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Benjamin O. Davis: U.S. Army’s first African American Brigadier General.

On 16th day of October in 1940, Benjamin O. Davis, became the U.S. Army’s first African American Brigadier General. His promotion to Brigadier General aroused a brief but intense controversy, both on account of his race and because it came just a month before the presidential elections, it was viewed by some as politically motivated on the part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In command of…

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Vietnam: Involuntary Tour

On the 14th day in October of 1968, U.S. Defense Department officials announce that the Army and Marines will be sending about 24,000 men back to Vietnam for involuntary second tours because of the length of the war, high turnover of personnel resulting from the one year of duty, and the tight supply of experienced soldiers.

This decision had an extremely negative impact on troop morale and the…

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My War Journals: The Emotions of War (2006)

The mission, like usual, was straightforward: go out and search some abandoned buildings, as well as try to locate the terrorist caches.

While I was in college studying kinesiology, I had the opportunity to work in the local funeral house. Now, this job was definitely not handing out pamphlets to the families of the lost ones; instead, I would be driving around to the local hospitals picking up cadavers and then taking them back to the funeral home to assist the embalmer in funeral preparation.

I remember in the interview with…

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#Metal detecting

War History: Execution of U.S. Prisoners-Oct 7, 1943

On this 7th day of October in 1943, Rear Adm. Shigematsu Sakaibara, commander of the Japanese garrison on the island, ordered the execution of 96 Americans POWs, claiming they were trying to make radio contact with U.S. forces.

In late December 1941, the Japanese reinforced existing forces on Wake Island, part of a coral atoll west of Hawaii, in massive numbers after being unable to wrest the…

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My War Journals: The FOB (Sept 06)

As of late, things have simmered down a little in our area of operation. When things simmer down, men finally have time to get some well-deserved rest. We still do our patrols as scheduled, but when we get back to the barracks, we fall quickly into the forward operating base life. What you do during downtime is up to each soldier. The popular thing to do is sleep.

Doing patrols at different…

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Mize Medal of Honor: Sgt Mize

On June 10, 1953 Sgt. Mize and his men of Co. K, 15th IR, 3rd IR, were committed to the defense of “Outpost Harry” (Korea), when the enemy launched a heavy attack. Learning that a comrade on a friendly listening post had been wounded, he moved through the intense barrage of enemy fire and rescued the wounded soldier.

On returning to the main position, he inflicted heavy casualties against…

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#army #MOH

Two Sites, two different Audiences

I am planning expend my writings outside of the military and veteran context. Upside down

https://www.facebook.com/Upside-Down-104756154238632/

I will be adding some video presentations and other content to Upside Down. The veteran writing will be for veterans on My War Journals site. The material on https://upsidedown.today/ I will share stories of life growing up and personal…

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DDay: Closing The Falaise Pocket (August 21, 1944)

On August 21, 1944, the evacuation of German forces from the famous “Falaise pocket” was over and many Axis soldiers left Normandy to retreat to the east of the Seine river.

More than 6,000 German soldiers died, more than 165,000 reached the eastern bank of the Seine.

#DDay #Normandy #SecondWorldWorld #History

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#band of brothers #infantry

VA wrongfully denied millions in veterans' medical claims

VA wrongfully denied millions in veterans’ medical claims

Doctor Richard Stone

When I first heard of this topic, I was sitting in the VA waiting room. I honestly thought it was just a veteran upset with how the VA was treating him, and it wouldn’t be the first time. Being open-minded, I asked the vet if he thought that maybe some of the ER visits were unwarranted. When a vet needs help, sometimes the ER is the only choice. But that was not that…

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Medal of Honor: SSG Stanley Bender (WW II)

Stanley Bender was born on October 31, 1909 in Carlisle, West Virginia. He joined the Army from Chicago, Illinois in December 1939. By August 1944, he was serving as a Staff Sergeant in Company E, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.

On August 17, 1944, near La Londe, France, he climbed on top of a knocked-out tank, in the face of withering machinegun fire which had halted the…

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#OnThisDayInHistory HallofValor

Marine Killed in Iraq Identified.

People forget that our military presence in Iraq is still active. Sadly this conflict isn’t truly over no matter what the corrupt agenda spewing politications say.

Another hero has paid the price of a former president who takes no responsibility for the lies and deception that had taken good people away from loved ones.

Disgraful…

Pentagon identifies Marine killed in action Saturday in Iraq

Gun…

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#marine

Honor and Valor : LCpl Huth

USMC Lance Corporal Edward S. Huth swapped his M240B from one shoulder to the other after being shot in the arm, and continued firing.

As casualties mounted, he repeatedly left the casualty collection point to recover Marines as they were hit, and bring them to the medevac choppers. LCpl Huth was initially awarded a Bronze Star with “V” for his unselfish heroism.

In January 2017, Huth’s medal was…

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#valor

Purple Heart Day (August 7, 2019)

Purple Heart Day

Most people have never heard of Purple Heart Day, which takes place annually on August 7th to commemorate the origins of the medals and the more than 1.7 million combat-wounded Purple Heart recipients.

I earned a Purple Heart on my 1st deployment in 2003-2004. My life changed dramatically. However, with pain and sacrifice, I grew to live with my new body, mind, and spirit.

Her…

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#army #band of brothers #Combat history #War journals

My War Journals:Attacks during Ramadan (Sept 06)

My War Journals: Ramadan and bullets flying.

One of the things that I enjoy about being in the infantry is the unpredictability of what will occur during your day or night mission. Now granted there are days like the last couple, discluding the fire-fight we got in when life can be rough and extremely straight out dull. I always say it takes a particular something to be infantrymen these days.

News Coverage

I see it similar to…

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#Ramadan #War journals

My War Journals: Frustration in Iraq (Sept-2006)

My War Journals: Frustration in Iraq (Sept-2006) As we left the forward operating base, the men in the troop compartment stared straight ahead, showing no expression or visible emotion.

As the platoon made their way to the link-up spot, I noticed some of the men seemed very tired and reluctant to be going on the patrol. For the past week, it seems like every time we are to XFIL from the patrol something comes over the radio, and we end up being out an extra five to eight hours longer.

The whole thing would not be bad if you were not sitting in a truck smashed so close to…

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#Iraq

My War Journal: Snipers and unsung-heroes (August 06)

When I returned home from the first deployment, friends of mine asked curiously, “How do you get ready for combat?” “What does it feel like to be getting shot at, and what’s going through your head?” Two years ago, I answered those questions after my brief incident of lying in the street and havoc raining all around me with a simple, “You train for the worst and hope for the best.”

Two years…

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My War Journals: Control Points and Kids

As I lie in my bed with my knees pounding and my back screaming for aspirins, I take a glance at the swimsuit calendar hanging crooked on the dirty white wall, as if I put it up and scurried out of the door for another delightful day in the streets of Baghdad. The last date crossed out in black pen is Sept. 21. I instinctively curl myself into the fetal position on the bed; I look at my watch to…

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