On July 21, 1930, President Herbert Hoover signed Executive Order 5298 which consolidated three agencies managing veterans affairs into a single organization called the Veterans Administration (VA). The VA then began to serve the five million veterans of World War I, over 200,000 of which were wounded and/or disabled.1 So, how did the United StatesContinue reading “The Soldiers Home”
Category Archives: Military
Don’t Call That Sailor Mister
I’d like to introduce to you Florence Wilhelmina Momberger (1896-1991), my great-aunt. Florence was a World War I Navy veteran, a deputy sheriff, and a leader in the community of veterans. Here’s the remarkable story of this one tough lady. Florence was born on May 10, 1896 in Hamburg, New York just south of Buffalo inContinue reading “Don’t Call That Sailor Mister”
Navy Jargon – You Got The Gouge!
Military life brings with it a distinctive set of phrases that new recruits must quickly learn. In addition to the countless number of acronyms (alphabet soup), there’s a unique jargon that comes with each branch of the service. After serving 22 years in the U.S. Navy, it took me several years to “talk like aContinue reading “Navy Jargon – You Got The Gouge!”
Harvard Naval Radio School in WW1
When I examine Harvard University through political lens today, I don’t perceive an ardent support of the United States military. Writing for History News Network, Richard F. Miller discusses reasons why in his article titled, Why Don’t Harvard Graduates Join the Military Anymore.1 This, however, wasn’t always the case at Harvard. During World War I, HarvardContinue reading “Harvard Naval Radio School in WW1”
Andersonville: Walking in Our Ancestor’s Footsteps
NOTE from Dale: I launched the Fortitude Blog in 2021, and this month, I’m thrilled to introduce my first guest blogger. Clare Cory is the great-great-granddaughter of Civil War veteran, SGT Dewitt C. Spaulding. SGT Spaulding kept a personal diary during the Civil War from August 1861 to December 1864. Here’s SGT Spaulding’s compelling storyContinue reading “Andersonville: Walking in Our Ancestor’s Footsteps”
Repatriation: The Bodies of War
May is an introspective month on the calendar each year in the United States as it concludes with Memorial Day. As I reflect on Memorial Day this year, my thoughts take me back to World War I. This month’s post wasn’t easy to write, and may not be comfortable to read, but it’s a storyContinue reading “Repatriation: The Bodies of War”
A Civil War Chaplain’s Story
This is the fourth and final post in a series on the American Civil War. In this series, I described the three combat arms used during the Civil War to accomplish military objectives (cavalry, infantry, and artillery) to include the story of a Spaulding family member who served in each of these roles. In thisContinue reading “A Civil War Chaplain’s Story”
A Civil War Artilleryman’s Story
This is the third in a series of four posts on the American Civil War. In this series, I describe the three combat arms used during the Civil War to accomplish military objectives (cavalry, infantry, and artillery). With each post, I also include the story of a Spaulding family member who served during the CivilContinue reading “A Civil War Artilleryman’s Story”
A Civil War Infantryman’s Story
This is the second in a series of four posts on the American Civil War. In this series, I describe the three combat arms used during the Civil War to accomplish military objectives (cavalry, infantry, and artillery). In the final post of the series, I’ll describe the role of the Civil War chaplain. In today’sContinue reading “A Civil War Infantryman’s Story”
A Civil War Cavalryman’s Story
This is the first in a series of four posts on the American Civil War. In the first three posts, I will describe the three combat arms used during the Civil War to accomplish military objectives. These roles include: cavalry, infantry, and artillery. In the final post of the series, I’ll describe the role of theContinue reading “A Civil War Cavalryman’s Story”