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How to Celebrate the US Army’s 250th Birthday

How to Celebrate the US Army’s 250th Birthday

The U.S. Army claims its birthday is on June 14th and states that it was officially formed one year before the Declaration of Independence was signed. That means the Army is older than the nation it defends! This year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States Army, and the world's most capable fighting force is throwing a big celebration on the National Mall – and yes, everyone is invited.  Honoring 250 Years of Service and Sacrifice "Since 1775, American soldiers have represented the very best of our nation,” Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said in a statement. They embody courage, sacrifice and strength. Sworn to defend the Constitution and our core American values, American Soldiers have fought against anyone who might threaten our country. They are the most lethal land fighting force the world has ever seen. The U.S. Army has upheld this legacy for 250 years, and we will carry this legacy into the future." Army Birthday Events in the Capital Visitors to the National...

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LCdr John (Jackie) Cooper, U.S. Navy (1943-1982)

LCdr John (Jackie) Cooper, U.S. Navy (1943-1982)

Born in Los Angeles in 1922, Cooper was born into a family of entertainers and became a child actor while very young, accompanying his grandmother to her auditions. His first actual credit was in 1929, in the short film Boxing Gloves, part of the Our Gang series of comedic films directed by Hal Roach. Jackie’s stock rose and he took larger and larger roles in these shorts, leading in The First Seven Years (1930) and When The Wind Blows (1930). In 1931 Cooper’s uncle, director Norman Taurog, snapped him up to star in Skippy (1931), leasing the young actor’s contract from Hal Roach Studios. Cooper became the youngest performer to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, an achievement not equalled for another 82 years, when Quvenzhané Wallis received a Best Actress nomination for her work in Beasts of the Southern Wild (2013) at the age of 9. However, Cooper did not enjoy his role: for the crying scene, Taurog ordered a security guard to take away and pretend to shoot Cooper’s dog,...

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Honoring Sacrifice: Remembering Memorial Day with Together We Served

Honoring Sacrifice: Remembering Memorial Day with Together We Served

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Memorial Day is a deeply significant and cherished national holiday in the United States, providing an opportunity for Americans to reflect on and pay tribute to the courageous men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the armed forces. As we observe this solemn occasion, TogetherWeServed, the largest online community of military veterans and their families, is dedicated to sharing the rich history of Memorial Day, highlighting its distinctions from Veterans Day, and providing guidance on how to observe this day of remembrance with reverence and gratitude. The Origins and History of Memorial Day Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, has a profound historical background that dates back to the aftermath of the American Civil War. The practice of honoring fallen soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers and flags gained momentum across the nation, with various communities independently commemorating their fallen heroes. The official birthplace of...

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JD Vance (Cpl. James D. Hamel), U.S. Marine Corps (2003-2007)

JD Vance (Cpl. James D. Hamel), U.S. Marine Corps (2003-2007)

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JD Vance, the Vice President-elect of the United States in 2024, is widely recognized for his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy and his role as a U.S. Senator from Ohio, has a lesser-known but significant chapter in his life: his service in the United States Marine Corps. This period was a pivotal time for Vance, providing him with discipline and a profound sense of purpose that shaped his future endeavors. JD Vance’s Early Life: From Middletown to the Marines James David Vance was born on August 2, 1984, in Middletown, Ohio, a town struggling with the decline of the American manufacturing industry. His early life was marked by significant challenges, including his parents' divorce and his mother's battles with drug and alcohol addiction. Eventually, his mother changed his middle name to David, and he took on his mother’s maiden name, Vance, as his surname.  Vance grew up primarily under the care of his maternal grandparents, who had moved to Middletown from eastern Kentucky's...

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Last In, First Out A Desert Storm Diary by Ed “Tuna” Fisher

Last In, First Out A Desert Storm Diary by Ed “Tuna” Fisher

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These days, Ed Fisher (callsign: “Tuna”) is twice-retired and living with his wife on Washington State’s Whidbey Island. His second career was as a lecturer at the Naval Postgraduate School, from which he retired in 2021. His first career was much more exciting. As Lt. Col. Fisher, he was a U.S. Air Force Wild Weasel Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO), who performed this duty during Operation Desert Storm. “Last In, First Out” is his diary from his days fighting combat missions there.

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The Boys on Cherry Street by Ron Boehm

The Boys on Cherry Street by Ron Boehm

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Tens of thousands of books have been written on the Vietnam War. Thousands more are in the process of being written, and thousands more are being considered by other veterans. Such books inevitably deal with heroic actions and stories of courage and sacrifice. Boehm brilliant book also includes stories about heroes and their courage, but he wrote the book to be a different kind of book on Vietnam. He was highly successful.

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Pvt Harvey Keitel, U.S. Marine Corps (1956-1959)

Pvt Harvey Keitel, U.S. Marine Corps (1956-1959)

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Harvey Keitel is widely recognized as one of Hollywood’s most intense and versatile actors, known for his unforgettable performances in films like Taxi Driver, Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. But before his rise to cinematic fame, Keitel served in the United States Marine Corps, an experience that would shape discipline throughout his life and career. Beyond his military service and acting, Keitel has dedicated himself to philanthropy, supporting veterans and aspiring artists alike. Harvey Keitel’s Early Life and Education Harvey Keitel was born on May 13, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish immigrant parents from Poland and Romania. Raised in a working-class family, Keitel grew up in Brighton Beach, where his parents owned and operated a small luncheonette. As a child, he was known for his rebellious streak, often getting into trouble at school. Despite this, he possessed a deep curiosity and an independent spirit. His teenage years were marked by a search for direction. Keitel...

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Fire in the Hole by Bob Parsons

Fire in the Hole by Bob Parsons

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Bob Parsons was a 0311, a Marine Corps Rifleman, with 1st Battalion 26th Marines in South Vietnam’s Quang Nam province. When he first arrived on Hill 190, where his company operated, it was all rice paddy as far as his eyes could see. He was told that his time in-country would change him. He may not have realized just how much he would change.

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SSgt Desi Arnaz, U.S. Army (1942-1945)

SSgt Desi Arnaz, U.S. Army (1942-1945)

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Desi Arnaz who served in the US Army between 1942 and 1945 is perhaps most famous for his starring role as Ricky Ricardo opposite his real-life spouse Lucille Ball in the foundational modern TV sitcom I Love Lucy. Desi was already on his way to becoming a star when he was drafted into the US Army, but his time as a soldier gave him plenty of opportunities to hone his skills not only as a performer, but as a producer. Desi Arnaz Fled Cuba and Found His Path to Stardom Born Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III in 1917, Desi was a child of privilege, his father the mayor of Santiago, his grandfather an exec at Bacardi. However, his family’s fortunes changed with the Cuban Revolution of 1933. Narrowly avoiding a sticky end, the Arnaz family fled to Miami with their lives, if not their seized property. Desi went to high school and then prep school to improve his English, and formed a band, the Siboney Septet. The band was successful in Miami and gained the attention of Xavier Cugat, who...

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Events in the Life of an Ordinary Man by Richard R. Pariseau

Events in the Life of an Ordinary Man by Richard R. Pariseau

In his introduction, the author wrote: “ordinary implies middle-class Americans without special privileges of wealth or title.” He was referring to his own family in Attleboro, Mass. When one reads the entire book, however, one learns he is a modern renaissance man and a high achiever who excelled in sports, academics, science, military and almost anything he set his mind to – as well as a few failures. He referred to it as a cumulative assortment of life experiences that were humorous, others sad, motivations and educational as he continually sought excitement with new or unfamiliar areas to explore.

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EM2 Nick Adams, U.S. Coast Guard (1952-1954)

EM2 Nick Adams, U.S. Coast Guard (1952-1954)

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Nick Adams, who served in the US Coast Guard between 1952 and 1954, came from humble beginnings to try and make a Hollywood star of himself. Cohort of James Dean and Elvis Presley, Adams also came to an unfortunate end chasing their caliber of fame. Nevertheless, he was a dutiful member of the Coast Guard during the Korean War and following. Nick Adams Chases Hollywood Dreams Nick Adams was born Nicholas Aloysius Adamshock in 1931 in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, a company town for coal mining. Abjectly poor in the heart of the Depression, the Adamshocks left the town after Nick’s coal miner uncle was killed in a mining accident. The family drove until they could drive no more, ending up in Jersey City, NJ. The family was still poor but had better prospects. Unlike his brother Andy, who went into medical school, Nick was a dreamer with plans of revolutionizing his family’s fortunes with a big break, be it as an athlete or a star. He was a capable high school athlete but spurned a job...

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Unlikely Warriors by Lonnie M. Long and Gary B. Blackburn

Unlikely Warriors by Lonnie M. Long and Gary B. Blackburn

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At the peak of the war, over 6,000 Army Security Agency (ASA) soldiers were assigned to every major U.S. Army unit operating in Vietnam. They were sworn to secrecy and, for the most part, never receiving any recognition for the magnificent job they did. That, however, changed over the last few years, allowing two ASA veteran authors, Lonnie Long and Gary Blackburn, to chart the years that ASA operated in Vietnam – occurring from 1961 to 1973.

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