A Memorial Day “Murph”

While doing research on US Navy SEAL Lt. Michael “Murph” Murphy for a Facebook post I wrote on the anniversary of his birthday, I learned about the “Murph,” a high intensity workout developed by the late Medal of Honor recipient. Every Memorial Day, thousands of CrossFit fans and military personnel participate in the “Murph Challenge,”…

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The Days of Flak, Fire, and Lost Friends

B-17s flying through German anti-aircraft flak. (PC: Zemper Collection, http://www.457thbombgroup.org)

Born on February 22, 1920, in Kannapolis, North Carolina, George Washington “Buck” Perry is the personification of “The Greatest Generation.” A dedicated family man, patriot, and veteran of two wars, he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in 1939, flew 35 missions over Germany as a B-17 turret gunner during WWII, and served as…

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Jimmy Stewart’s Wonderful Life

Lt. Gen. Valin, Chief of Staff, French Air Force, awards the Croix De Guerre with Palm to Col. Jimmy Stewart for exceptional services in the liberation. (U.S. Air Force photo)

With the holiday season once again upon us, it’s time to share a story I wrote a year ago about Jimmy Stewart. I’ve always admired the Academy-award winning actor for his role in the classic Christmas movie, “It’s A Wonderful Life,” and for his service as WWII bomber pilot. But it wasn’t until I started researching his…

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A Country Worth Fighting For

Marines landing at Guadacanal (PC: Karl Soule, USMC Archives)

http://nedforney.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/A-Country-Worth-Fighting-For.mp3 “If this country is worth living in, it’s worth fighting for. There is no set pattern – no time when you can say you’ve done enough.” – Albert Ireland, USMC, WWII and Korean War veteran, 9-time Purple Heart recipient Born in Cold Spring, New York, during the final months of WWI, Albert L. Ireland seemed…

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We’ll Go Down Fighting Like Marines

Marines fighting their way through Seoul, September 1950. (PC: USMC)

“Hang on, Bert. I’m coming to get you!” – Medal of Honor recipient PFC Gene Obregon to his buddy, PFC Bert Johnson, during a firefight in Seoul Athletic, witty, and hard working, Eugene “Gene” Obregon, was the kind of kid everyone liked. Born on November 12, 1930, in Los Angeles, California, he graduated from LA’s Theodore Roosevelt…

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They Stood Proud and Strong

Marines begin the long, cold trek to Hungnam, many would not survive.

“We grunts never knew, one day from the next, where we were or what we were accomplishing. The mountains, valleys, stinking rice paddies, and frozen mountains all seemed the same to us. We were living and dying in our own violent little world.” – Marine serving during the Korean War with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines The…

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An Angel in Fatigues

Nurses leaving for the America. Every nurse was awarded a Bronze Star for their bravery during captivity, 20 February 1945.

“Now don’t worry, you won’t be in any wars . . .”   – US Army recruiter’s promise to Ruby Bradley in 1933 In a little-known chapter of WWII and Korean War history, thousands of women served and sacrificed as nurses. Although often overlooked, their expertise, dedication, and courage under fire were an important part of…

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The Bravest Man I Ever Knew

Major Bud Day in Vietnam

“My God, to witness him sing the national anthem in response to having a rifle pointed at his face – well, that was something to behold. Unforgettable.” – John McCain A tribute to George “Bud” Day, one of the most decorated veterans in US history and the only person to be awarded the Medal of…

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Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve

Members of the 9th Infantry Regiment near the Naktong River in early September 1950.

Born in 1926, Julius W. Becton Jr., the first of two children in a proud family from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, was the kind of student that teachers and coaches loved. He was polite, smart, athletic, and driven. It’s what his parents expected. Growing up in Bryn Mawr Courts, an apartment complex where his father worked…

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