangled in debating the rights and wrongs of the Allied strategy. There was a victory at the end of the campaign, and this is what mattered more than anything else. The team at After the Battle continues its mission to cover the legacy of the Second World War with this predictably efficient look at Operation...

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Grunts, Gramps & Tanks by Rick Bogdan

Grunts, Gramps & Tanks by Rick Bogdan

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The United States' involvement in South Vietnam lasted roughly 20 years. For much of that time, American forces were actively engaged against the North Vietnamese. As the war lingered on and public sentiment turned against the war, the U.S. eventually withdrew in 1973. Within two years, the South Vietnamese government would fall and Vietnam was unified under the Communist regime. That is a very simplistic description of 20 years of conflict. The men and women who served in Vietnam each have a unique perspective on their time there, and many of them have written about it, immortalizing their experiences as part of the U.S. military story forever.  Those who served in the post-Vietnam era were still very much at war, Cold Warriors who maintained readiness, waiting for World War III with the Soviet Union around the world. Yet, their stories are few and far between. What life was like for the GI in a post-Vietnam world is largely undocumented. Rick Bogdan joined the Army as a...

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Steel Soldier: Guadalcanal Odyssey by James J. Messina

Steel Soldier: Guadalcanal Odyssey by James J. Messina

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After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States seized the initiative in the Pacific by delivering a resounding defeat to the Japanese at the Battle of Midway. Following this turn of events, the U.S. decided to attack the Solomon Islands, especially Guadalcanal, to support further operations as they advanced toward the Japanese home islands. Guadalcanal became a critical target for the Americans because of its position along Allied supply lines, its proximity to further Japanese bases, and because of an airfield the Japanese had constructed at Lunga Point. The U.S. sent more than 60,000 Marines to capture the island. Pfc. James J. Messina was one of those Marines. Messina served his country as a Private First Class in the Marine Corps, joining well before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Pennsylvania native joined in September 1941 and served through the end of the Battle of Guadalcanal, where Messina and the 1st Marine Division defeated the Imperial Japanese Army over...

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Are Movie Studios Required to Get Military Uniforms Wrong?

Are Movie Studios Required to Get Military Uniforms Wrong?

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Even though movies and television are supposed to be an escape from reality for a little while, veterans watching military movies will often have a hard time looking away from the train wrecks of military uniforms in those shows.  The offenses can be small, such as uniforms wearing the wrong service's ribbons and medals, to the egregious, like wearing uniform items that don't even exist. Some movies even feature characters wearing the camouflage of a different country.  The Rumor Surrounding Hollywood and Stolen Valor Charges One rumor that has persisted for decades is that Hollywood actually has to get military uniforms wrong in some ways, lest they be on the wrong side of some stolen valor charge. The rumor says that there is a federal statute of Department of Defense litigation that prevents studios from using proper uniforms.  With some of the terrible uniforms depicted in some movies and shows, who could blame anyone for seeing the logic in that? The truth is that there is no...

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S2c Harry Belafonte, U.S. Navy (1943-1945)

S2c Harry Belafonte, U.S. Navy (1943-1945)

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Harry Belafonte, the iconic singer, actor, and social activist, holds a remarkable story of military service that often remains overshadowed by his extraordinary accomplishments in the world of entertainment. Serving as a member of the United States Navy during World War II, Belafonte dedicated himself to the cause of freedom and justice both on and off the stage. His military service laid the foundation for his future endeavors as a civil rights advocate, using his platform to challenge societal norms and fight against racial injustice. Harry Belafonte's unwavering commitment to serving his country and his unwavering determination to bring about positive change make him a true hero, not only in the realm of entertainment but also in the annals of American history. Harry Belafonte’s Early Years Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. (Harry Belafonte), born on March 1, 1927, in Harlem, New York. His mother, Melvine Love, was from Jamaica, and his father, Harold George Bellanfanti Sr., was from...

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PFC Hugh Hefner, U.S. Army (1944-1946)

PFC Hugh Hefner, U.S. Army (1944-1946)

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It's well-known that the late Hugh Hefner was the founder of one of history's most iconic global brands. He transformed the adult entertainment industry with his groundbreaking publication Playboy. Less widely reported, however, is his contribution to the war effort during World War II. Just seven years before he created Playboy magazine from his kitchen table, Hefner joined the Army, serving as an infantry clerk and drawing cartoons for various military newspapers.  Hugh Hefner's Early Years Hugh Marston Hefner, born on April 9, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois, was the eldest of two sons born to Grace and Glenn Hefner, who were strict Methodists. His mother was of Swedish ancestry, and his father was German and English. Through his father's line, Hefner was a descendant of Plymouth governor William Bradford. Hefner went to Sayre Elementary School and then to Steinmetz High School, where, reportedly, his IQ was 152 though his academic performance was generally modest. He developed an...

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What Rotten EGGS by Daniel M. White

What Rotten EGGS by Daniel M. White

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During World War II, the Coast Guard built its LORAN, or long-range navigation systems, a network of land-based transmitting stations that would give military ships and aircraft a means of accurately navigating to their destinations.  After the war, the LORAN became the primary means by which the entire world navigated the oceans. LORAN stations were built wherever there was local support for them, but those who worked at these remote locations often found themselves far from home, isolated, and lonesome.  The LORAN on Iwo Jima was operated by the Coast Guard from World War II until it was taken over by the Japanese government in 1994. Coast Guard veteran Daniel M. White's book “What Rotten EGGS” is a fictional work based on true stories about USCG LORAN during the period after the Second World War. The book follows a Coast Guard Lieutenant as he begins a tour as the new commanding officer of the LORAN Station on Iwo Jima, Japan. While he wasn't sure what to expect on the remote...

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Mirth and Musings by Sandi Hoover & Jim Tritten

Mirth and Musings by Sandi Hoover & Jim Tritten

Mirth and Musings by Sandi Hoover & Jim Tritten Have you heard anything about "Mirth and Musings" by Sandi Hoover & Jim Tritten? The award-winning writing team of Sandi Hoover and former naval aviator Jim Tritten deliver their fifth collaboration as they explore what makes us laugh and a few even serious essays on such subjects as running away from home when overwhelmed. You will never again go into a sauna without feeling Jim’s experiences after you read Saunagus nor have a stranger as an extended guest after learning Sandi’s lessons in There’s a Diva in the House. These ten chapters are sure to entertain you and perhaps challenge your preconceived notion of what makes the perfect woman. Featured in this collection: “Dad, I’m on an All-Plant Diet”Give it an InchHow Could I Disappear?But What if the Buddhists Got it Wrong?There’s a Diva in the HouseSaunagusThe Illustrated ManGuardian Cactus“The Perfect Woman”Polished With Love Readers’ Reviews about Mirth and Musings “This is...

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Once a Warrior by Jake Wood

Once a Warrior by Jake Wood

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When Marine sniper Jake Wood arrived in the States after two bloody tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, he was not leaving war behind him - far from it. Ten years after returning home, Jake's unit lost more men to suicide than to enemy hands overseas.  He watched in horror as his best friend and fellow Marine, Clay Hunt, plunged into depression upon returning, stripped of his purpose, community, and sense of identity. Despite Jake's attempts to intervene, Clay died by suicide, alone. Reeling, Jake remembered how only one thing had given Clay a measure of hope: joining him in Haiti on a ragtag mission to save lives immediately following the 2010 earthquake. His military training had rendered him unusually effective in high-stakes situations. What if there was a way to help stricken communities while providing a new mission to veterans? In this inspiring memoir, Jake recounts how, over the past 10 years, he and his team have recruited over 130,000 volunteers to his disaster response...

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In Which Box? by Bob Sheldon

In Which Box? by Bob Sheldon

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Retired Navy officer Bob Sheldon, the author of 'In Which Box?', has drawn from 26 years of experience and his extensive world travels to weave a dramatic tale. About the Book Michael Renaldi, a former regional security officer for the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, is the protagonist of this globe-trotting debut novel by retired U.S. Navy officer Bob Sheldon. Renaldi is pulled out of retirement by his former colleagues in the DSS, who are desperate for his special skills in the interrogation field. Saudi Arabia requires help with a captured Islamist terrorist, and the need for alternative interrogation techniques will spur Renaldi on his next mission. Along with agent Yuri Hagino, he travels to Japan’s Kansai International Airport in search of a solution, but gets drawn undercover once more into the high-stakes world of espionage. As he strives to implement an efficient replacement for waterboarding, he tests new pain delivery methods on a terrorist. However, an unbelievable...

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A1C Carlos “Chuck” Ray Norris, U.S. Air Force (1958-1962)

A1C Carlos “Chuck” Ray Norris, U.S. Air Force (1958-1962)

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You may know Chuck Norris is a champion martial artist, and movie and television star of titles such as Walker, Texas Ranger, The Delta Force, and The Hitman. A martial arts legend who has contributed greatly to the development and popularization of martial arts in the United States and around the world, he has a long and impressive martial arts career, both as a competitor and as a teacher. He is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo. However, before he became a Hollywood icon, Norris served in the United States military, where he honed his skills and developed the discipline that would later help him achieve great success. In this article, we'll take a closer look at Chuck Norris' military service, including his accomplishments and how they shaped his life and career. Chuck Norris’s Early Life Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris was born on March 10, 1940, in Ryan, Oklahoma. Norris' paternal grandfather and maternal grandmother were of Irish descent, while his paternal...

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Refined by Fire by Ruth Vandyke and Yvonne Doll

Refined by Fire by Ruth Vandyke and Yvonne Doll

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Privates Joyce Kutsch and Rita Johnson became the first women to graduate from a modified Basic Airborne Course on December 14, 1973. In 2007, Army medic Specialist Monica Lin Brown was only the second female soldier since World War II to receive the Silver Star. Eight women were admitted to Army Ranger School for the first time in 2015. All failed, but three were invited back for another try. Obviously, these were historical inroads in what had been the male soldiers' exclusive domain and evidence that the military is on the path for even more inclusion of women in traditional combat roles. Surprisingly, however, it wasn't until the summer of 1976 that women were allowed to become cadets in college ROTC programs and plebes in the United States Military Academy at West Point.  "Refined by Fire," their first book in the Guarding of Peace historical fiction series about women in the military, Ruth Vandyke and Yvonne Doll masterfully entertain readers while providing accurate depictions...

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