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Destroyed Military Records. A Disaster with Long-Lasting Repercussions

Destroyed Military Records. A Disaster with Long-Lasting Repercussions

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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. The Fire at the National Personnel Records Center 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. Design Flaws in the NPRC and the Fire Hazard The National Personnel Records Center was formed in 1956 in an effort to streamline...

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

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

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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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Sgt Paul Arizin, U.S. Marine Corps (1952-1954)

Sgt Paul Arizin, U.S. Marine Corps (1952-1954)

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Paul Arizin, who served in the US Marine Corps between 1952 and 1954, is more commonly known as ‘Pitchin’ Paul’, NBA Hall of Fame member and star player of the Philadelphia Warriors during the 50s. There are no shortage of basketball stars who have built an athletic career after a stint in the military: David Robinson and Mike Silliman are two such men. However, Arizin is notable for not only being one of the first, after the NBA was established in the aftermath of World War II, but also for selflessly serving in the prime of his career. Early Life and Basketball Beginnings: Paul Arizin’s Rise Paul Arizin was born in Philadelphia in 1928, and despite reaching a height of 6 foot 4 inches, failed to make his high school basketball team when he tried out as a senior. He went to La Salle College High School, the same school fellow Hall of Famer Tom Gola went to. Arizin attended Villanova University, studying chemistry, and played Catholic Youth Organization basketball. It was here that...

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Michael Caine’s Service In The Korean War (1952-1954)

Michael Caine’s Service In The Korean War (1952-1954)

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Michael Caine is one of the most well-known and highly-regarded British actors of the 20th and 21st centuries. He is famous for roles in movies like Zulu, Get Carter, The Eagle Has Landed, The Italian Job, Austin Powers in Goldmember, Christopher Nolan's Batman films, and a host of others spanning an acting career of 70 years. While he has become a household name across the globe, many people don't know about Michael Caine because he served in the British Army and saw combat in the Korean War. It was a harrowing experience for the actor and one that would scar him for many years. Caine's birth name was Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, and he was born in 1933 in South London to a working-class family. Caine's father fought in the Second World War. His family, including the young Maurice (Michael), was evacuated from London due to the risk of bombing by the Luftwaffe. Did Michael Caine Served In Korea? After gaining his School Certificate at the age of sixteen, he worked for a time as a...

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Patriot Army Saved From Disaster

Patriot Army Saved From Disaster

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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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Explaining Air Force Basic Military Training (BMT)

Explaining Air Force Basic Military Training (BMT)

Joining the United States Air Force requires comprehensive training to become a proficient Airman. Air Force basic training is considered by some to be the ‘easiest’ of the branches. While it is shorter than the Marine Corps’ and Army’s basic training programs, it is still an exceptional test of a young recruit’s physical and psychological fortitude. Not everyone can become an Airman. Reports have found that over seven in ten young people are incapable of even becoming a recruit. The Air Force takes its pick of the applicants among the three in ten who are eligible, putting them through 8.5 weeks of training, which, for most of them, is unlike anything they have gone through before. Together We Served is a veteran locator tool that helps American military veterans reconnect with others they met during their military career, whether they shared a duty station, squadron, or basic training. We are providing a rundown of modern Air Force training for veterans to compare to their own...

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Explaining U.S. Marine Corps Military Operations

Explaining U.S. Marine Corps Military Operations

When thinking of American military history successes, one cannot help but think of USMC operations as being prominent among them. The United States Marine Corps has, for centuries, prided itself on being the first to respond to external threats. Historic Marine Corps Operations The Marine Hymn records some of its earliest operations: “From the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli” references the 1847 Battle of Chapultepec, part of the Mexican-American War, and the 1805 Battle of Derna, fighting Barbary pirates. These are not the only historic Marine actions, however. The first instance of real amphibious warfare that the Marines engaged in was the Raid on Nassau in March 1776, shortly after the Continental Congress established the Continental Marines in November 1775. The nascent American forces, led by George Washington, were short on supplies. A force of approximately 200 marines and 50 sailors was dispatched to the British-held island of Nassau, which was fortified with 63...

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Explaining U.S. Navy Units

Explaining U.S. Navy Units

How much do you know about the organization of US Navy units? The United States Navy is the world’s most powerful naval force that has ever existed, with the ability to exert military might in the Pacific, Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, Persian Gulf, and beyond. Not many people know that if all the navies of the rest of the world were combined together, it would just barely amount to more than the US Navy. Since its founding in 1775, the Navy has grown and developed its operational capacity and administrative support. The Navy has a more complicated structure than that of the other defense forces. Together We Served is a veterans-only online repository of military history. Members can upload their service records to reconnect with others from different eras in their military careers, such as those they attended boot camp with and those who served in the same units.  150902-N-XF387-351 Ana Motapalomares records bearings Development of the U.S. Navy The first permanent standing US...

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Explaining Navy Basic Training (Boot Camp)

Explaining Navy Basic Training (Boot Camp)

If you were a sailor in the US Navy, you went through the Navy training program. Basic training (or boot camp) is how raw recruits are shaped into the foundation of the world’s most powerful navy. The Navy hasn’t always had a formalized training program, but things began to change after modernization began in the 1880s. Naval Station Great Lakes was built in Lake County, Illinois, between 1905 and 1911, the first (and since 1996, only) basic training facility for the US Navy. This proud naval history is instilled in Navy basic training in the very fabric: each building in which a barracks is contained is named after a famous US ship. How Long is Basic Training for the Navy? Navy boot camp consists of eight weeks of physical fitness training, new skills and knowledge, and moral rectitude. Being a sailor isn’t just about being fit enough or knowing the ropes. A sailor must be uncompromising in integrity, respectful in service, and loyal in adversity. As honest and respectful with...

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Explaining Army Basic Training

Explaining Army Basic Training

United States Army Basic Combat Training, also referred to as Initial Entry Training, is the recruit training program of the United States Army, for service in the Regular Army, United States Army Reserve, or the Army National Guard. Army basic training is how raw recruits are sculpted into members of the most powerful military force in the history of mankind. United States Army Basic Training Passing basic training is necessary to join the Regular Army, US Army Reserve, or the Army National Guard. While less intense than the Marine Corps, it is one of the world’s most complex military boot camps in the world. It can vary greatly, depending on a recruit’s chosen military occupation. Infantry recruits attend Fort Benning, Georgia, the most intense and physically demanding basic training program. Non-combat occupations still undergo combat training but are more rounded in their approach. They attend boot camp at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, or Fort Leonard Wood,...

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Explaining U.S. Navy Operations

Explaining U.S. Navy Operations

The US Navy is the world’s most powerful seagoing force and has amassed a long list of achievements through its numerous naval operations. Together We Served, the internet’s largest repository of personal military history, honors those sailors who have contributed to its successes, from naval operations in World War II to the Global War on Terrorism. Historic Naval Operations While there were plenty of battles in the Pacific Theater that counted as prominent victories: The Battle of Midway, Operation Vengeance, or the Battle of Okinawa, one victory that will stand in the history of US naval operations is the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Over 200,000 naval personnel were involved in this battle, which, according to both sides' representatives, spelled the beginning of the end for Imperial Japan.  The American land forces were landing on the Philippine island of Leyte in October 1944, defended by the 3rd and 7th Fleets. However, three Japanese forces converged on the anticipated invasion:...

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Explaining U.S. Marine Corps Basic Training (Boot Camp)

Explaining U.S. Marine Corps Basic Training (Boot Camp)

Many Marine veterans have said that the Marine Corps training they underwent on enlisting was the most challenging experience of their lives. Around the world, the reputation of Marines being the toughest fighting force is respected, and the statistics support it: Marine Corps boot camp recruits suffer more broken bones than any comparable boot camp! What Training Do Marines Go Through? Basic training, also known as boot camp, is a process that all United States Marines must go through to call themselves a fully-fledged member of the United States Marine Corps. Even more so than the basic training of other US military branches, Marine Corps recruit training is physically and mentally grueling. There are two recruit-receiving locations for basic training: the Recruit Training Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina, and the Recruit Training Depot at San Diego, California. Most men who enlist west of the Mississippi typically go to San Diego, while men east of the Mississippi, and all...

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