A Country Worth Fighting For

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

https://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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Honor, Courage, Commitment

Chief Tomich, center seated, with fellow Chief Petty Officers

He never forgot the sight. Passing through Pearl Harbor on his way to the Marshall Islands during WWII, 17-year-old J. Robert “Bob” Lunney witnessed, for the first time in his life, the carnage of war: capsized and damaged ships, oil-stained water, and battle-scarred buildings. As a young sailor from the Bronx, his brief time at…

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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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A Marine for All Time

Capt. Stevens and his men at the Battle of Okinawa

John Stevens, the steely-eyed, tireless Marine who fought in World War II and Korea and played a major role in establishing the Korean War Memorial Foundation’s memorial to Korean War veterans at the Presidio, passed away on May 25, 2021, just four weeks after celebrating his 100th birthday. During his 23 years as a Marine,…

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World War II and a Grand Matriarch

Pauline Peyton Forney, circa 1935

On December 7, 1941, Pauline Peyton Forney, like all Americans who heard the fateful news of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, knew everything was about to change. The United States was at war, and for her and millions of others, nothing would ever be the same. With over 2,300 American dead, more than a thousand…

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