WWII Archives - Page 3 of 19 - TogetherWeServed Blog

The Christy Collection

Military Stories and Articles

WW2 – The Liberation of Auschwitz Concentration Camp

Military Myths and Legends, World War II

On January 27 1945 the Soviet Army pried open the gates of Auschwitz concentration camp in German-occupied Poland and liberated some 7,000 emaciated prisoners. About 58,000 others had been hurriedly marched westward before the Soviet Army approached. Auschwitz, the German word for the Polish town of Oswiecim, was the site of the largest Nazi concentration camp during WWII. It consisted of a concentration camp, a labor camp, and large gas chambers and crematoria. More than 1.3 million people...

Is the M2 “Ma Deuce” An Illegal Weapon of War?

Military Myths and Legends, Vietnam War

The M2 Browning .50-caliber machine gun has been a favorite heavy infantry weapon since the end of World War I. That the weapon has remained in the U.S. arsenal for so long is a testament to its power and flexibility. And no wonder - it was designed by the legendary John Browning himself. Although the M2 has come in many variants over the years, it has still proven an effective weapon from the last days of World War l, into World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and into...

Service Reflections of CAPT Rex Conger, U.S. Navy (1966-2008)

Navy Reflections, Vietnam War

It was my Senior Year in high school. My dad was a history teacher and the Vice-Principal at my high school, so I didn’t get away with much.

I worked in a Grocery Store and delivered Sealtest Milk door to door on Saturdays and during school breaks. I also played the organ in a rock band most Saturday nights. I had no idea what I wanted to do for a career, and I knew that we could not afford college, so I was trying to decide what I would do.

There was a footlocker in one of our closets that had my dad’s old uniforms in it, and I had played “dress up” years ago with those uniforms. My dad had served during WWII in the Navy as an officer – and I began to think that the Navy could give me a way to get away from home and perhaps provide me with a “Career” – little did I know!

Vietnam was going on – but I, and the guys I hung around with, really didn’t pay a lot of attention to it. And I was still too young to be “Drafted!” So I talked to my dad and found him “more patriotic than I ever realized.” He said it was my choice – but – he thought it would be good for me to “mature” and perhaps I would find my career choice. I didn’t talk much to my buddies – but I did talk to the Navy Recruiter. As I remember, the recruiter had me on a Bus shortly after that – I passed the Physical and was on my way to Great Lakes Naval Training Center, two hours from home.

Service Reflections of CPL George Wick, U.S. Marine Corps (1965-1969)

Marine Reflections, Vietnam War

The primary influences were Uncle Sam’s draft notice and my older brother Dave. My older brother Dave was serving in the Marine Corps at the time. So, I asked him how the Marines were, and he said, “it is not too bad.” I knew nothing about any of the service branches at the time. Therefore, his opinion meant a lot to me. Thus, the decision to join the Marine Corps came from my older brother Dave and Uncle Sam. I remember many times in boot camp thinking; if this is not too bad, it must be going to get a lot worse.

Cpt Maurice Lee Britt, U.S. Army (1941-1944) – Medal of Honor Recipient

Profiles in Courage, World War II

American professional football player, Medal of Honor recipient of World War II, businessman, and Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, Britt was a highly accomplished individual. Born June 29, 1919, he played for the Detroit Lions in 1941 and later served as the eleventh Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas during Governor Winthrop Rockefeller’s administration from 1967 to 1971.

Service Reflections of SSG John Cihak, U.S. Army (1969-1989)

Army Reflections, Vietnam War

Truth be told, I went to get away from home “a Payton Place” My parents were not the best, and I was the oldest; I had to get up, cook breakfast every day, go to school, then to work and home to cook dinner, wash dishes and help my brother and sisters with their homework, then I could do mine. This was five days a week, and on weekends I did my chores and went to work, still doing the cooking and laundry. I also paid my parents to rent to live in the garage with an old car that did not rum, sleeping on two-foot lockers. There was physical abuse and sexual abuse in this family.

My BIO father was a drunk in the USAF; his law was his leather belt using either end and a 2×4. When my parents separated, I had to stay with him and two sisters; my brother and one sister went with my mother. My father once threw me out the 2nd story window for talking to my mother, telling her how we were doing (remember, we were not allowed friends as we thought this was normal). On top of all this, my mother was sleeping around with my uncle (my father’s brother), so I wanted to get away.

I had an uncle John who had been in the Marines during WWII, and so I went to get in; they turned me down, not believing my age, and those of us who went to Nam knew the Army took anyone who had teeth, two eyes, two ears, four limbs with all five on each, and anyone who could shout, so my life began well by Payton Place and hello Vietnam I volunteered for the draft early with my friend Don.

Ernie Pyle – Famous WWII War Correspondent

Profiles in Courage, World War II

American journalist Ernest Taylor "Ernie" Pyle was one of the most famous war correspondents of WWII. Using his folksy writing style, Pyle connected with his readers and brought the realities of the battlefront to living rooms across America. At his peak, his columns appeared in 400 daily and 300 weekly newspapers. His devoted readers included political and military leaders and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. His coverage of campaigns in North Africa, Italy, and France earned him a Pulitzer...

Honoring Sacrifice: Remembering Memorial Day with Together We Served

Other Military Articles, Useful Military Information

Memorial Day is a deeply significant and cherished national holiday in the United States, providing an opportunity for Americans to reflect on and pay tribute to the courageous men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the armed forces. As we observe this solemn occasion, TogetherWeServed, the largest online community of military veterans and their families, is dedicated to sharing the rich history of Memorial Day, highlighting its distinctions from Veterans Day, and...

Service Reflections of Capt Bill Darrow, U.S. Marine Corps (1963-1983)

Marine Reflections, Vietnam War

Both my parents were in the Navy during WWII. My Mother was one of the first WAVES, and my Dad was a POW at Bataan and an officer in the Navy. I have three brothers who were all in the Navy during the Korean War. During my grade school years, I attended Peekskill Military Academy in NY and was further schooled at home with Calvert School. I graduated from High School in Belvidere, NJ.
At 17, I briefly attended a Business School in Pennsylvania but soon got bored. Then, I decided to join the Navy and carry on the family tradition. There was a long narrow hallway in the post office where the recruiters were located, with the Navy recruiter on my right and the Marine Corps recruiter on my left. I stood in the hall between the two offices. Turning to my right to go into the Navy recruiting office, I noticed that the Navy Chief was wearing a soiled uniform. Next to him was a coffee pot that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since the Spanish American War. He was overweight and didn’t seem to be too interested in the young man beginning to enter his office. Just before I walked into that somewhat messy office, I heard someone with a deep, commanding voice speak to someone else he called Corporal. I turned and saw the most chiseled-faced, lean man with a very short neat haircut and wearing a shirt with creases in it that could cut your finger on. I couldn’t help but stare at the very clean office with posters of fighting men, jets, carved Marine Corps logos, and an NCO sword hung neatly on the wall. Another man with fewer stripes on his shirt walked across the office

The Passing Of “Rosie The Riveter”

Military Myths and Legends, World War II

Rosalind P. (Palmer) Walter passed away at the age of 95. She is known to millions as the original inspiration for the "Rosie the Riveter" character. She is appreciated by many for her years of service and support for public broadcasting. Rosalind P. Walter's Early Life Walter grew up in a wealthy family in Long Island. Her father was Carleton Palmer, who was president and chairman of E.R. Squibb and Sons (which is now part of Bristol Myers Squibb). Squibb and sons sold penicillin, which was...

Service Reflections of SP(Y)3C Margaret Lutz, U.S. Navy (1944-1946)

Navy Reflections, World War II

It was 1943, WWII was raging in the South Pacific. I was a senior sitting in the Chapel at Linfield College, heartbroken at watching fresh gold stars replace the white ones each day on the American Flag that draped the proscenium arch. Each gold star represented the death of one of my Class of ’42 buddies who had sat in the Chapel with me less than a year before.

A1C Carlos “Chuck” Ray Norris, U.S. Air Force (1958-1962)

Celebrities Who Served, Cold War

You may know Chuck Norris is a champion martial artist, and movie and television star of titles such as Walker, Texas Ranger, The Delta Force, and The Hitman. A martial arts legend who has contributed greatly to the development and popularization of martial arts in the United States and around the world, he has a long and impressive martial arts career, both as a competitor and as a teacher. He is a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu jitsu and judo. However, before he became a Hollywood...

MENU