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The Christy Collection

Military Stories and Articles

Celebrities Who Served – Robinson, Jack “Jackie” (1942-1944)

Celebrities Who Served – Robinson, Jack “Jackie” (1942-1944)

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In 1942, Robinson was drafted and assigned to a segregated Army cavalry unit in Fort Riley, Kansas. Having the requisite qualifications, Robinson and several other black soldiers applied for admission to an Officer Candidate School (OCS) then located at Fort Riley. Although the Army's initial July 1941 guidelines for OCS had been drafted as race-neutral, practically speaking few black applicants were admitted into OCS until after subsequent directives by Army leadership. As a result, the...

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

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

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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)

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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 1LT Jimmie Loftis, USA (1940-1974)

Service Memories of 1LT Jimmie Loftis, USA (1940-1974)

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Please describe who or what influenced your decision to join the Army. Two uncles who served during WWII influenced me to join the Army. They were both younger brothers to my dad: (1) PFC Donald E. Loftis was killed in eastern France on 4 Jan 1945 while serving with Co. E, 114th Infantry Regiment, 44th Division, 7th Army. He earned the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantry Badge and Purple Heart. He was lead man of a two-man team laying commo wire from field to HQ when he was hit by a sniper. His...

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