The History Junkie is always learning new things. Love it! Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, better known as “NKP” or “Naked Fanny,” was the northern most station in Thailand, situated just across the Mekong River from Takhet, Laos. During the Vietnam War, NKP proved vital to the American cause. For years, the base [...]
Charles Fall served in the American Civil War with the 26th Michigan. In May 1864, General Grant launched his Overland Campaign. Opposing armies first clashed at the Battle of the Wilderness, then met outside Spotsylvania Courthouse. Fall and his 26th Michigan found themselves at the center of it all. On May 12, 1864, at dawn, [...]
Hard to believe, but it’s almost been two years since BOOTPRINTS author and World War II 90th Infantry Division veteran, Hobert Winebrenner passed away. I still think of him often. He was truly one of a kind. I first met Hobert in 2002. Over the next seven years, I saw him almost every week. No [...]
If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m really interested in the Battle of the Bulge. I love this shot of Bastogne, Belgium shortly after the liberation of the city from the Germans. Looks a little busy, huh?
Bring on the basketball!!!!!! But first, the Weekly History Wrap-Up. Leeland Davidson, a 95-year-old World War II vet, recently discovered that he’s not a U.S. citizen. Think we could cut him some slack? Veterans Today posted an interesting interview with Helen Thomas, former dean of the Washington Press Corps. The Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives [...]
In these parts, General Mad Anthony Wayne’s a pretty big deal. After all, it’s not called Fort Wayne for nothing! And as most of you know, the History Junkie loves a good soldier’s story. Imagine my excitement when I came across an obscure firsthand account of one of General Wayne’s men, George Royer. At Fort [...]
Eddie Wells served in Vietnam with the 321st Artillery, 82nd Airborne Division. This July 27, 1968 note home speaks of his time up north. “Well, we finally moved. We moved way up by the DMZ. We are on top of a mountain. There are mountains all around. The only way anything can be brought into [...]
With North Africa now in the news on a daily basis, it got me thinking of a former American base in the region. Kagnew Station was established at Asmara, Eritrea, on the Horn of Africa in 1943. Through the Cold War, Kagnew Station served as a key intelligence installation. Due in large part to the [...]
I had three different NCAA Tournament brackets before the weekend started. Now they’re all wadded up, in the corner where they belong. It’s Monday, and back to business. The 90th Infantry Division Picture of the Week features a shot of Fontoy, France. Interestingly, Hobert Winebrenner, in his book, BOOTPRINTS, tells of his unit, the 3rd [...]
These staggered starts are making it difficult for the History Junkie to get anything done. Time to suck it up and get tough. I’ve minimized the game to do a little Weekly History Wrap-Up. Robert Eisenman has written an interesting piece on the Power of Ultimatums, past and present. Look no further than the War [...]