We Remember
Korean War Vet James Earl Jones passes
One of the greats passed Monday. James Earl Jones, the voice of Darth Vader, the actor who brought Jack Johnson back to life, the B-52 bombardier in “Dr. Strangelove” (his first film role, btw), the immortal voice of Terrence Mann in “Field of Dreams”, has left us. He was 93. Born Todd Jones on Jan. […]
Valor Friday
World War II ended on 15 August 1945 with the unconditional surrender of the Japanese Empire (the war in Europe had ended a few months prior in May). The actual signing of the Instrument of Surrender would be a grand occasion that happened some weeks later. This past week we passed the 79th anniversary of […]
Valor Friday
Sometimes when conducting research for this article I come across a story that’s really unbelievable. I knew the story of Desmond Doss before the Hacksaw Ridge (2016) brought his epic bravery to wider audiences. I highlighted the story of a personal hero of mine a while back; Captain (Doctor) Ben Solomon. Today’s subject is similar […]
Valor Friday
Thanksgiving Day is generally known in America as that last Thursday in November where we eat turkey and watch the Dallas Cowboys lose a football game, but it’s also the name for other holidays around the world. It’s celebrated on 25 October in the tiny Caribbean island nation of Grenada. The reason, if you can […]
Valor Friday
Longtime readers will know that I have a soft spot for the heroism of those in the chaplain and medical corps. Today’s feature hits both. A recent Military Times article highlights some of the incredible battlefield bravery of Doctor Orlando Petty. While serving at an aid station at the front, Petty, a Navy doctor attached […]
Army vet Chi Chi Rodriguez, 88 passes
A lot of older celebrities were also veterans – that’s just the nature of having a draft. Some just served their time and got out quietly, some did surprisingly well like Johnny Cash, an airman who enlisted and became a Morse code intercept operator (reputedly the op who intercepted the first news of Stalin’s […]
Valor Friday
In the first couple of years of World War II, many Americans disagreed with the isolationist stance of the federal government. A lot of young men would hear the call to service pre-war, and enlisted into the American military. The armed forces were rapidly expanding long before the Attack at Pearl Harbor, with America already […]
Valor Friday
It’s the end of September, 1918. At about the same time that the German high command is trying to tell the Kaiser that they will lose to war and it’s best to capitulate now, an American all-black infantry regiment is attempting to take Hill 188. Hill 188 is a tall, well defended German post overlooking […]
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