Medal of Honor Archives - TogetherWeServed Blog

SFC Paul Ray Smith, U.S. Army (1989–2003)

Global War on Terror, Profiles in Courage

Despite the years of civil war and insurgency that followed, the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was a well-planned and well-timed operation, so successful in its initial phases that American and Coalition forces had captured Baghdad within just three weeks. Major combat operations famously ended on May 1, 2003, in less than two months. But despite the speed and skill of the Americans, it was not without considerable effort – or losses. SFC Paul Ray Smith: A Soldier's Journey One of those...

The Lost Battalion

Military Myths and Legends, World War I

The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the final push of World War I on the Western Front, lasting from Sept. 28, 1918, until the end of the war, Nov. 11, 1918. The allied forces of Britain, France, and the United States advanced all along the front, making the largest offensive in U.S. military history, involving more than 1.2 million troops. It was also the deadliest, inflicting 350,000 casualties in less than seven weeks. The allies made relatively major gains, considering the course of the war...

The Ship That Wouldn’t Die

Military Myths and Legends, World War II

The USS Laffey (DD-724) was laid down 28 June 1943 by Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine. She was launched 21 November; sponsored by Miss Beatrice F. Laffey, daughter of Medal of Honor recipient S1c Bartlett Laffey. Commissioned 8 February 1944, Cdr. F. Julian. Becton as her first "Captain". The USS Laffey's Heroic Beginning After shakedown, the Laffey traveled the world in the war effort. She was off the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. Off Cherbourg, France where an unexploded shell bounced off...

PFC Harold Agerholm, U.S. Marine Corps (1942-1944)

Profiles in Courage, World War II

PFC Harold Agerholm had a quiet start to his life. After qualifying from school in Racine, Wisconsin, he worked as a multigraph operator for the Ranch Manufacturing Company. Then in July 1942, he joined the Marine Corps Reserve. Upon completing his recruit training in San Diego, California, Harold Agerholm was sent to the Headquarters and Service Battery, 4th Battalion, 10th Marines, and 2nd Marine Division. He received further training for eleven months with his battalion in Wellington, New...

WW2 – The Battle of Iwo Jima

Battlefield Chronicles, World War II

The year 2025 will mark the 80th anniversary of the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the most storied contests in American military history. Many are familiar with the myriad stories surrounding the battle, from the two flag raisings over Mount Suribachi to any of the 27 men who received the Medal of Honor for their actions on the island. What fails to get a mention in history books is the sheer scale of the battle itself and the defensive planning of the enemy's commander. The...

5 Legendary Heroes of the U.S. Air Force

Military Myths and Legends

We all know the Marine Corps celebrates its birthday in a big way, but that doesn't mean the other branches aren't worth celebrating. The United States Air Force was created after President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947. On September 18, 1947, W. Stuart Symington became Secretary of the Air Force, making September 18 the service's official birthday. In honor of its 77th birthday, let's take a look at some of the airmen who shaped the history and development of the...

SgtMaj Daniel J. Daly, U.S. Marine Corps (1899–1929)

Profiles in Courage, World War I

Only two Marines have received the Medal of Honor for two separate actions: Maj. Gen Smedley Butler and SgtMaj. Daniel J. Daly. And you know it has to mean something when Butler called Daly "the fightingest Marine I ever knew." SgtMaj Daniel J. Daly and the Boxer Rebellion Daly served in the Marine Corps for 30 years, seeing every major Marine Corps campaign between 1899 and 1929. Growing up in New York City as a slender youth, he had to be tough; he even became a semi-pro boxer before joining...

The Spanish–American War – The Battle of San Juan Hill

Battlefield Chronicles, Spanish-American War

When we think of the Spanish-American War's Battle of San Juan Hill, most of us likely think of future president Theodore Roosevelt and his band of Rough Riders gallantly charging a well-defended Spanish fortification. While that memory of the battle is certainly true, it doesn't give Roosevelt, the Rough Riders, or the other 8,000 U.S. troops there – including Black troops – the credit they so richly deserve. San Juan Hill: Where Courage and Unity Led to Victory The Spanish-American War...

SGT Irvin Moran, U.S. Army (1965 – 1968)

VA Military Memories Competition

What Was Your Most Memorable Xmas From Your Military Service? What Made It So Memorable?:

I have enjoyed many beautiful and heartfelt Christmases in my life, but one stands out as my most memorable. It was Christmas 1967, and I was a 20-year-old paratrooper serving in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP). In December 1967, our LRRP teams were conducting seven-day reconnaissance missions in the rugged jungle rainforest mountains along the borders of South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Our mission was to locate the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) units that were infiltrating South Vietnam along the infamous “Ho Chi Minh” trails. We would attempt to observe these units until our Brigade’s Parachute Battalions and/or air assets could engage them. Our team’s survival in this environment depended on complete stealth.

WW2 – The Battle of Monte Cassino

Battlefield Chronicles, World War II

Allied forces landed in the Italian peninsula in September 1943. The Apennine Mountains divided the peninsula, and Allied troops split and advanced on both sides. They took control of Naples and continued the push towards Rome. Monte Cassino was the gateway to Rome. It towered above the city and provided unobstructed views. German troops occupied lookouts on the hillside but agreed to stay out of the abbey because of its historical importance. The precious manuscripts and antiquities housed in...

Capt. Larry L. Taylor, U.S. Army (1966–1971)

Profiles in Courage, Vietnam War

Larry Taylor's family had a long history of military service. His great-great-grandfather fought in the Civil War, his great-uncle fought in World War I, and his father and uncles served during World War II. When Larry attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, he joined the school's Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) and carried on his family's longstanding military tradition. Larry L. Taylor Begins His Journey in the Vietnam War When he began his studies in 1962, the United...

National Purple Heart Day 2024

Military Myths and Legends, World War II

It might come as a surprise to many, but the United States did not offer its troops medals or ribbons as uniform decorations until the Medal of Honor was introduced by President Lincoln during the Civil War. It was only offered to enlisted troops in July 1862, but by December, it was made available to officers who displayed exceptional gallantry. Until that point in U.S. military history, military medals were more of a European tradition. Medals and ribbons were seen as a custom...

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SFC Paul Ray Smith, U.S. Army (1989–2003)

The Lost Battalion

The Ship That Wouldn’t Die

PFC Harold Agerholm, U.S. Marine Corps (1942-1944)

WW2 – The Battle of Iwo Jima

5 Legendary Heroes of the U.S. Air Force

SgtMaj Daniel J. Daly, U.S. Marine Corps (1899–1929)

The Spanish–American War – The Battle of San Juan Hill

SGT Irvin Moran, U.S. Army (1965 – 1968)

WW2 – The Battle of Monte Cassino

Capt. Larry L. Taylor, U.S. Army (1966–1971)

National Purple Heart Day 2024

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