Official blog
TWS Website
TWS Website
U

MENU

Results for "Gulf War"

The Chopper Popper

The Chopper Popper

,

The grounds of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs are packed to the gills with Air Force history. Among the legends on display is a green-colored Air Force Reserve A-10 Thunderbolt II (also known as a Warthog), positioned with its nose skyward. A closer look at that nose reveals its name: "The Chopper Popper."  How the Chopper Popper Keeps the Tradition of Nose Art Alive Nose art isn't that common in the Air Force these days, but it's not totally forbidden. The aging but plucky fleet of A-10s have all but kept the tradition alive in recent decades. Warthogs are usually bearing teeth or tusks on their noses, not the sea creature gripping a helicopter in its massive claws. The Chopper Popper's art is an homage to its nickname, picked up for the stunning air-to-air kill made by then-Capt. Bob Swain during the first Gulf War. The A-10 is known for a lot of things, but dogfighting isn't one of them. It was designed to be a gun with wings, a flying tank that could get in close...

read more
Doorsteps of Hell by Tom Williams

Doorsteps of Hell by Tom Williams

,

As the son of a military officer who grew up in an always-moving military household, it makes total sense that Tom Williams would also grow up to be a military officer. His adoptive father was U.S. Air Force Maj. Carl Williams, but young Tom was destined for the Marine Corps and for the Vietnam War. "Doorsteps of Hell": Insight into Tom Williams' Vietnam Tour "Doorsteps of Hell" is the first book in Tom Williams' autobiographical "Heart of a Marine" series and covers his early years and his first tour in Vietnam. He pulls no punches in his thoughts or descriptions of events. The result is an honest narrative that covers not just Vietnam War combat but the trials and struggles of being an infantry Marine out in the jungle. It also details the camaraderie and leadership so central to being a Marine.  Growing up as a military child, Tom traveled the world, picking up a propensity for languages and a love for military life. When Carl retired, and the family settled down in Georgia, Tom...

read more
Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, U.S. Army (1988–2005)

Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe, U.S. Army (1988–2005)

,

Alwyn Cashe personified everything the U.S. Army could possibly want in a Soldier. He was calm, cool, collected, and dedicated not just to the mission. He was dedicated to his men. That dedication would ultimately result in Sgt. Cashe gave up his life to save six others.  The Heroism of Sgt. Alwyn Cashe: Dedication Beyond Duty Cashe was born into a poor family in Oviedo, Florida, in 1970. He joined the U.S. Army 1989 as a Supply Specialist, but by 1993, he was retrained as an infantryman. He served in the Army as a squad leader, a Drill Sergeant, and, ultimately, a Platoon Sergeant. His career included deployments in the 1991 Gulf War, the former Yugoslavia, and the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. But his second deployment to Iraq in 2005 would forever cement his legacy. On October 17, 2005, Cashe was deployed to Salah Ad Din Province, Iraq, with the U.S. Army's 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. While on a nighttime mounted patrol near Samarra, his Bradley Fighting Vehicle was hit...

read more
Grunts, Gramps & Tanks by Rick Bogdan

Grunts, Gramps & Tanks by Rick Bogdan

,

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...

read more
Vietnam and Beyond: Veteran Reflections by Jenny La Sala And Jim Markson

Vietnam and Beyond: Veteran Reflections by Jenny La Sala And Jim Markson

,

Those who have fought on a battlefield often describe it as a combination of extreme excitement and gut-wrenching terror. It's also a huge assault to the emotions that can leave permanent mental health damage. Today, that condition is called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In the past, it has been known as battle fatigue (WWI) and shell shock (WWII).  This well-styled, organized, and powerfully written book is a compilation of first-hand accounts by warriors who suffer some aspects of emotional trauma as well as others who have full-blown PTSD. At the center of the book are a collection of letters co-author Jim Markson wrote home while serving in Vietnam with the U.S. Air Force 377th Security Police Squadron as security for the Tan Son Nhut Air Base. His tour was from March 1967 to March 1968.  His first batch of letters home were relatively placid, containing relaxed messages about arriving in Vietnam; going to the PX; the boredom; how he had gone into Saigon and had shrimp...

read more
Service Reflections of GySgt Dan Edick, U.S. Marine Corps (1978-2000)

Service Reflections of GySgt Dan Edick, U.S. Marine Corps (1978-2000)

,

I am a fraternal twin. I knew my parents couldn’t afford to send us both to college, and I personally didn’t want to go. I felt as though my whole life had been spent in school already, and I wanted to do something different.

My father and several uncles served in the military. Some of them retired from the service. I respected them for serving and decided that I wanted to serve my country. My original choice was the Army, so I set an appointment with the Recruiter while a sophomore in high school. They showed no interest in me because of my age, so I left. The following year, I tried again. I sat with the Army and Air Force Recruiter. The Army didn’t impress me as much as the Air Force. The A.F. Recruiter said I was still too young and to come back in another year.

read more
Service Reflections of SRA Richard Clark, U.S. Air Force (1989-1999)

Service Reflections of SRA Richard Clark, U.S. Air Force (1989-1999)

,

My father was a United States Marine, so I grew up on stories of commitment and duty. I knew some of the hardships he had faced in Viet Nam, and at the time, we had no idea that Agent Orange was killing him. He was medically discharged at ten years due to incorrectly diagnosed “pinched nerves” that were, in fact, two ruptured discs in his lower back, even with all of the medical mix-ups my father deeply loved and missed the Corps.

Several of my uncles (2 – 4 years active with the rest of their time in the Army Reserves) had joined the Army, and they discouraged me from doing the same. Compared to my father’s stories of time spend in-country chasing tunnel rats (a cave-in trapped him in a pocket of the tunnel, but they had dug him out before his air ran out, after that he became horribly claustrophobic) made their stories of time in the field never seem as bad as they tried to convey. Nobody in my family ever cared for the open water, so the Navy was out…honestly, it was not considered. OK, briefly when Top Gun came out, but never seriously. Besides, I never like riding motorcycles, and they appeared to be a requirement.

read more
Service Reflections of SFC David McConnell, U.S. Army (1980-2000)

Service Reflections of SFC David McConnell, U.S. Army (1980-2000)

,

I believe I knew I would be a Soldier when I grew up at about age 5. My childhood next-door neighbor shared a story about when I was that age. She said that I was marching up and down the driveway between our two houses with a broom over my shoulder. When she asked me what I was doing, I just snapped around and said, “I’m Guarding,” and went right back to marching up and down the driveway.

read more
U.S. Military Rank Insignia

U.S. Military Rank Insignia

The U.S. Military Rank Insignia has a long and proud history. Many of the ranks adopted by the United States military at the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 are still in use today. The early military took a lot of inspiration from the British and French forces. Over time, the military rank insignia has come to represent American valor. These emblems, worn on the uniform to denote rank, help people identify military personnel’s rank and pay-grade at a glance. Evolution of U.S. Military Rank Insignia There are general rules for ranks that can help those unfamiliar with ranks to get a broad idea. The US Military rank insignia has humble beginnings. Initially, while the Continental Army had militia with a rank structure based on British tradition, they lacked uniforms or the money to buy them. At the time, General George Washington proposed “badges of distinction” to separate enlisted men's appearance from the commissioned officers. He recommended a color-coding system. This...

read more
The Forces Pin Up – GI Morale Boosters

The Forces Pin Up – GI Morale Boosters

,

America's entrance into World War II back in 1941 triggered the golden age of pinups, pictures of smiling women in a range of clothing-challenged situations. The racy photos adorned lonely servicemen's lockers, the walls of barracks, and even the sides of planes. For the first time in its history, the US military unofficially sanctioned this kind of art: pinup pictures, magazines, and calendars were shipped and distributed among the troops, often at government expense, to "raise morale" and remind the young men what they were fighting for. The heyday of the pinup was the 1940s and 50s, but pinup art is still around. To this day, pinup fans emulate the classic style in fashion, merchandise, photography, and even tattoos. The Second Most Popular Pin-up Picture in All of World War II Rita Hayworth's famous pose in a black negligee quickly made its way across the Atlantic in 1941, as troops brought the picture with them on the way to war. It ended up as the second most popular pin-up...

read more
LCpl Orville Richard Burrell (aka Shaggy), U.S. Marine Corps (1988-1992)

LCpl Orville Richard Burrell (aka Shaggy), U.S. Marine Corps (1988-1992)

Orville Richard Burrell, also known as Shaggy, who served on the US Marine Corps between 1988 and 1992, came to live in Brooklyn as a teenager after leaving his home of Jamaica. While he showed early musical promise, he was in need of steady income, and the Marines were happy to take him. Born on October 22 1968 in Kingston, Jamaica, Orville took singing lessons as a teen and discovered a natural talent. He earned the nickname ‘Shaggy’ because of his untamed hair, after the Scooby-Doo character. After moving to New York, Shaggy began performing with a local Jamaican-style act called Gibraltar Musik. However, he wasn’t yet able to support himself with his music career alone. Shaggy’s Military History Shaggy joined the 10th Marine Regiment, and obtained the MOS of Field Artillery Cannon Crewman. He served on active duty for over three years, including a five month deployment to Kuwait during the Gulf War in 1991. He spent much of his time stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina,...

read more
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...

read more