In June of 1941 some 3 million German troops crossed the border to invade the Soviet Union. Success was immediate and stunning. They advanced to the outskirts of Moscow and captured millions of Soviet prisoners. By 1944 the tide had turned to the point that orders for a German soldier to go to the Eastern Front were paramount to a […]
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Did you ever wonder what happened to all those Nazi helmets? After WWII, the German military, which numbered close to 20 million men, was roundly defeated and disbanded. A principal concern became what to do with the millions of tons of military equipment that was no longer needed or wanted. Much of it was simply destroyed, and tons of weapons […]
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On Veterans Day 2015, Virginia Tech Basketball Coach Buzz Williams brought his team together with a group of military Veterans to teach a lesson that extended well beyond the four corners of the court. With the Veterans standing in front of a row of chairs and his team members facing the Veterans, Williams said, “These guys, when they were your […]
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On Nov. 5, 1944, 23-year-old Loyce Edward Deen, USNR Aviation Machinist Mate (Gunner) 2nd Class, was killed by anti-aircraft fire during the Battle of Manila Bay. After a 2-hour flight, the TBF Avenger Aircraft of Torpedo Squadron VT-15, Air Group 15, landed safely aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS Essex CV-9. The sailor’s body was in such bad condition it couldn’t […]
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In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Pritzker Military Museum & Library posted a video about the Six Triple Eight Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-African American Women’s Army Corps unit deployed overseas during World War II. Of the more than 6,500 African American women who served during World War II, this was the only all-female, all-African American battalion […]
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Frecce Tricolori is the aerobatic demonstration team of the Italian Air Force. Operating out of Rivolto Air Base, it was created on March 1, 1961, as a permanent group for the training of Air Force pilots in aerobatics. The team flies the Aermacchi MB-339-A/PAN, a two-seat jet trainer capable of 898 km/h at sea level. With 10 aircraft, nine in […]
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Native Americans who used their tribal languages to deliver secret messages during World War II were known as code talkers. Their story was brought to the big screen in a big way in the 2002 blockbuster “Windtalkers,” starring Nicholas Cage. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs released a video revealing just how crucial the code talkers were in […]
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“Walking Across a Minefield” is a 15-minute documentary that packs a real wallop. It tells the stirring tale of Samuel Lombardo, a World War II veteran who grew up in fascist Italy, came to America with his family in search of a better life, and enlisted in the Army to fight for his newfound country’s freedom. He fought with honor […]
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The Cook County Assessor’s Office and the Cook County Department of Veterans Affairs teamed up to host a Nov. 6 online presentation titled “Property Tax Savings for Veterans.” That presentation is now viewable on Youtube. The presentation covers exemptions for returning Veterans and Veterans with disabilities, shows first-time applicants the ropes, and spotlights other resources available through the departments. To […]
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“The Harrodsburg Tankers” tells the story of a National Guard outfit called to active duty before the United States entered World War II. In November 1941, they were sent to the Philippines and 18 days after their arrival, the Japanese attacked. They became part of the Bataan Death March and went on to endure 3-1/2 horrific years as prisoners of […]
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