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PFC Don Mates, USMC, World War II, Iwo Jima
On Monday, Americans will pause for Memorial Day and honor the service and sacrifice of those gave what President Lincoln called their last full meas…
2 years ago
PO1 James Finn, U.S. Navy, World War II
James Finn ended up in the U.S. Navy because he didn't want to join the Army and promised his parents he would not join the Marines. Soon he was trai…
2 years, 1 month ago
Cpl. Don Graves, USMC, WWII, Iwo Jima, Part 2
Last week, we followed Don Graves and his story of service as a U.S. Marine from basic training to the invasion of Iwo Jima to seeing the raising of …
2 years, 1 month ago
Cpl. Don Graves, USMC, WWII, Iwo Jima, Part 1
Don Graves was born in Michigan in 1925 and his family struggled mightily during the Great Depression. He was 16 years old when the Japanese attacked…
2 years, 1 month ago
TSgt Paul 'Bud' Haedike, B-17 Bombardier, World War II
Paul "Bud" Haedike was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943. Before long, he was assigned as a bombardier on a B-17 bomber crew. From the fin…
2 years, 1 month ago
T/5 Buck Winters, U.S. Army Engineers, WWII
Roger "Buck" Winters was a recent high school graduate working at a tool factory in Texas when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941…
2 years, 2 months ago
LCDR Lou Conter, WWII, Pearl Harbor, Last Survivor USS Arizona
On April 1, 2024, LCDR Lou Conter, U.S. Navy (Retired) died at the age of 102. He was the last living survivor of the USS Arizona, which was sunk by …
2 years, 2 months ago
Chris Alvarez, U.S. Navy SEAL, Afghanistan
Chris Alvarez grew up knowing he wanted to serve and that he wanted to serve with the best. After being convinced to join the Marines once he was old…
2 years, 2 months ago
CPT Kelly Elminger, U.S. Army, Iraq, Afghanistan, Paralympian
Kelly Elmlinger was a three-sport athlete in high school. She excelled in cross country, basketball, and track. After considering military service, s…
2 years, 2 months ago
Thomas 'Drago' Dzieran, Political Prisoner, U.S. Navy SEAL, Iraq,
Thomas "Drago" Dzieran grew up in Communist Poland. He realized he was being fed lies and propaganda as a boy when he got in big trouble at school fo…
2 years, 3 months ago