His Bunkie

There were many words that you could not stand to hear and finally only the names of places had dignity. Abstract words such as glory, honour, courage, or hallow were obscene. Ernest Hemingway, in A Farewell to Arms, 1929. "His Bunkie" by William James Aylward, 1918, U.S. Army Art Collection Among more than 700 pieces …

To be a Marine in World War II

Semper Fidelis has always been more than just a hollow slogan to Marines. These two simple Latin words, meaning "always faithful," are the motto of the Marine Corps.

D-Day on Iwo Jima in color

The campaign for Iwo Jima was one of the best documented in World War II. Marine combat cameramen and photographers accompanied the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions through every phase of the battle, A few of their images of D-Day on Iwo follow.

Hell was an island named Bougainville

World War II saw America's armed forces deployed literally across the globe. Never before or since have our service members performed their duties in so many places. Some parts of the world – especially in Europe – were easily identifiable, but others were almost impossible to find on a map. More than one serviceman scratched …

Always the Rice Paddies

American Soldiers and Marines fought across all kinds of terrain during the Vietnam War, from mountain peaks to urban sprawl. Although rice paddies were but one landscape in-country, they serve as a powerful and evocative symbol of the conflict.

Podcast – To be a Marine in World War II

New Britain, January 1944. After nineteen days on the line and the successful attack on Hill 660, Pfc George C. Miller (Jersey City, N. J.) trudges wearily to the rear. He served with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, First Marine Division. USMC Photo
World War II feels like a thousand years ago to many people, but in historical terms, it wasn't really that long ago. In this episode of the Fix Bayonets podcast, I look back in time to examine the world that wartime Marines lived in. To help better illustrate the story, I share a few passages …