Yes, adversity reveals character. Adversity also reveals ingenuity and talent. Consider the distillers and brewers across the country that quickly pivoted to using alcohol supplies to produce hand sanitizer in response to shortages caused by the corona virus pandemic. Here in Virginia the call for hand sanitizer was answered for …
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Several years ago, while assigned to the US Army’s Combat Studies Institute at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, I was charged with writing a chapter for a study on battles in Afghanistan. The subject of the chapter was an engagement that took place on 21 June 2006, high atop a ridgeline in …
Continue ReadingAs we approach the 75th Anniversary of “Victory in Europe” (V-E) Day, I thought that I would take a look at the material in the archives and spotlight a view that we may not normally look for: how V-E Day was received by our troops in the Pacific. This is …
Continue ReadingOver the last few weeks, we have received an overwhelming amount of support from all over the Commonwealth of Virginia. Many of you have asked about how to best support the Virginia War Memorial Foundation and our programs while our doors are closed. The simplest solution is to continuing doing …
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Each April, children of our servicemen and women are recognized during the Month of the Military Child. Established in 1986 by then Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, the initiative has been continued by the Department of Defense ever since. While this recognition has only been around for a little over 30 …
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1990-1991. My freshman year (or Rat Year) at the Virginia Military Institute coincided with Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, commonly known as The Persian Gulf War. While my Brother Rats and I endured push-ups, buzz cuts, poor grades, and the never-ending need to shine shoes or clean our …
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We are excited to announce the new, searchable catalog for the USS Birmingham Research Library. The research library at the Virginia War Memorial is home to 679 works. Our collecting focus is on items that tell the story of Virginia’s involvement in war and those Virginians that served. We strive …
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This column initially appeared in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on March 28, 2020. On Wednesday, April 1, many people will mark the day with practical jokes and pranks. But it is well to remember that April Fools’ Day 75 years ago signaled the beginning of one of World War II’s longest, …
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A few years ago I wrote a blog post about my experiences with Desmond Doss, the Hero of Hacksaw Ridge. Recently, I have had a good reason to revisit that blog, most of which follows. I met Desmond, a native of Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1994 when I worked at the …
Continue ReadingA native of Salem, Virginia, Jesse Bradley joined the Navy in February 1942. Bradley served on the U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-10) as a gunner on a 40mm anti-aircraft gun. While serving in the Pacific, Bradley wrote to his wife, Lillian, almost every day. Lillian, too, was a frequent letter-writer. For the duration …
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