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Valor Friday

| September 6, 2024 | 3 Comments
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 […]

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Valor Friday

| August 30, 2024 | 5 Comments
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 […]

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Valor Friday

| August 23, 2024 | 9 Comments
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 […]

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Name that ribbon rack

| August 20, 2024 | 35 Comments
Name that ribbon rack

A while back I did a movie magic analysis of a screen used awards rack. As I was cleaning up my computer today I noticed a couple of old pictures I’d tucked away and then completely forgotten about. You may have noticed that the recent hullabaloo around Walz has disrupted some of our regular programming. […]

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Valor Friday

| August 16, 2024 | 4 Comments
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 […]

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Valor Friday

| August 9, 2024 | 10 Comments
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 […]

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Valor Friday

| August 2, 2024 | 5 Comments
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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Valor Friday

| July 26, 2024 | 4 Comments
Valor Friday

You never really know where your military service will take you. That’s especially true in wartime. John Galvin (pictured) was a Naval Aviator during World War II. Serving in the Pacific Theater, he ultimately shot down seven enemy fighters (and thus a fighter Ace) and earned four Distinguished Flying Crosses (among other awards). In the […]

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