The Christy Collection
Military Stories and Articles
What Favorite Automobile Did You Own During Your Military Service? What Special Memories Does This Bring Back For You?:
I arrived at my first duty station, Fort Dix, NY in spring 1974. My sister was a military police (MP) officer at West Point by then and engaged to be married. To alleviate becoming a two-car couple, my sister offered me her vehicle, a 1972 yellow Ford Pinto. I was ecstatic, because now I had wheels and could get around.
What Favorite Automobile Did You Own During Your Military Service? What Special Memories Does This Bring Back For You?:
During my military service in Germany from 2017 to 2020, I was the proud owner of a BMW X1 Sport, a sleek white beauty with red and black interior that I affectionately named Betty the Beamer, after the legendary Betty White. Betty wasn t just a car; she was my trusted companion on countless adventures and a vessel of unforgettable memories.
There were a few things that I recall. First, I was always impressed with how sharp the Marines at the recruiters’ office looked and I liked the way they presented strength and confidence.
WWI military technology evolution is an ongoing process, and breakthroughs in new weapons and defensive systems make the news every year. However, many modern warfare staples have their roots over a century ago - in World War I. From deadly drones to invaluable radio systems, five technologies developed in the Great War are still used today. WWI Military Technologies: Tanks British Mark IV tank with Tadpole Tail, introduced in 1917 and used during the latter part of the First World War. The...
I came from a small textile town in North Carolina, and being poor, once a young person finishes school, the only work in that county is mostly the textile plants, and that is a dead-end job. I wanted to get away from that type of future. One day, I happened to be in town at the bus station, and I happened to notice an Air Force sergeant dressed in blues waiting for a bus. He was sharp-looking, and it made an impression on me that lasted. I lived pretty far from town and school, and I missed quite a lot of school days, which put me behind in my high school grades. Fortunately, my school had a counselor who had taken an interest in my situation and felt that my best option was the military. So, at 17, I talked my mother, who was a single mom raising a large family, into signing up for me to join the Air Force. That most certainly was the best decision I could have made. On January 3rd, 1956, I was on my way to Lackland for my basic training. I was a high school dropout, and my future looked bleak had I stayed in that town, but I was not sure it would have been much better to be uneducated in the military.In December 1965 I went to Navy Basic Training in San Diego. I was also required to attend weekend drills. After several months I was having second thoughts about serving Active Duty in the Navy. My best friend had joined the Air Force six months prior to my enlisting and liked it. He suggested that I see an Air Force recruiter. I took the AFQT and got 95 percentile across the board. The recruiter said that ALL technical training areas would be open to me. The only rub was that I had to be formally released from the Navy so I could join the Air Force. I got a release and I enlisted in August 1966 and went through Basic Training at Amarillo AFB.
PRESERVING A MILITARY LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS The following Reflections represents SSGT Jorge Hernandez's legacy of his military service from 1968 to 1972. If you are a Veteran, consider preserving a record of your own military service, including your memories and photographs, on Togetherweserved.com (TWS), the leading archive of living military history. The following Service Reflections is an easy-to-complete self-interview, located on your TWS Military Service Page, which enables you...
I was 18, having just finished a semester of junior college, and just had no clue where I wanted to go in life. My girlfriend broke up with me, so I thought I would join the Marines. But my cousin, who was already a USMC Captain, aviator, and Vietnam veteran, talked to me. He said, “If you join the Marine Corps, I’ll kick your a@#.” Then he laughed and said, “Look, you’d be a fine Marine, but join the Coast Guard or Air Force. They treat their people better.” Having grown up in Florida, being around water and boats all my life, I went to the CG recruiting office in Orlando, FL, where SS1 Gravett signed me up.
PS That girl that broke up with me married me four years later. We’ve been married for over 40 years now. Blessed.
USS Tampa's short story began on August 9, 1912, when the U.S. Revenue Service Cutter (UCRC) Miami, built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp, was commissioned at Arundel Cove, MD. The ship was named for the Miami Indian tribe rather than for the then little settlement in South Florida. At the time, several revenue cutters were named after Indian tribes. The Miami was 190 ft long, with a 14.6-ft draft and a displacement of 1,181 tons. Her normal crew complement was 70 Officers...
I completed two tours of duty as a Naval Officer serving aboard the USS Duncan DD-874 and the USS Lipan ATF-85 before considering service in the U. S. Coast Guard. Both of those shipboard tours included deployments to Vietnam, the first in 1970 and the second in 1972. I liked the Navy. I had been designated a Distinguished Naval Graduate on commissioning from the NROTC program at Oregon State University, which meant a Regular USN commission. Both of my initial shipboard tours were excellent experiences because I served under very competent Commanding Officers, and my shipmates on both ships were guys used to form my abilities and competencies as a sea service officer.
Before emerging as the renowned comedy legend celebrated for his wit and humor, Don Rickles navigated a significant chapter in his life that often goes overlooked. Long before his name became synonymous with laughter, Rickles dutifully answered his country's call by enlisting in the United States Navy during World War II. These military years in the Navy laid the groundwork for the extraordinary career that would later make him a comedy icon adored by audiences worldwide. Don Rickles’s Early...
In the 1970s, while trying to complete my undergraduate degree at Penn State Univ., I ended up on the Dean’s “other” list. With my academic career teetering on failure, I became interested in other options for my future.
The original GI Bill was in place but would soon be changed to the newer version where matching funds were promised. I delayed-enlisted before the deadline at the Pittsburgh, PA recruiting office, which offered billets for either Cape May, NJ, or Alameda, CA. Interested in further travel, I opted for CA.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States seized the initiative in the Pacific by delivering a resounding defeat to the Japanese at the Battle of Midway. Following this turn of events, the U.S. decided to attack the Solomon Islands, especially Guadalcanal, to support further operations as they advanced toward the Japanese home islands. Guadalcanal became a critical target for the Americans because of its position along Allied supply lines, its proximity to further Japanese bases, and...
