The Christy Collection

Military Stories and Articles

Service Reflections of SGT James Casey, U.S. Army (1971-1979)

Service Reflections of SGT James Casey, U.S. Army (1971-1979)

I was honored to serve when my country called on me. I really didn’t think they would draft me. I was hoping to get some college behind me to have more options. I did not have good grades in school; my dad had me working at “The Big Cone” fast food restaurant, which we owned when I was fourteen to sixteen years old, so I didn’t have time to study; it was after school every day till 10 pm and every weekend. At seventeen, on September 8, 1968, I was in a single-car crash that claimed four friends: Max Pearson, Mickey Rushing, Nancy Ingram, and Kathy Lewis. I was not driving, and Mickey was driving. I was the only survivor. I made no plans to avoid the draft; in fact, I thought I would not be accepted, even if I tried to enlist, because of my injuries, both physical and mental, from the accident. What a miscalculation on my part! I believe I went through BCT and AIT with a compression fracture at the eighth thoracic vertebra from the car crash less than three years earlier. The crash and injuries are clearly documented on my entrance physical exam. I guess it was true that “All you need is a trigger finger.” Project 100,000, also known as McNamara’s Misfits or McNamara’s Morons, was a DOD program in the 1960s to recruit soldiers who would previously have been below military physical and mental standards. The number mobilized was 320,000-354,000, and they died at three times the rate of others serving in Vietnam. The program ended in December 1971.

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The Gunner and the Grunt: by Michael Kelley and Peter Burbank

The Gunner and the Grunt: by Michael Kelley and Peter Burbank

“The Gunner and the Grunt” is a unique Vietnam War memoir because it’s actually two memoirs. Two men from Massachusetts join the Army to do very different jobs, train for those jobs, and both go to Vietnam to serve their country. The book is written in two distinct voices, both members of the same reconnaissance unit, the 1st Cavalry Division, providing two very different perspectives of the war. One flies an armed helicopter above, while the other pounds the ground through the jungles below.

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To Hear Silence by Ronald W. Hoffman

To Hear Silence by Ronald W. Hoffman

Five years ago, the author returned to Vietnam on a battlefield tour with his wife, Nancy. In a conversation with the guide, Bill Stilwagen, he mentioned how his unit had accomplished a lot in its first 13 months in-country, yet when he looked on the internet, he couldn’t find anything. Stilwagen challenged him by saying, “Why don’t you write a book about it?” Hoffman took the challenge seriously.

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Col John Russell, U.S. Air Force (1975-2005)

Col John Russell, U.S. Air Force (1975-2005)

What Was Your Most Proud Moment From Your Military Service? What Made This Especially Memorable For You?:

Originally sent in an E-mail on September 24, 2003 at 10:23 AM to a friend. Two months ago, I made a special trip to San Antonio with my First Sergeant to welcome home a team of my 307th RED HORSE troops coming back from Baghdad. They had been in southwestern Asia supporting the war effort for 5 months. Just as they were about to be rotated home, another mission was tasked. The Senior Officer of the 1st Expeditionary RED HORSE Group asked them if they would volunteer to extend. These guys, after spending 5 months in the sand, were asked if they would volunteer to go to Baghdad International Airport and repair all the runway and taxiway craters we had blown in our bombing campaign. These repairs were necessary so that medicine, food and other civilian aid could begin to be air lifted directly to Baghdad International Airport.

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5 Legendary Heroes of the U.S. Air Force

5 Legendary Heroes of the U.S. Air Force

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...

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‘Only Son’ Law and the Draft

‘Only Son’ Law and the Draft

This military urban legend is only as old as World War II, and probably because out of so many Americans registered for the war, a relatively small number were actually drafted for the war. It makes sense that more than a handful might not understand why they weren't called up to serve or what the rules for being called up or passed over might be.  Only Son Being Exempt from the Draft When the war ended, a number of myths and legends began to circulate. Stories about things that happened...

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U.S. Military Rank Insignia

U.S. Military Rank Insignia

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...

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Service Reflections of ET2 David Binder, U.S. Navy (1963-1967)

Service Reflections of ET2 David Binder, U.S. Navy (1963-1967)

Many of us in a high school fraternity decided that the best way to complete our military obligation was to enlist in the Naval Reserve. As I was older than the others, I had already graduated when the Naval Reserve Recruiter came to Fairfax High School in Los Angeles to make his presentation. They were all Gung Ho, and they tried to convince me to join them. I told them that I would check it out on my own and give them an answer within the next week. As they were not graduating until the end of the semester, the only rush was that summer vacation would be a great time to do our Boot Camp. Being Reservists would allow us to continue our education while attending Reserve Meetings.

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Gunnery Sgt. Carlos Hathcock, U.S. Marine Corps (1959-1979)

Gunnery Sgt. Carlos Hathcock, U.S. Marine Corps (1959-1979)

There are few Marine Corps legends like that of Carlos Hathcock. If there's a pantheon of Marine Corps gods somewhere, Hathcock is definitely among them. He served the Corps and his country for 20 years, including two tours as a sniper in Vietnam, where he racked up what was then the world record for confirmed kills at 93 - although he believed the actual number was somewhere around 300. "Carlos just really believed in what he was doing out there. He was saving Marines; that's how he really...

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249th Birthday of the United States Marine Corps

249th Birthday of the United States Marine Corps

Happy 249th birthday, United States Marine Corps! From the earliest days of the Continental Marines to present-day missions, the Marine Corps continues to stand as a symbol of courage and resilience. Celebrations this year span the globe, highlighting the Corps’ storied past and ongoing commitment to readiness. The Birth of the U.S. Marine Corps On November 10, 1775, the United States Marine Corps was established by the Second Continental Congress, which authorized “two Battalions of Marines”...

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SMSgt Kim Swearingen, U.S. Air Force (1969-1995)

SMSgt Kim Swearingen, U.S. Air Force (1969-1995)

What Favorite Automobile Did You Own During Your Military Service? What Special Memories Does This Bring Back For You?:

I was stationed overseas in Turkey in 1970-1971. A lot of things had changed when I made it back home on leave before shipping out to Viet Nam anti-war music, more hippies, bell-bottom jeans, and cars. The Dodges and Plymouths in particular, were spectacular sleek bodies, high-impact colors, and street-scorching big-block engines. A far cry from what I had gotten used to in Turkey mostly 50 s era American cars, big smoke-belching trucks, and Volkswagens that a lot of the NCO s on base had shipped over.

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