United States Army Archives - TogetherWeServed Blog

PFC William Mays (Willie Mays), U.S. Army (1952–1953)

Willie Mays, widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all time, is known for his incredible athletic prowess and his illustrious career in Major League Baseball (MLB). However, his life story encompasses more than just his achievements on the baseball field. Mays also served in the United States Army during the Korean War. Let’s review and honor Willie Mays' life, his military service, key accomplishments, and the awards he received both on and off the field. Willie Mays’...

Service Reflections of SFC John Westlake, U.S. Army (1967-2010)

Army Reflections, Global War on Terror

I was influenced by a few factors. I was brought up in a patriotic New England family. I had uncles who fought in Vietnam, Korea, and WWII, and my grandfather on my mother’s side fought in WWI. I remember as a young boy going with most of them to the local Memorial Day parade. We would always stand near a bridge where the parade would stop and a wreath would be thrown into the water.
The other factor that influenced me was the 6 o’clock news. As I was growing up in the ’60s, the Vietnam War was in full swing, and the daily body count of US GI’s and Viet Cong would always be announced. I remember how it bothered me when there were more GI’s killed on any given day than VC. My mind was made up just as I started high school. I wanted to go over there and even the odds. Having grown up on a farm and already having handled rifles and shotguns, I felt I was ready.

Joining the Braves by Winique Payen

Global War on Terror, Military Book Reviews

"Joining the Braves" is a must-read for anyone considering joining the military, especially young Americans and immigrants who want to give back to the United States, as author Winique Payen comes from both backgrounds. About the Author of Joining the Braves Today, he is a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army who has served multiple deployments overseas and is currently stationed in Tennessee. But Payen started his life in Haiti, where he was born and raised. He came to the U.S....

TSgt Norman Lear, U.S. Army Air Force (1942-1945)

Celebrities Who Served, World War II

Norman Lear, most known for his TV producing as the creator of such shows as All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, Sanford and Son, Different Strokes, Mary Hartman, Mary, One Day at a Time and Good Times, didn't always bask in the glitz of Hollywood. Before crafting iconic television shows, Lear's journey unfolded in the United States Army during World War II. Norman Lear's military service, encompassing various roles and a transformative encounter, marked the inception of a prolific...

Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides

Military Book Reviews, World War II

In August 1944, the War Ministry in Tokyo had issued a directive to the commandants of various POW camps, outlining a policy for what it called the 'final disposition' of prisoners. A copy of this document, which came to be known as the 'August 1 Kill-All Order,' would surface in the war crimes investigations in Tokyo. The document read in part that POWs are to be destroyed individually or in groups and whether it is accomplished by means of mass bombing, poisonous smoke, poisons, drowning,...

SGT Alfonzo Jr. Mitchell, U.S. Army (2004-2008)

Global War on Terror, VA Military Memories Competition

Riskiest Moment: Was there any specific incident during your military service when you felt your life was at risk? What were the circumstances, and what was the outcome?:

August 11, 2007, a date forever etched in my memory as a testament to the delicate dance between routine and destiny. Serving in the United States Army amidst the chaos of Iraq, I experienced a life-altering incident that defied all odds and affirmed the power of instinct and premonition.

Service Reflections of SSG Peter Olsen, U.S. Army (1967-1973)

Army Reflections, Vietnam War

Too much partying, and it turned out a 1.2 GPA would not keep me from being drafted. So I volunteered for the draft. Once I got back from Vietnam, I actually received 2 degrees and maintained a 3.7 GPA while working full time as a police officer. Funny story – After I left school to volunteer for the draft, I thought it would be a quick process. Not so. The first month my draft board did not meet for some reason. The second month the draft board did not take up my request. The third month a draft board member died of old age – no meeting. In the 4th month, the draft board finally met and acted on my request but did not approve it until the 5th month.

The American Indian Wars – The Battle of Bear Valley

Battlefield Chronicles

When we think of the Indian Wars that pitted the American Indian tribes against the United States Army, we tend to think of U.S. Army Cavalry, wearing their trademark stetson hats, sabers gleaming, riding into battle. They're usually fighting Native tribesmen who are shooting rifles while riding bareback across the Great Plains. That may have been how some of those battles looked, but after the closing of the frontier in 1890, it looked a lot different. The last great battle (The Battle of...

Service Reflections of Sgt Ralph Hammer, U.S. Marine Corps (1972-1978)

Cold War, Marine Reflections

Growing up as a child, and since my first memory that I can remember, I always heard my Mother who had Served in the United States Marine Corps and the Great Pride of being a “MARINE” during service and after; she had started as a Model in Hollywood and was contracted for Billboard Pictures for WOMEN to Join the Marines allowing Men in Desk Jobs to Go out and fight the Japanese. My Mother was SO Proud of the Uniform that she Enlisted before going home.

Cpt Humbert Roque “Rocky” Versace, U.S. Army (1959–1965) – Medal of Honor Recipient

Profiles in Courage, Vietnam War

Captain Humbert Roque Versace, affectionately called "Rocky," was an officer of the United States Army. He went on to receive the Medal of Honor-the greatest military decoration of the United States-for the heroic actions he undertook as a prisoner of war in the Vietnam War. Puerto Rican-Italian by descent, he was the first member of the U.S. Army to have ever received such a distinction. Born on July 2, 1937, in Honolulu, Hawaii, Humbert Roque Versace was the eldest of five children....

PFC Shizuya Hayashi, U.S. Army (1942 – 1945)

Profiles in Courage, World War II

During the Italian Campaign of World War II, German troops were faced with a sight they had never expected: Japanese-American soldiers. These troops were members of the 100th Infantry Battalion, which was comprised entirely of Nisei (children of Japanese Immigrants) troops. What makes this story all the more amazing is knowing how these troops, and their families, had been treated by a scared and hateful populace at home. Their families, friends, and neighbors were being imprisoned by the...

PFC Sixto Escobar, US Army (1941-1945)