The Christy Collection

Military Stories and Articles

Celebrities Who Served – Freeman, Morgan (1955-1959)

Celebrities Who Served – Freeman, Morgan (1955-1959)

What are you doing now? Time was when the silver screen was awash with dignity. Film-makers needing a hero of high moral standing could choose from a wide array of stars. Henry Fonda, Gary Cooper, Gregory Peck, John Wayne - all brought gravitas and stern-but-tolerant manhood to many a role. In these confusing times, though, such eminently trustworthy figures are few and far between. Indeed, perhaps there's only one. He was the strong, forgiving chauffeur breaking down the race-divide in...

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Service Memories of SGT Gene McCandless, USA (1967-1971)

Service Memories of SGT Gene McCandless, USA (1967-1971)

Please describe who or what influenced your decision to join the Marines? Growing up in San Francisco, you would not think there was neighborhood youth that wanted to join the Corps. This was not the case with our lads. With the untimely passing of my Mother when I was 16 years old, I followed the other, older friends into the Corps. With a father in the Merchant Marine in World War 2, uncle in Korean War, and a grandfather in World War 1, it seemed the right way to follow JFK's clarion call...

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Service Memories of MAJ William Bellias, USA (1953-1977)

Service Memories of MAJ William Bellias, USA (1953-1977)

Please describe who or what influenced your decision to join the Army. My father, Charles E. Bellais, was a career navy man. At first, he served in the Army WWI and joined the Navy in 1923. Initially, assigned to the destroyer fleet, he later served in Naval Aviation during WWII. Retiring after 27 years of active duty, he continued his service in rocketry Point Mugu Naval Missile Test Center and then at White Sands Missle Test Center. I wanted to be like him--a career military man. When an...

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Service Memories of SGT Andrew Wyczlinkski, USA (1965-1968)

Service Memories of SGT Andrew Wyczlinkski, USA (1965-1968)

Please describe who or what influenced your decision to join the Army. Like most others, there were several reasons for enlisting. One of the first reasons was my brother (really my cousin but he was my brother for all intents and purposes) was a Marine from 57-59 serving in a ship’s detachment and as a 10-year-old the picture of him in his Dress Blues just stuck in my mind; I just had to follow in his footsteps. Now not wanting to appear to be looking for sympathy, probably the biggest reason...

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