Army Archives - TogetherWeServed Blog

Civil War – Battle of Chickamauga (1863)

Chickamauga, a bloody Civil War battle, fought near the Chickamauga Creek in Georgia. The Battle of Chickamauga ended in a victory for Confederate forces and resulted in 34,000 casualties. It marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia, known as the Chickamauga Campaign. It is widely considered to be the second deadliest battle of the Civil War, following the Battle of Gettysburg. In the summer of 1863, Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans led his Union...

Sgt Allen James Lynch, U.S. Army (1964–1969)

Profiles in Courage, Vietnam War

When Allen James Lynch Graduated from high school, he knew he would either have to go to a college or trade school or wait to get drafted. He decided to chart his own course and join the Army. He didn't want to wait for something to happen to him, so he made his way to a recruiter. "I wasn't the hero you read about in books, you know," Allen said in a 2011 interview. "I was bullied a lot, pushed around in grade school, high school. I had a bad self-image. I had to test myself… I had to...

Civil War – Sherman’s March to The Sea (1861-1865)

Battlefield Chronicles, Civil War

The March to the Sea, the most destructive campaign against a civilian population during the Civil War (1861-65), began in Atlanta on November 15, 1864, and ended in Savannah on December 21, 1864. Union General William T. Sherman abandoned his supply line and marched across Georgia to the Atlantic Ocean to prove to the Confederate population that its government could not protect the people from invaders. He practiced psychological warfare; he believed that by marching an Army across the state...

Service Reflections of ET2 Alan Spielman, U.S. Coast Guard (1979-1988)

Coast Guard Reflections, Cold War

I was interested in electronics but found it difficult to work 8 hours, go to school 8 hours, and study at least 4 hours a day, and I burnt out. I researched all the services and found the Coast Guard electronic technicians trained on everything, and they only specialized between aircraft and all others.

So I joined to get electronics school where I could work on everything from small boats to large cutters, buoy tenders, ice breakers, Loran (long-range aids to navigation), lighthouses, shore stations, communication stations, and remote aids/high sites.

U.S. Military Rank Insignia

Useful Military Information

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...

Does the U.S. Military Really Use Saltpeter to Calm the Urges of Basic Trainees?

Global War on Terror, Military Myths and Legends

This old legend might be the first military myth new recruits come across, and it might have been around for as long as saltpeter itself. Despite the combined efforts of science, health education, and common sense, somehow, the myth of the military adding saltpeter to the food or beverages in basic training still persists. History with Using Nitrated Sodium Salts Why would the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps do such a thing? The legend says they would add saltpeter to...

WW2 – Battle of Guadalcanal

Battlefield Chronicles, World War II

Though it probably didn't feel like it at the time, the Allies in the Pacific Theater of World War II were able to respond to the Japanese advances relatively quickly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor wasn't the only surprise target that day. The Imperial Japanese Navy also struck targets held by the Dutch and British and the American-held Philippines. The Naval Campaign at Guadalcanal By August of 1942, just nine months after its coordinated surprise attacks across the...

The Good Soldier by Paul C. Steffy

Military Book Reviews, World War II

The Good Soldier by Paul C. Steffy The second novel by Army veteran Paul C. Steffy, The Good Soldier is a story of a young volunteer who suffers deeply as a result of his service. Alcoholism, multiple failed marriages, and recurring nightmares: Brad Thomas is in a pit of regrets with no recourse. None, that is, except confronting his trauma and returning to Vietnam to deal with the consequences of breaking a promise which he’d exchanged for an unexpected gift.Despite its dark subject matter,...

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