Vietnam
Valor Friday
One of the first things I do when looking at an American military award recipient as I consider whether to write about them is to read the actual award citation. Sometimes this is easy to find, and other times it can be a bit tricky. It’s generally easier with the higher awards. For example, all […]
The folks we give thanks for – LTC Stirm
First off – a Happy Thanksgiving to all you turkeys (you just knew some one of we smartasses just had to say it, didn’t you?) Now, if you’re more than, say, 50 or so, try to hear the word “turkey” used like that without hearing it in Jerry Reed’s voice. If you can – if […]
Olive Branch to Viet Nam
Hegseth in Vietnam to strengthen defense ties and reassure a cautious partner By ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was in Vietnam on Sunday, reaffirming a partnership built on healing the scars of the Vietnam War in a trip that will test whether Washington can reassure a vital but wary […]
DPAA Brings Another Home
Spring of ’68 – phase 2 of the infamous Tet Offensive was still raging when in the A Shau Valley one of our choppers was shot down, crashed, and broke into two sections. The door gunner, Donald P. Gervais, was from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was declared missing […]
Valor Friday
I wrote about Philip Conran a while back. He’s a personal hero of mine, and the efforts to get his Air Force Cross upgraded to a Medal of Honor continues. News broke a month or so ago that legislation was (again) introduced in Congress to that effect. Closer to home, Conran’s home county of Santa […]
Fun in the Air
Jeff LPH dropped this on on me – being a sloppy sentimentalist I just had to go with it. Joe Peterburs was a P-51 pilot in WWII who had a unique 100th birthday celebration last weekend. Lt. Joseph Peterburs of the U.S. Army Air Corps was barely 20 when he flew “Josephine” — named […]
“Napalm Girl” controversy
You would think that the provenance of a fifty-year old photo would have been laid to rest long since, especially if it was a photo which not only won a Pulitzer Prize but became the iconic face of civilian tragedy in war, wouldn’t you? Seems you would be mistaken. World Press Photo is claiming the […]
Valor Friday
When Captain Riley Pitts’ posthumous Medal of Honor was presented to his widow Eula Mae, President Lyndon Johnson said, What this man did in an hour of incredible courage will live in the story of America as long as America endures – as he will live in the hearts and memories of those who loved […]



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