We at National Write Your Congressman want to extend a special thank you to some of our own Veterans. Pictured below are Representatives of NWYC, sons, daughters, fathers and mothers. Thank you for being our heroes.....
Showing posts with label world war II. Show all posts
Showing posts with label world war II. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Thank You - Veterans Day
Today we remember, honor and thank all our loved ones and friends who have served in the military. Thank you for defending our rights and the rights of other nations. May God bless each and every one of you.
We at National Write Your Congressman want to extend a special thank you to some of our own Veterans. Pictured below are Representatives of NWYC, sons, daughters, fathers and mothers. Thank you for being our heroes.....
We at National Write Your Congressman want to extend a special thank you to some of our own Veterans. Pictured below are Representatives of NWYC, sons, daughters, fathers and mothers. Thank you for being our heroes.....
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Destiny...Preordained...Fate...Timing...Luck...Irony
Destiny...Preordained...Fate...Timing...Luck...Irony...All these words came to mind as I was recalling the differences in the lives of General Jonathan Wainwright and General Douglas MacArthur.
During World War II President Roosevelt made the decision to promote General Wainwright to Commander of All Allied Forces in the Philippines and transfer General MacArthur from his command in the Philippines to Australia. Up until this point Wainwright had been a lieutenant general under MacArthur's command.
In 1942, General Wainwright's first strategic decision was to move his troops to a fortified garrison in Corregidor. War was raging in Battan and was taken by the Japanese with their Bataan "Death March" of capturing all Allies. Corredigor became the next battle ground. General Wainwright and his 13,000 troops held out for a month despite all the heavy artillery fire. Finally he and his troops surrendered. He was captured and became a POW until the end of the war in 1945.
General Wainwright spent three and a half years as a POW in Luzon, Philippines, Formosa (now Taiwan), and Manchuria, China. He was finally freed when Russian forces liberated the POW camp. The General was emaciated, his hair had turned white, and his skin was cracked and fragile. After his return to the United States he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
General MacArthur transferred to Australia where he became Supreme Commander of the Southwest Pacific Area. For his defense of the Philippines, MacArthur was awarded the Medal of Honor. After more than two years of fighting in the Pacific, he fulfilled a promise to return to the Philippines. He officially accepted Japan's surrender on September 2, 1945, and oversaw the occupation of Japan from 1945 to 1951. As the effective ruler of Japan, he oversaw sweeping economic, political and social changes. He led the United Nations Command in the Korean War until he was removed from his duty by President Truman on April 11, 1951.
Was General Wainwright just unlucky in the timing of his promotion? Was General MacArthur lucky in the timing of his promotion? Destiny...Preordained...Fate...Timing...Luck...Irony...
During World War II President Roosevelt made the decision to promote General Wainwright to Commander of All Allied Forces in the Philippines and transfer General MacArthur from his command in the Philippines to Australia. Up until this point Wainwright had been a lieutenant general under MacArthur's command.
In 1942, General Wainwright's first strategic decision was to move his troops to a fortified garrison in Corregidor. War was raging in Battan and was taken by the Japanese with their Bataan "Death March" of capturing all Allies. Corredigor became the next battle ground. General Wainwright and his 13,000 troops held out for a month despite all the heavy artillery fire. Finally he and his troops surrendered. He was captured and became a POW until the end of the war in 1945.
General Wainwright spent three and a half years as a POW in Luzon, Philippines, Formosa (now Taiwan), and Manchuria, China. He was finally freed when Russian forces liberated the POW camp. The General was emaciated, his hair had turned white, and his skin was cracked and fragile. After his return to the United States he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
General MacArthur transferred to Australia where he became Supreme Commander of the Southwest Pacific Area. For his defense of the Philippines, MacArthur was awarded the Medal of Honor. After more than two years of fighting in the Pacific, he fulfilled a promise to return to the Philippines. He officially accepted Japan's surrender on September 2, 1945, and oversaw the occupation of Japan from 1945 to 1951. As the effective ruler of Japan, he oversaw sweeping economic, political and social changes. He led the United Nations Command in the Korean War until he was removed from his duty by President Truman on April 11, 1951.
Was General Wainwright just unlucky in the timing of his promotion? Was General MacArthur lucky in the timing of his promotion? Destiny...Preordained...Fate...Timing...Luck...Irony...
Friday, June 22, 2012
G.I. Bill
G.I., "Government Issue", is a noun used to describe members of the United States Military and items of their equipment.
On, June 22, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the G.I. Bill. It was an unprecedented act of legislation designed to compensate returning members of the armed services for their efforts in World War II. The American Legion, a veteran's organization, successfully fought for many of the provisions included in the bill, which gave returning servicemen and women access to unemployment compensation, low interest home and business loans, and most importantly funding for education.
By giving G.I.'s money for tuition, living expenses, books, supplies and equipment it transformed higher education in America. Before the war, college had been an option for only 10-15 percent of young Americans. By 1947 vets made up half of the nation's college enrollment. Three years later nearly 500,000 Americans graduated from college, as compared to 160,000 in 1939.
The G.I. Bill became one of the major forces that drove an economic expansion in America after World War II. Only 20 percent of the money set aside for unemployment compensation under the bill was given out, as most veterans found jobs or pursued higher education. Low interest home loans enabled millions of American families to move out of urban areas and buy or build homes outside the city, changing the face of the suburbs. Over 50 years, the impact of the G.I. Bill was enormous, with 20 million veterans and dependents using the education benefits and 14 million home loans guaranteed, for a total federal investment of $67 billion. Money well spent starting with America's "Greatest Generation".
In 1973 the military went to an all volunteer system rather than the draft. In 1976 the requirements to qualify for the GI benefits changed and have continued to change through the years.
On, June 22, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the G.I. Bill. It was an unprecedented act of legislation designed to compensate returning members of the armed services for their efforts in World War II. The American Legion, a veteran's organization, successfully fought for many of the provisions included in the bill, which gave returning servicemen and women access to unemployment compensation, low interest home and business loans, and most importantly funding for education.
By giving G.I.'s money for tuition, living expenses, books, supplies and equipment it transformed higher education in America. Before the war, college had been an option for only 10-15 percent of young Americans. By 1947 vets made up half of the nation's college enrollment. Three years later nearly 500,000 Americans graduated from college, as compared to 160,000 in 1939.
The G.I. Bill became one of the major forces that drove an economic expansion in America after World War II. Only 20 percent of the money set aside for unemployment compensation under the bill was given out, as most veterans found jobs or pursued higher education. Low interest home loans enabled millions of American families to move out of urban areas and buy or build homes outside the city, changing the face of the suburbs. Over 50 years, the impact of the G.I. Bill was enormous, with 20 million veterans and dependents using the education benefits and 14 million home loans guaranteed, for a total federal investment of $67 billion. Money well spent starting with America's "Greatest Generation".
In 1973 the military went to an all volunteer system rather than the draft. In 1976 the requirements to qualify for the GI benefits changed and have continued to change through the years.
Monday, June 6, 2011
D-Day
On June 6, 1944, the Allied powers crossed the English Channel and landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, beginning the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control during World War II.
With Hitler's armies in control of most of mainland Europe, the Allies knew that a successful invasion of the continent was central to winning the war. Hitler knew this too, and was expecting an assault on northwestern Europe in the spring of 1944. He hoped to repel the Allies from the coast with a strong counterattack that would delay future invasion attempts, giving him time to throw the majority of his forces into defeating the Soviet Union in the east. Once that was accomplished, he believed an all-out victory would soon be his.
On the morning of June 5, 1944, U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe gave the go-ahead for Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious military operation in history. On his orders, 6,000 landing craft, ships and other vessels carrying 176,000 troops began to leave England for the trip to France. That night, 822 aircraft filled with parachutists headed for drop zones in Normandy. An additional 13,000 aircraft were mobilized to provide air cover and support for the invasion.
By dawn on June 6, 18,000 parachutists were already on the ground; the land invasions began at 6:30 a.m. The British and Canadians overcame light opposition to capture Gold, Juno and Sword beaches; so did the Americans at Utah. The task was much tougher at Omaha beach, however, where 2,000 troops were lost and it was only through the tenacity and quick-wittedness of troops on the ground that the objective was achieved. By day's end, 155,000 Allied troops, Americans, British and Canadians, had successfully stormed Normandy’s beaches.
The Germans suffered from confusion in the ranks and the absence of celebrated commander Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, who was away on leave. At first, Hitler, believing that the invasion was a feint designed to distract the Germans from a coming attack north of the Seine River, refused to release nearby divisions to join the counterattack and reinforcements had to be called from further afield, causing delays. He also hesitated in calling for armored divisions to help in the defense. In addition, the Germans were hampered by effective Allied air support, which took out many key bridges and forced the Germans to take long detours, as well as efficient Allied naval support, which helped protect advancing Allied troops.
By the end of June, the Allies had 850,000 men and 150,000 vehicles in Normandy and were poised to continue their march across Europe.
With Hitler's armies in control of most of mainland Europe, the Allies knew that a successful invasion of the continent was central to winning the war. Hitler knew this too, and was expecting an assault on northwestern Europe in the spring of 1944. He hoped to repel the Allies from the coast with a strong counterattack that would delay future invasion attempts, giving him time to throw the majority of his forces into defeating the Soviet Union in the east. Once that was accomplished, he believed an all-out victory would soon be his.
On the morning of June 5, 1944, U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe gave the go-ahead for Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious military operation in history. On his orders, 6,000 landing craft, ships and other vessels carrying 176,000 troops began to leave England for the trip to France. That night, 822 aircraft filled with parachutists headed for drop zones in Normandy. An additional 13,000 aircraft were mobilized to provide air cover and support for the invasion.
By dawn on June 6, 18,000 parachutists were already on the ground; the land invasions began at 6:30 a.m. The British and Canadians overcame light opposition to capture Gold, Juno and Sword beaches; so did the Americans at Utah. The task was much tougher at Omaha beach, however, where 2,000 troops were lost and it was only through the tenacity and quick-wittedness of troops on the ground that the objective was achieved. By day's end, 155,000 Allied troops, Americans, British and Canadians, had successfully stormed Normandy’s beaches.
The Germans suffered from confusion in the ranks and the absence of celebrated commander Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, who was away on leave. At first, Hitler, believing that the invasion was a feint designed to distract the Germans from a coming attack north of the Seine River, refused to release nearby divisions to join the counterattack and reinforcements had to be called from further afield, causing delays. He also hesitated in calling for armored divisions to help in the defense. In addition, the Germans were hampered by effective Allied air support, which took out many key bridges and forced the Germans to take long detours, as well as efficient Allied naval support, which helped protect advancing Allied troops.
By the end of June, the Allies had 850,000 men and 150,000 vehicles in Normandy and were poised to continue their march across Europe.
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