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The Christy Collection

Military Stories and Articles

War in the Pacific – The Battle of Manila

War in the Pacific – The Battle of Manila

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On February 3, 1945, American forces entered the outskirts of Manila, capital of the Philippines, beginning the Battle of Manila, a ferocious and destructive urban battle against the Japanese that would leave Manila the second-hardest hit Allied capital (following Warsaw) of World War II.  The Road to Manila and the First Days of Battle As part of his campaign to retake the Philippines from the Japanese (who had captured it from the Americans in 1942), General Douglas MacArthur first...

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Maj Audie Murphy, U.S. Army (1942-1969)

Maj Audie Murphy, U.S. Army (1942-1969)

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He wanted to join the Marines, but he was too short. The paratroopers wouldn't have him either. Reluctantly, he settled on the infantry, enlisting to become nothing less than one of the most-decorated heroes of World War II. He was Audie Murphy, the baby-faced Texas farm boy who became an American Legend. Audie Murphy Begins Life in Hardship and Early Responsibility The sixth of twelve children, Audie Murphy, was born in Kingston, Hunt County, TX, on June 20, 1925. The son of poor...

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94th Fighter Squadron

94th Fighter Squadron

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"Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared."Eddie Rickenbacker, Major, USAAS The 94th Fighter Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force 1st Operations Group located at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. The 94th’s primary weapon system is the F-22 Raptor at this time. Throughout its full course and its precursor units, the 94th has been assigned to 70 different stations worldwide, and since its inception, has flown 43 different airframes....

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Service Reflections of CMCS Daniel McKinnon, U.S. Navy (1976-1997)

Service Reflections of CMCS Daniel McKinnon, U.S. Navy (1976-1997)

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My decision to join the Navy was heavily influenced by my stepfather, a seasoned World War II and Korean War Navy veteran who retired as a Boatswain’s Mate First Class (BM1). After my mother remarried, he was transferred from the Navy shipyard in Boston to the Navy shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia, just when I started high school, and it was not an easy transition for me. During my senior year of high school, his no-nonsense advice was clear: he strongly encouraged me to enlist, telling me to visit the recruiter because, upon graduating from high school, I’d need to leave his house. His experience as a crusty old salt and his ‘firm guidance’ (nice way of saying it) steered me toward a Navy enlistment.

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Send Us More Japs!

Send Us More Japs!

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The defense of Wake Island in December 1941 became one of the only bright spots in a month of disasters for the United States and its Allies in the Pacific. A tiny garrison of Marines, Sailors, Army radiomen, and civilian contractors held out from Dec. 8–23 and even stopped the first Japanese landing attempt cold, sinking two destroyers and inflicting heavy casualties in the process. Early war coverage turned the defenders of the tiny atoll into instant heroes. Wake Island Myth Became A...

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Taco Rice and the Legacy of Marines on Okinawa

Taco Rice and the Legacy of Marines on Okinawa

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In 1984, Matsuzo Gibo added traditional Mexican-style spices to ground beef and put the spicy meat mixture on a bed of rice, then added lettuce and shredded cheese. He started selling it from his food stall as a quick lunchtime meal. The simple dish, now known the world over as "taco rice," conquered Okinawa faster and with far less resistance than the U.S. military did during World War II.  How Taco Rice Became a Beloved Dish Near Camp Hansen Gibo, who died in 2014, was the owner of the...

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Everything You Never Knew About the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Everything You Never Knew About the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

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On Oct. 3, 1921, the protected cruiser USS Olympia put to sea for a final assignment. She left with a reputation already carved into naval history and with orders that carried more weight than any broadside. Her destination was Le Havre, France. Her charge was a single coffin bearing the United States' Unknown Soldier of World War I.  USS Olympia Prepares for a Historic Voyage Olympia had been a headline from the day she touched water. Launched in 1895, she was the largest ship yet built...

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5 Unsung Heroes of the U.S. Marine Corps

5 Unsung Heroes of the U.S. Marine Corps

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When it comes to famous Marine Corps veterans, everyone remembers Lewis "Chesty" Puller, John Basilone, Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly, and a slew of other legendary devil dogs. But to celebrate the Marine Corps' 250th birthday, it's important to remember that the Corps has no end of heroes, many of whom fade away further and further with time.  So we don't forget the Marines who fought with distinction, but may not have been as quotable as Chesty, as political as Smedley Butler, or as smart as John...

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WW II – Buna Gona: MacArthur’s Jungle Slugfest in the Pacific

WW II – Buna Gona: MacArthur’s Jungle Slugfest in the Pacific

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The first full year of World War II was a hard-fought one for the Allies in the Pacific Theater. In 1942, Thailand, the Philippines, Guam, Wake Island, Malaya, Singapore, Hong Kong, and more were in Japanese hands, as were tens of thousands of American, Australian, and British prisoners of war. In January of that year, Rabaul fell to the Japanese, alarming Australians as Imperial Japan advanced on Papua New Guinea.  Buna Gona Forces Japan to Halt Its Advance The enemy reached the heights...

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The Most Decorated Enlisted Sailor in Navy History

The Most Decorated Enlisted Sailor in Navy History

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In the history of the United States Navy, only seven men have earned all of the big three valor awards: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, and Silver Star. Six were World War II officers, including one aviator. The seventh was James Elliott "Willy" Williams - considered the most decorated enlisted man in the history of the Navy. James Williams Joined the Navy at Sixteen James Williams, a Cherokee Indian, was born November 13, 1930, in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Two months later he moved with his...

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Veterans Day: Honor a Veteran on TogetherWeServed

Veterans Day: Honor a Veteran on TogetherWeServed

In United States, Veterans Day is observed on November 11 of every year as a federal holiday. On the eleventh hour of November 11, 1918, fighting ceased during World War I. This was seven months before the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, which marked the official end to the conflict. Because of these origins, the nation celebrates Veterans Day as we recognize it today and takes time to honor America’s veterans “for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve...

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How Armistice Day Became Veterans Day

How Armistice Day Became Veterans Day

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On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the belligerent armies fighting World War I finally laid down their arms and stopped killing each other for the same pieces of blown-up mud they'd been fighting over since 1914.  The Origins of Veterans Day The First World War killed as many as 22 million people worldwide and left some 23 million more wounded. An estimated 53,000 of those killed were American service members. Another 204,000 Americans would return home wounded....

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