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The Christy Collection

Military Stories and Articles

Behind Enemy Lines – The 82nd And 101st Airborne on D-day

Behind Enemy Lines – The 82nd And 101st Airborne on D-day

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The amphibious landings of D-Day were hours away when the first combat missions by the US Army started in France. The invasion of Normandy began with a large-scale parachute drop that included 13,100 Soldiers of the 82nd and the 101st Airborne Divisions. The attack occurred during the night in the early hours of June 6th, 1944, and was the vanguard of the Allied operations in Normandy. The troops were all part of the US VII Corps assigned to capture Cherbourg, the coastal city in Normandy,...

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

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

Jackie Cooper, child actor & Perry White to Christopher Reeve’s Superman, served in the US Navy for four decades. Together We Served examines his dual careers. LCdr John (Jackie) Cooper, U.S. Navy (1943-1982) John or Jackie Cooper of the US Navy between 1943 and 1982 had a glittering career before he ever put on a uniform but once he had, he didn’t want to take it off. One of the highest ranking names of all time in Hollywood, Cooper is best known for depicting newspaper editor Perry White...

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The Only Thing Worth Dying For

The Only Thing Worth Dying For

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The Only Thing Worth Dying For' is the harrowing true story of eleven Green Berets who fought alongside the future leader of Afghanistan to topple the Taliban in southern Afghanistan and bring hope to a nation during the first few months of the Global War on Terror, or Operation Enduring Freedom-when the Soldiers on the ground knew little about the enemy, and their commanders in Washington knew even less. On a moonless November night, just weeks after 9/11, five Blackhawk helicopters...

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Medal of Honor Recipient SFC Ronald Rosser, U.S. Army (1946-1962)

Medal of Honor Recipient SFC Ronald Rosser, U.S. Army (1946-1962)

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Medal of Honor Recipient Ronald Rosser passed away on Wednesday Aug 26, 2020 in Bumpus Mills, Tenessee at the age of 90 from issues related to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was awarded the medal for his bravery during the Korean War. Rosser was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1929. His father was a coal miner. When he turned 17, his mother gave birth to twins. He decided there wasn't enough room for him at home, so he followed his brother into the military in 1946. He served for three years and...

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Operation Torch Then And Now

Operation Torch Then And Now

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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...

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Navy to Name Aircraft Carrier for Pearl Harbor Hero – MA2 Doris Miller, U.S. Navy (1939–1943)

Navy to Name Aircraft Carrier for Pearl Harbor Hero – MA2 Doris Miller, U.S. Navy (1939–1943)

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On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, at Pearl Harbor, the Navy is expected to announce that a $12.5 billion aircraft carrier will be named after Mess Attendant 2nd Class Doris Miller, the first African American to receive the Navy Cross for valor for his actions on December 7, 1941, when he manned a machine gun on the USS West Virginia to fire back at attacking Japanese planes. "I think that Doris Miller is an American hero simply because of what he represents as a young man going beyond the...

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Col Frank Capra, U.S. Army (1918-1945)

Col Frank Capra, U.S. Army (1918-1945)

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Multiple Oscar-winning director Frank Capra came from humble Sicilian beginnings, but loved his adopted country so much, he served it as a US Army Colonel. Col Frank Capra, U.S. Army (1918-45) Frank Capra, of the US Army between 1918 and 1945, is perhaps most well-known for his direction of classic Americana films It’s A Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. However, his greatest contribution to American culture may be the documentary series he produced during World War II for the...

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PO3 Isaac Sidney (Sid) Caesar, U.S. Coast Guard (1939-1945)

PO3 Isaac Sidney (Sid) Caesar, U.S. Coast Guard (1939-1945)

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Sid Caesar, the king of 50s variety TV, got his start in comedy thanks to his years of service in the US Coast Guard. Together We Served honors a comedy legend. PO3 Isaac Sidney (Sid) Caesar, U.S. Coast Guard (1939-45) Isaac Sidney (or Sid) Caesar, of the US Coast Guard between 1939 and 1945, is known for being a comedian and TV star of the 50s that inspired many of the household names of today. Elevating TV comedy from simple slapstick to more sophisticated sketch comedy was just one element...

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Sgt Drew Carey, U.S. Marine Corps (1980-1986)

Sgt Drew Carey, U.S. Marine Corps (1980-1986)

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Comedian and TV star Drew Carey bounced back from a traumatic childhood thanks to the confidence he obtained from six years of service in the US Marine Corps. Sgt Drew Carey, U.S. Marine Corps (1980-86) Drew Carey, of the US Marine Corps between 1980 and 1986, may be better recognized as the host of the game show The Price is Right, or for his previous work as host of improv comedy show Whose Line is it Anyway? It might surprise some to learn, however, that his distinctive haircut and glasses...

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James Patterson Teams Up With an Army Legend for the ‘Most Important’ Work of His Career

James Patterson Teams Up With an Army Legend for the ‘Most Important’ Work of His Career

James Patterson is the worldwide, best-selling creator of the "Alex Cross" and "Michael Bennett" series of books. Matt Eversmann is a U.S. Army veteran who received the Bronze Star Medal with Valor for leading a team of Rangers in Somalia in 1993. His exploits were depicted in the 2001 film "Black Hawk Down". The two teamed up to create a touching, thoughtful book about the U.S. military, the people who join it, and veterans of three separate eras of conflict, "Walk In My Combat Boots," on...

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The Siege of Sadr City

The Siege of Sadr City

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On Mar. 28, 2004, Paul Bremer, administrator of the American-led Coalition Provisional Authority of Iraq, ordered the closure of al-Hawza, an Arabic-language newspaper that was a sounding board for the Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.  Bremer shut down the weekly paper because he believed it encouraged violence against U.S. troops in Iraq. It was only supposed to last 60 days, but the action would spark a series of events that led to a four-year siege and a series of battles between Coalition...

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Taco Rice and the Legacy of Marines on Okinawa

Taco Rice and the Legacy of Marines on Okinawa

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In 1984, Matsuzo Gibo added traditional Mexican-style spices to ground beef and put the spicy meat mixture on a bed of rice, then added lettuce and shredded cheese. He started selling it from his food stall as a quick lunchtime meal.  The simple dish, now known the world over as "taco rice," conquered Okinawa faster and with far less resistance than the U.S. military did during World War II.  Gibo, who died in 2014, was the owner of the Parlor Senri food stall outside of Camp...

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Soldier and Writer
Lt Col Michael Christy (USA) Ret.
All articles contained in this Blog were written by Together We Served’s Chief Editor, Lt Col Michael Christy, and published in TWS’s monthly Dispatches Newsletter.
Lt Col Christy’s military career spanned 26 years, beginning in 1956 when he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Following two years active duty, he spent another two years in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves. In 1962, he joined the Army National Guard and in 1966 was called up for active duty with the U.S. Army. After an 18 year distinguished Army career, Lt Col Christy retired from military service in 1984.
Lt Col Christy saw action in Vietnam with Special Forces Units, including the renowned Delta Force, and was awarded two Silver Stars, six Bronze Stars (three with Valor), and two Purple Hearts.
As a military consultant and accomplished writer, Lt Col Christy has contributed to several TV military documentaries, including those found on the History Channel, plus significant military history publications, including Vietnam Magazine.”