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The Mailman Went UA (A Vietnam Memoir) by David W. Mulldune

The year 2025 will see a lot of retrospective looks at the Vietnam War, as the United States’ involvement began in 1965 (or 1955, depending on who you ask) and officially ended with the 1975 Fall of Saigon. The best retrospectives anyone could possibly read are the no-holds-barred accounts of the war from those who were there, on the ground, doing the job. And few Vietnam memoirs are as poignant and honest as David Mulldune’s “The Mailman Went UA.”

Korean War – Sacrifice And Survival at Chosin Reservoir

Battlefield Chronicles, Korean War

For 19-year-old Pat Finn, a Minnesota Marine with Item Co, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, the night seemed colder and darker than any of the others he'd experienced since landing in Korea. His Battalion had just arrived at a desolate, frozen lake he would remember for the rest of his life: the Chosin Reservoir. Chosin Reservoir Hit by a Devastating Surprise Attack As the sun went down on November 27, 1950, and temperatures sank to 20 degrees below zero, Marines at Yudam-ni, a small village on the...

Summary of The Vietnam War (1959-1975)

Battlefield Chronicles, Vietnam War

Vietnam was a country torn by war long before Americans became involved in the fighting. French domination was interrupted by the Japanese occupation in World War II, during which Communist leader Ho Chi Minh formed his Viet Minh organization and began guerrilla operations against both occupying powers. The Viet Minh came to power when Japan fell, and the French Indochina War began in 1946 as France attempted to regain control over its colony. The war ended in May 1954 when the Viet Minh...

The Last Airborne Deployment of WWII

Military Myths and Legends, World War II

In the early morning hours of March 24, 1945, a massive WWII airborne operation known as Operation Varsity launched with an attempt to deploy 17,000 American and British Airborne troops across the Rhine River. It was the largest single-day airborne operation in history. Operation Varsity Launches Bold Airborne Assault C-47 Transport Planes Release Hundreds of Paratroopers during Operation Varsity. In the final months of WWII, Western Allied Forces advanced east into Germany. This meant...

Valentine’s Day by Charles A. Van Bibber

Military Book Reviews, Vietnam War

In the late nineteen sixties, the author made a life-altering journey that led him out of Texas and into the U.S. Marine Corps and eventually into the jungles of Vietnam as a machine gunner during the tumultuous year 1968. 'Valentine's Day' (so named because Van Bidder's unit, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, departed Camp Pendleton for Vietnam on February 14, 1968) is a very excellent read. What makes it so is the straightforward accounting by the author on the horror,...

LCpl Orville Richard Burrell (aka Shaggy), U.S. Marine Corps (1988-1992)

Celebrities Who Served

Orville Richard Burrell, also known as Shaggy, who served on the US Marine Corps between 1988 and 1992, came to live in Brooklyn as a teenager after leaving his home of Jamaica. While he showed early musical promise, he was in need of steady income, and the Marines were happy to take him. Born on October 22 1968 in Kingston, Jamaica, Orville took singing lessons as a teen and discovered a natural talent. He earned the nickname ‘Shaggy’ because of his untamed hair, after the Scooby-Doo...

I Flew With Heroes by Lt Col Thomas R. Waldron

Military Book Reviews, Vietnam War

During the war in Southeast Asia, the author flew combat missions in the KC-135 Tanker, H-3, and H-53 Helicopter. This book recounts rescue missions flown by H-3 and H-53 “Jolly Green” crews in 1969 and 1970 in Laos and Vietnam while he assigned to the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery (ARR) Squadron.

How to Celebrate the US Army’s 250th Birthday

Useful Military Information

The U.S. Army claims its birthday is on June 14th and states that it was officially formed one year before the Declaration of Independence was signed. That means the Army is older than the nation it defends! This year marks the 250th anniversary of the United States Army, and the world's most capable fighting force is throwing a big celebration on the National Mall – and yes, everyone is invited. Honoring 250 Years of Service and Sacrifice "Since 1775, American soldiers have represented...

The Curse of the Willy Dee

Military Myths and Legends, World War II

The crew of the USS William D. Porter should have had better things to do than worry about some silly "curse." The ship was a Fletcher-class destroyer, one of more than a thousand warships built after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and the United States was fighting a world war. But many of the crew were more concerned with surviving the ship, and not the war. The "Willy Dee" (as it came to be called) appeared to be cursed almost from the day it was launched. Willy Dee Earns a Cursed...

Five Myths About The Vietnam War

Military Myths and Legends, Vietnam War

Ken Burns and Lynn Novick say their multi-part PBS documentary about the Vietnam War was intended to unpack a complex conflict and to embark upon the process of healing and reconciliation. The series has catapulted the Vietnam War back into the national consciousness. But despite thousands of books, articles and films about this moment in our history, there remain many deeply entrenched myths about the Vietnam War. How the Vietnam War Revealed Viet Cong’s True Strength "Vastly superior in...

MSG Jerry M. Shriver, U.S. Army (1962–1969)

Profiles in Courage, Vietnam War

When Jerry Shriver left the United States for Vietnam, the only reason he ever came home was because the Army forced him to get some R&R. Even then, Shriver spent his time stateside talking tactics with fellow soldiers and looking for weapons to use in his unconventional, often personal war against the communists of Southeast Asia. He earned the nickname "Mad Dog" from Radio Hanoi for his fierce raids into enemy territory, his ability to fight his way out, and his refusal to use...

SSG Victoria Ryan, U.S. Army (1973-1988)

VA Military Memories Competition

I’d been assigned to West Point for over a year when I met my future husband, SP4 Rodney Helmers, in early 1978. That summer, Rod had a vehicle accident determined to have been caused by a seizure while driving. It seemed like a one-off, and I was not overly concerned. We married at West Point in December 1978 and were awarded government quarters on-post shortly thereafter. In April 1979, we were joyous to learn I was pregnant.

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