Here it is! By popular demand, the History Junkie is starting a new feature. We will call it, Letters From War Wednesdays (LFWW). Each and every Wednesday, we will post a sure-to-be compelling letter from one of our brave lot. Enjoy. Today’s offering, staying with the USS Barbel theme of the week, comes from Bernard [...]
Emotions ran high following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. As with other families across the country, the Bogerts of Clifton, New Jersey, gathered around the radio to listen to the news broadcasts. Bogert brothers, Charles, Bill and John, enlisted in the U.S. Navy the next day. John was a newlywed, having recently married his [...]
As promised, please enjoy vintage photographs of the 5th Infantry Division’s visit to Albion, Indiana in August 1941.
On August 25, 1941, portions of the U.S. Army’s 5th Infantry Division, approximately 5,500 soldiers and 700 vehicles, graced the streets of Albion, Indiana. En route from Camp Custer, Michigan to Pine Bluff, Arkansas for maneuvers, the group bivouacked for one day and one night in and around town. The Albion New Era described the [...]
Wow, what a weekend! Basketball, basketball and more basketball! The little junkies keep HJ busy. There will always be a soft place in the History Junkie’s heart for the 90th Infantry Division–the Tough ‘Ombres. Over the years, I have met so many wonderful people associated with the group, from front line soldiers, to grieving widows [...]
As the History Junkie readies to settle in for another Thanksgiving Day of overeating and a Lions loss, the combination brought to mind the relationship between sports stars, holidays and our troops. Over the years, our nation’s professional athletes have been very good about visiting our servicemen and women overseas, often in war zones, typically [...]
Working on yesterday’s post regarding the USS Atlanta at Guadalcanal reminded the History Junkie that he hadn’t spoken to an old friend in quite some time. New Yorker, Albert Marchesano survived the Naval battle at Guadalcanal and was kind enough to help the Spangler family in their search for answers. Lt. Donald Spangler lost his [...]
This November 13 marks the 68th anniversary of the naval battle at Guadalcanal. In the early morning hours, the USS Atlanta and her battle group, at over a dozen ships strong, tread water off the coast of the island. They lay wait to intercept a like-sized Japanese surface force. The American contingent spied the enemy [...]