Julie Germany is the President of the Army Heritage Center Foundation, a private, nonprofit organization which seeks to preserve soldier stories and promote the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center. She volunteers on the Downtown Carlisle Association’s promotions committee and serves as a trustee of the Cumberland County Historical Society. Central Pennsylvania Business Journal named her a Woman of Influence for 2025.
“Every plane we kept in the air meant hope to someone on the ground.”
- Lieutenant General Claire Lee Chennault
Before Pearl Harbor, before America formally entered World War II, a small group of volunteer pilots changed the course of United States-China relations. Their now-famous shark-toothed planes became symbols of hope. Why did they do it? And what happens when their stories fade?
Introduction
The stories of the Flying Tigers (American Volunteer Group) are essential to Army history for exemplifying unorthodox, high-stakes aerial combat, demonstrating effective cooperation with allies (China) under duress, and showcasing extraordinary heroism against overwhelming odds in World War II. Operating with minimal support and high risk, they achieved a remarkable combat record, destroying nearly 300 enemy planes while losing only 14 pilots in combat. Preserving these stories ensures that lessons in adaptability, resilience, and international partnership are not lost, honoring those who operated at a critical turning point in history.
America at a Turning Point
Let’s step back in time. The year is 1941, and the isolationist sentiment of ordinary Americans was giving way to immense anxiety and fear about national security and the economy. In the months leading up to Pearl Harbor, China was fighting for survival against a massive Japanese invasion, and Americans watched events unfold from a distance.
Radio, the dominant entertainment medium, carried a steady undercurrent of tension, with radio news increasingly covering stories like China’s resistance to the invasion of Japan, the Blitz in Europe, and ongoing debates about aid in American political circles.
Aviation films and pre-war dramas like Only Angels Have Wings starring Cary Grant (1939) and The Dawn Patrol starring Errol Flynn (1938) were still enormously popular and shown as reruns rel-releases in theaters. They framed aviation and air combat as consequential and morally serious, while newsreels shown before the films depicted bombed cities in China and Europe, refugee columns, and burning cities.
Average Americans, sympathetic to civilians under attack and with a growing awareness of global conflict, looked up to lone heroes confronting evil like The Shadow and Buck Rogers. The comic book Captain America debuted in March 1941 with a cover of Captain America punching Hitler. Individuals could change outcomes if they were willing to make the sacrifice.
Personal Motivation. Moral Clarity.
The American Volunteer Group–the Flying Tigers–answered that call and flew combat missions in defense of China at a moment when official alliances had yet to solidify. One Flying Tiger, David Lee Hill said in a later oral history that “We knew exactly why we were there. Cities were being bombed. People were dying. You didn’t have to guess whether your work mattered.” His reflection ties personal motivation to moral clarity in such a strong way.
Hill wasn’t alone. In fact, in their oral histories many Flying Tigers later described feeling an emotionally resonant, highly personal tension in 1941 telling them they had a moral responsibility to act. Waiting was dangerous. Early action not only mattered, it was virtuous and honorable. Ace pilot (and later judge) Charles Older said, “In China, the enemy was real, the stakes were visible, and the people we were protecting were right there in front of us.”
Organized under the leadership of Claire Lee Chennault, the Flying Tigers were an unconventional hybrid force.They valued flying skill over rank, adaptability over seniority. Of the roughly 300 volunteer pilots, nine were Chinese-American and about a third were veterans with previous combat experience during World War I, but their numbers also included younger, aggressive pilots–not to mention the mechanics with deep technical understanding. They wore Chinese insignia, operated under extraordinary constraints, and flew outdated aircraft against a formidable enemy. What they lacked in numbers, they made up for in skill, ingenuity, and determination.
A Case Study in Adaptation
Chennault’s leadership style was controversial, and he wasn’t always liked by his peers, but aspects of his management approach resonates strongly with me–particularly his practice of decentralized authority balanced with accountability. In his book Way of a Fighter, Chennault writes, “Once a pilot understood the mission, I expected him to think for himself.” Tactical autonomy supplemented with clear strategic intent is something that appeals to contemporary leaders like me who came of age professionally while watching Ted Talks about entrepreneurial thinking during the dotcom boom (I also love his sentiment that “Rigid thinking loses wars faster than inferior weapons”).
The volunteers who flew under Chennault underscore this point. Returning to Tex Hill, whom I quoted above, “Chennault didn’t want automatons. He wanted men who could make decisions and live with them.” Responsibility balanced freedom, and that balance led to the strong cohesion embodied by the members of the American Volunteer Group.
Joint Operations in Pursuit of Freedom
The Flying Tigers didn’t just fight: they represented their country in a deeply human way. They lived among Chinese civilians, relied on local support networks, and forged bonds built on mutual risk and trust. Chinese-American nurse Rebecca Chan Chung, who worked with wartime medical and refugee relief networks in southwestern China, represents the often-overlooked civilian support system that sustained both Chinese resistance and Allied aviation operations, including those of the famed Flying Tigers. In villages and airfields alike, Americans and Chinese citizens shared food, danger, and loss. Long before diplomatic communiqués and formal treaties, these relationships created something more durable: personal goodwill.
The diplomatic impact of the Flying Tigers cannot be overstated. Their presence bolstered Chinese morale at a critical moment and signaled that the American people stood with China even before official policy fully aligned. Chinese civilians in later oral histories recalled that the volunteers lived among them, and that “When they fell, we mourned them as our own.”
At a time when U.S.-China relations are often discussed in strategic or adversarial terms, the story of the Flying Tigers offers a different lens. It shows how respect, cooperation, and shared purpose once defined a critical chapter between two nations.
Heroism and Sacrifice
The passage of time is relentless. The men who served with the Flying Tigers are now gone or nearing the end of their lives. Their letters, photographs, flight logs, and recollections, often preserved in family homes rather than formal archives, are at risk of being lost. When those stories disappear, we lose more than individual biographies. We lose insight into how ordinary citizens shaped extraordinary global outcomes.
The responsibility now falls to us. Preserving their stories is an act of stewardship. It ensures that future generations understand not only what happened during World War II, but how individual Americans helped shape relationships that reached across oceans and cultures. The Flying Tigers deserve nothing less.
Sidebar: AHCF Mission Focus
The Army Heritage Center Foundation shares the stories of U.S. Army soldiers from all eras, fostering understanding and building meaningful connections between the military and civilian communities. We accomplish this through public outreach activities like community-building, resource-sharing, education, and philanthropic investments in the preservation of Army history. We’ve curated a collection of stories about individual Flying Tigers as well as servicemembers from the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater during World War II that you can access here, on our website, and in person at our offices or events. That includes profiles of James Louie, a Chinese-American volunteer with the Flying Tigers, as well as Lieutenant General Claire Lee Chennault, Brigadier General Robert Lee Scott, Jr., and Brigadier General David Lee “Tex” Hill. We have also profiled Private First Class Russell Hamler and Captain Boyd Wagner–two Pennsylvanians who sustained America’s CBI campaign–and Evelyn Weigold Crane, who served in the Army Nurse Corps in the CBI Theater.
For the last twenty-six years, the primary beneficiary of AHCF’s philanthropic contributions has been the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC)*, where you can find personal papers, unit histories, photographs, and operational records that document how volunteer aviators became Army airmen and how ground soldiers, engineers, medics, and logisticians sustained the effort that kept China in the fight. The USAHEC’s archives may include US Army Forces China-Burma, India theater manuscript collections, including staff officer diaries, logistics and engineering officer collections, medical personnel narratives, liaison officer papers with Chinese forces, radio and radar unit collections, or personal papers. Many Flying Tigers personnel transitioned into Army Air Force units, continuing combat service after 1942. Look for the 14th Air Force squadron histories, combat reports, after-action studies, or pilot oral histories.
*As a private, nonprofit, non-Federal entity, AHCF is not affiliated with the Department of War and has no governmental status.
Sidebar: Books on the Flying Tigers
The Flying Tigers have inspired decades of memoirs, biographies, and historical studies. These works offer both firsthand perspectives and deeper historical analysis of the American Volunteer Group’s role in World War II and U.S.–China relations.
Way of a Fighter by Claire Lee Chennault (1949)
Written by the Flying Tigers’ commander, this memoir provides insight into Chennault’s leadership philosophy, air combat doctrine, and the political complexities of supporting China before the United States formally entered the war.
God Is My Co-Pilot by Robert L. Scott Jr. (1943)
One of the best-known pilot memoirs of the war, Scott’s account captures the dangers, improvisation, and emotional realities of air combat in the China-Burma-India theater.
Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942 by Daniel Ford (1991)
Considered a definitive modern history, Ford combines archival research with personal accounts to examine both the achievements and myths surrounding the AVG.
Sidebar: Why Are We Talking about the Flying Tigers?
Although the Flying Tigers began in 1941 as the civilian American Volunteer Group (AVG) supporting China before the United States formally entered World War II, their story quickly became part of U.S. Army history. When America entered the war, the AVG’s personnel, aircraft, and mission were absorbed into the U.S. Army Air Forces, helping establish the foundation of America’s air campaign in the China-Burma-India theater.
Many Flying Tigers pilots accepted Army commissions and continued combat service. Some rose to senior leadership positions, carrying lessons learned in China—about tactics, logistics, coalition warfare, and civilian protection—into the broader Allied war effort. Their experience shaped Army aviation doctrine and reinforced the importance of cooperation with allies under difficult conditions.
Seen in this light, the Flying Tigers were not an isolated volunteer episode. They were an early chapter in the Army’s expanding global role during World War II and an example of how individual initiative transitioned into formal military service.
Timeline: The Flying Tigers and the U.S. Army
1937–1941 – War in China Intensifies
Japan’s invasion of China creates an urgent need for air defense and international support, setting the stage for American volunteer involvement.
April 1941 – American Volunteer Group Organized
U.S. pilots, mechanics, and support personnel are recruited (with government approval but civilian status) to assist China.
December 1941 – Combat Begins
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the AVG becomes an active combat force defending Chinese cities, supply routes, and Allied interests.
July 4, 1942 – Transition to the U.S. Army Air Forces
The Flying Tigers are formally disbanded. Their mission and many personnel are incorporated into the U.S. Army Air Forces’ China air operations.
1942-1945 – Army Air Forces in the China-Burma-India Theater
Former AVG personnel help lead air campaigns protecting supply lines, supporting ground troops, and sustaining Allied cooperation in Asia.
Post-1945 – Lasting Army Legacy
Many former Flying Tigers continue military careers, shaping postwar aviation leadership and contributing to the institutional memory of the Army Air Forces (later the U.S. Air Force).
By Julie Germany | April 20, 2026
In the Argonne Forest of France, where American soldiers fought during World War I, the first sign of the spring is often the appearance of wood anemones, small white wildflowers that bloom across the forest floor like a carpet before the trees leaf out. Soon after the beech buds open, blackbirds and thrushes return, and wild garlic scents the forest floor.
An entire ocean and part of a continent away, at the Army Heritage Center Foundation in the Cumberland Valley, spring arrives in its own ways. You have to listen to sense it coming, beginning with the call of spring peepers rising from wetland ponds, with the first red buds appearing in the maples along the creeks, and with crocuses pushing up through cold soil in town gardens. My mother, and Army wife, loves the daffodils that blossom just before the fields and woods surrounding Carlisle turn green.
These early signs of the season remind us of something important: renewal begins with small acts of life returning. Legacy works the same way. Legacy is the soil from which the future begins to grow, shaping the character and choices of the next generations through stories, education, and community engagement.
When Americans think of the great battles of the First World War, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive often stands at the center. It was the largest operation ever fought by American forces to that date, involving more than a million soldiers and helping bring the war to its conclusion. With our spring newsletter, I hope you will join me in a reflective and philosophical journey back to the stories and legacies of the American soldiers who fought in the Argonne forest from September 26, 1918, until the Armistice of November 11, 1918. More than a hundred years later, their experiences feel personal. Most of all, their legacies are part of our American story.
The Scene: A Forest that Hides Everything
“The woods were shot to pieces. Trees were splintered and broken off like matchsticks. The ground was torn by shell holes and filled with mud and wire.”
Medal of Honor recipient John Lewis Barkley, No Hard Feelings (1930)
With its rich woodland of oak, beech, and chestnut trees, the Argonne is a living forest. History remains in the soil. You can still find the trenches, shell fragments, and cemeteries of World War I. It’s a place where the natural world and war existed side by side during four years of fighting.
Nearly every account of the 47-day Meuse-Argonne Offensive (September 26–November 11, 1918) shares the same themes: shattered trees, darkness, chaos, close combat, and isolation. Enemies could appear suddenly at very short distances. Units often became separated in the forest. Shelling damaged the living landscape and destroyed landmarks. At that time, it was the largest and deadliest battle in US history, as 1.2 million American soldiers attempted to break the German line. George C. Marshall, then a staff officer coordinating operations, called the Argonne Forest, “one of the most difficult sectors in France–dense woods, deep ravines, and almost impassable ground for artillery.”
The French referred to the Argonne as “une forêt qui regarde,” a forest that watches. One French infantryman wrote that “the forest closes around you.” The Argonne’s canopy and undergrowth limited visibility to no more than 20-30 yards during the day. The environment felt alive with hidden observers. A single, small noise could mean an attack was only a breath or two away. At night it was worse. German raiding parties often operated in the darkness, trying to capture prisoners, gather intelligence, and disrupt Allied lines.
World War I veterans often said in their oral histories that the woods were never silent. A twig snapping. A rustle of leaves. Barbed wire being cut. Artillery echoing through the ravines. In that “splintered wilderness,” where veterans described broken trees standing like matchsticks, sound echoed strangely. They listened as much as they looked.
The Germans had held much of the Argonne since 1914, giving them years to fortify it with deep trench systems, hidden machine gun nests, concrete bunkers, and a net of barbed wire entanglements woven throughout the forest. For the allied forces, it was deadly territory.
The Action: 47 Days. Thousands of Stories.
“It is now or never. The time has come when America was to show its teeth.”
General John J. Pershing, Commander, American Expeditionary Forces (1918)
The offensive began on September 26, 1918, when the American Expeditionary Forces under John J. Pershing launched a massive attack between the Meuse River and the Argonne Forest. The goal was to break through German defenses and sever a critical railway that supplied German forces along the Western Front.
Among the American soldiers advancing into some of the most heavily fortified terrain on the Western Front was Corporal Freddie Stowers, who served with the 371st Infantry Regiment, an African American unit fighting under French command. On September 28, 1918, just two days into the Meuse-Argonne offensive, Stowers’ unit attacked a German-held hill in the Champagne region. German soldiers initially appeared to surrender. As American troops approached, the Germans suddenly opened fire with hidden machine guns, inflicting heavy casualties. Many of the officers leading the attack were killed or wounded. Despite being severely wounded himself, Stowers rose and continued urging his men forward, reorganizing the attack and leading the charge toward the enemy trench. Even though his leadership helped the Americans capture the position, Stowers died of his wounds shortly afterward.
Another story belongs to Private Oscar Johnson, who served in the 354th Infantry Regiment of the 89th Division. On October 8, 1918, during intense fighting near the village of Bois-de-Bantheville, Johnson’s company came under heavy machine-gun fire. Although wounded himself, Johnson repeatedly left cover and crossed open ground swept by enemy fire to rescue wounded soldiers. Over the course of the battle he carried several injured men to safety, each time returning to the battlefield to search for others. His actions saved multiple lives and kept his company from collapsing under the intensity of the German defense.
That same day, Sergeant Alvin York, a Tennessee farmer serving in the 82nd Division, was part of a small patrol tasked with infiltrating German lines near the Argonne Forest. The patrol was quickly ambushed. Several soldiers were killed and others captured when York suddenly found himself in command of the surviving men. Under intense fire from multiple machine-gun nests, York used his rifle and pistol with remarkable precision, knocking out German gunners one by one. Eventually more than 130 German soldiers surrendered to York and his small group. His actions broke a key defensive position and helped allow the American advance to continue. York later received the Medal of Honor for what became one of the most famous acts of battlefield heroism in American history.
Stories like these–of men who kept moving forward and who rallied their comrades under fire–show us that the legacy of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive lives in thousands of individual choices and acts of courage, each of which shaped the outcome of one of the most consequential campaigns in American military history.
After weeks of grinding combat through forests, hills, and fortified positions, American forces began to push east and crossed the Meuse, threatening German defensive lines from the flank. German forces were increasingly exhausted, short of supplies, and facing simultaneous Allied attacks across the Western Front. Meanwhile, American and French forces captured key towns and high ground that controlled German retreat routes.
The offensive effectively ended with the signing of the Armistice of 11 November 1918, which halted fighting on the Western Front at 11:00 a.m. Remarkably, American troops were still advancing that morning, capturing territory and pushing German forces back even in the final hours before the ceasefire took effect.
Over the course of 47 days, American troops experienced 120,000 casualties. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive remains one of the defining moments in American military history. In the forests, hills, and villages of northeastern France, soldiers demonstrated courage and perseverance that continue to shape the legacy of the U.S. Army today.
The Message: We Do Not Own the Past. We Care for It on behalf of the Future.
Today, the Argonne Forest is once again a quiet woodland of oak, beech, and chestnut trees. At first glance, it can feel like any other European forest. Yet beneath the trees, the landscape still carries the memory of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Shallow trench lines still wind through the woods. Shell craters, softened by a century of rain and growth, pocket the land. Erosion occasionally still uncovers fragments of barbed wire and battlefield debris.
A century after the guns fell silent, the stories of soldiers who served in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive retain meaning with each generation that encounters them. That is why the Foundation’s work matters so deeply. Our mission is not only to preserve history, but to ensure that it continues to inspire. Through educational programs, public engagement, and support for the Army’s historical resources, we help create a place where heritage lives. And when heritage lives, the future grows.
It grows in the curiosity of students who encounter these stories for the first time. It grows in communities that come together to reflect on the meaning of service. And it grows in the continued commitment of supporters who believe that preserving the stories of soldiers strengthens the civic life of our nation. Legacy, in the end, is not something we inherit passively. It is something we actively build—together.
Thank you for being part of that legacy.
In Service,
Julie Germany
President
Army Heritage Center Foundation
Sidebar: Meuse-Argonne Offensive By the Numbers
The Meuse-Argonne offensive involved over 1.2 million American soldiers, making it the largest military operation ever conducted by the United States up to that point.
It lasted 47 days, from September 26 to November 11, 1918, making it the longest sustained battle fought by the American Expeditionary Forces during the war.
American forces suffered more than 120,000 casualties, including approximately 26,000 killed, making it the deadliest campaign in U.S. military history.
Sidebar: Meuse-Argonne Offensive Timeline
September 26, 1918
The American Expeditionary Forces launch the Meuse-Argonne offensive under the command of John J. Pershing. Massive artillery barrages open the attack as American troops advance into German defensive positions.
Late September 1918
American units capture key terrain near Montfaucon, though heavy resistance slows the advance.
Early October 1918
Fighting intensifies in the Argonne Forest. American troops battle through fortified trenches, machine-gun nests, and difficult terrain.
October 8, 1918
Sgt. Alvin C. York leads a small patrol that captures more than 130 German soldiers during a dramatic engagement in the Argonne.
Mid-October 1918
American forces reorganize and continue pushing north toward key transportation routes used by the German army.
Early November 1918
U.S. forces break through German defensive lines and approach the Meuse River, threatening the enemy’s supply network.
November 11, 1918
The Armistice takes effect at 11:00 a.m., ending fighting on the Western Front and bringing the Meuse-Argonne offensive—and World War I combat—to an end.
Sidebar: The Harlem Hellfighters in the Argonne Forest
Months before the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, in May 1918, the 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the Harlem Hellfighters, took up positions in the Argonne sector under French command. As many of our supporters know, the Harlem Hellfighters were an African American regiment of the U.S. Army during World War I. Originally formed as the 15th New York National Guard Regiment, the unit was composed largely of Black soldiers from Harlem and other communities across the United States. Because the U.S. Army remained segregated, the regiment served under French command for much of the war. Wearing French helmets and carrying French rifles, the soldiers of the 369th fought with remarkable distinction across the Western Front. By the time the war ended, they had spent 191 days in frontline combat, longer than any other American regiment. German troops reportedly nicknamed them “Hellfighters” because of their fierce resistance.
Their courage became legendary. On a dark night in the Argonne Forest in May 1918, Henry Johnson and fellow soldier Needham Roberts fought off a German raiding party while defending their outpost. Wounded repeatedly, Johnson refused to retreat, ultimately preventing the enemy from capturing his comrade or breaking through the line. The French Army awarded him the Croix de Guerre, recognizing a bravery that would not be fully acknowledged by the United States until many decades later.
Yet the legacy of the Harlem Hellfighters extends beyond individual acts of heroism. Their service challenged assumptions about who could serve—and lead—in the American military, and their story is a powerful example of our theme this year: legacy—where heritage lives and the future grows.
For Further Reading
Scarlet Fields: The Combat Memoir of a World War I Medal of Honor Hero by John Lewis Barkley (2014). Originally titled No Hard Feelings and published in 1930.
A Youth in the Meuse-Argonne: A Memoir by William S. Triplet (1917-1918)
To Conquer Hell: The Meuse-Argonne by Edward G. Lengel (1918)
America’s Deadliest Battle: Meuse-Argonne by Robert H. Ferrell (1918)
Forty-Seven Days: How Pershing’s Warriors Came of Age by Mitchell Yockelson (2016)
World War I Memories: An Annotated Bibliography by Edward G. Lengel (2004)
The School of Hard Knocks: Combat Leadership in the AEF by Richard S. Faulkner (2012)
Collapse at Meuse-Argonne by Robert H. Ferrell (2004)
Readers interested in primary materials should explore:
- S. Army Heritage and Education Center manuscript collections
- National Archives and Records Administration AEF records
By Julie Germany | January 17, 2026
I was born on January 17, 1979.
On my twelfth birthday in 1991, the United States went to war.
Operation Desert Storm began on January 17, 1991, with the opening air campaign against Iraqi forces occupying Kuwait. For millions of Americans, it marked the first major conflict of the post–Cold War era.
I remember the strange dissonance of a birthday marked not just by cake and cards, but by the awareness that American soldiers were going into harm’s way. For my generation, Operation Desert Storm was the first war we watched live on cable television. War stopped being a chapter in a history book and became something unfolding in real time, in living rooms, classrooms, and dinner-table conversations across the country. I remember the green glow of night-vision footage on the television screen.
The soldiers who deployed in 1991 were our neighbors, our teachers and our parents, and we watched–live on cable television–as they became our modern American Army: an all-volunteer force, rebuilt after Vietnam, trained for large-scale combat, and suddenly tested on the world stage.
Some have said that our Army was the best prepared, the most lethal, the most professional in our history, and I don’t mention that out of a sense of nostalgia or celebration on the thirty-fifth anniversary of Desert Storm. This anniversary asks us to consider not only what happened but who carried the burden.
In his new book Operation Desert Storm, author Frank Hancock writes that in 1991 our Army experienced a Renaissance of both strategic thinking and exacting standards: “When the US Army deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm,” writes Hancock, “it was arguably the most lethal Army the United States had ever sent into combat.”
Colonel Hancock would know. He commanded the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division–the lead infantry element in the largest air assault by helicopter in US history. Later, he was Chairman of the Department of Military Strategy, Plans and Operations at the US Army War College.
While Hancock wasn’t born in Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania, he’s lived in the area for the last twenty-five years. After retirement, he was the Senior Army Instructor for JROTC at Cedar Cliff High School from 2002-2018, and he has taught ballroom dancing in the area for decades. He’s also a regular at Carlisle’s beloved Hamilton restaurant on High Street, which is famous for its “Hotchee” dogs.
Hancock understands soldiers–how to be a soldier, how to lead soldiers, and how to support soldiers who have returned from deployment. He values moral courage, respect, personal initiative, and thoughtfulness and created a professional environment as Brigade Commander that allowed two young soldiers, Captain Jose Delgado and Sergeant Jesus Gonzalez on their own initiative to solve what Hancock describes as a “complicated and tremendously significant puzzle” that revealed an overlooked and hidden trench line of Iraqi forces that, if left undiscovered, would have hindered the 101st from accomplishing its mission.
Unfortunately, that analysis contradicted early intelligence reporting assumptions and would have required a shift in plans. No one knew at the time that their discovery would become essential to success.
Hancock listened to his soldiers. He believed in them. Trusted them. And he fought for their critical assessment to gain the attention it deserved.
The moral courage displayed by Delgado and Gonzalez, and their Brigade Commander’s belief in them, prevented incalculable casualties. When I look at pictures of the soldiers in their Brigade, I see neighbors, parents, coaches, every one of whom came home. I think about that younger version of myself in 1991, sitting on the floor in front of the television, absorbing moments that influenced my understanding of service, sacrifice, and citizenship. And I think about the soldiers—then and now—whose stories connect private lives to public history.
On January 17, 1991, the war came home to American living rooms. Thirty-five years later, our obligation is to ensure that the stories of those who served do not fade with the static of old broadcasts—but remain part of how we understand ourselves, our Army, and our shared past. I hope you’ll join our Army Heritage Center Foundation to help us ensure that the stories of those soldiers do not end when the headlines fade.
By Julie Germany | December 31, 2025
As the clock struck midnight on December 31, 1944, soldiers of the 99th Infantry Division stood in the frozen forests of Belgium. They were exhausted, hungry, and under constant threat of German artillery, but they gathered briefly with their chaplains for a New Year’s Eve service—voices lifted in the frigid night air of the Battle of the Bulge. Those reflecting on that moment have called it a fragile and intimate pause in the fighting. From where we sit in 2025, we can see that even the simple act of prayer reflected the brutal circumstances and constant threat of German artillery.
Elsewhere along the line, General George S. Patton marked the New Year in a way only Patton would: at his order, every gun in the Third Army opened fire for twenty minutes, sending thousands of shells crashing into German positions. It was both celebration and signal—an announcement that the fight would continue with unrelenting force.
For most soldiers, however, the day after brought only the same cold and danger. Corporal (then a newly promoted Staff Sergeant) Irvin R. Schwartz of the 26th Infantry Regiment, who was from Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, described receiving his New Year’s dinner: turkey served from ammunition boxes, carried to the line in the same containers that delivered shells. “It was New Year’s Day but, just another day to us. Another day of war and another day of work,” Schwartz wrote in one of a series of letters he sent to his hometown newspaper, the West Schuylkill Press and Pine Grove Herald in January 1945.
For Schwartz, the holiday’s gentle touches were lost to the harsh reality of combat.
“New Year’s Eve was observed strictly in warfare manner. There were no church bells, no plant whistles, no fire sirens, and no songs to greet the new and victorious year. But there were more than the usual number of rifle shots, and they, with the bombs and artillery roars, marked the close of ’44 and the birth of ’45.
On January 1, 1945, while America enjoyed its world-famous football games, the war for freedom continued. Only few exchanged ‘Happy New Year’ greetings.”
— Staff Sergeant Irvin R. Schwartz, 26th Infantry Regiment, in a letter dated January 1945 to the West Schuylkill Press and Pine Grove Herald.
For the German military, January 1, 1945, was also significant. The Luftwaffe launched Operation Bodenplatte, a large air attack that, while destroying more than 100 Allied planes, inflicted irreplaceable losses on the German air force.
Could anyone anticipate that by January 25, the Battle of the Bulge would officially end in an Allied victory?
During the Battle of the Bulge that New Year’s Eve in 1944, American soldiers faced a brutal and exhausting reality in the freezing Belgian forests. Regardless of how they marked the New Year, the reality of the front lines was a far cry from any typical celebration.
Holidays in uniform rarely look like the ones celebrated at home. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s have often been marked not by familiar tables and family traditions, but by foxholes, desert camps, or makeshift chapels. Yet across generations, the Army has found ways to mark the season—with laughter, with faith, and with quiet acts of compassion and community. These stories remind us that even in the darkest places, soldiers have carried with them the light of the holiday season.
From the frozen valleys of Korea to the deserts of Iraq, from the laughter of a Bob Hope show to the stillness of a midnight Mass, Army holiday stories echo with resilience. They remind us that while wars and landscapes change, the longing for connection, peace, and home remains timeless. To remember these moments is to honor not only the sacrifices made, but the spirit that sustains soldiers through every season.
That’s why your support is so important. You help us ensure that moments of humanity in the middle of war are remembered and shared — not lost in the footnotes.
Sources to Explore
- The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge by Hugh M. Cole (1993), part of the United States Army in World War II: The European Theater of Operations published by the U.S. Army Center of Military History. Accessible digitally at army.mil.
- Battle Babies: The Story of the 99th Infantry Division in World War II by Maj. Gen. Walter E. Lauer (1951)
- Once Upon a Time in War: The 99th Division in World War II by Robert E. Humphrey (2014)
- The 28th Infantry Division and the Battle of the Bulge: Combat, Faith, and Perseverance by Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr. (2025).
- “Honoring the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge” by Rachael Salyer (2024), published by the National Archives and accessible digitally at gov.
- Operation Nordwind: The Battle after the Bulge by Dr. Chris Rein (December 23, 2024), published by the National World War II Museum and accessible online at org.
- Letters from War: Irvin Schwartz’s World War II correspondence with the West Schuylkill Press-Herald have been transcribed digitally by com. The letters were all originally published in the West Schuylkill Press-Herald between 1943 and 1945.
Corporal Irvin Roy Schwartz
June 17, 1924 – September 15, 1992
Pine Grove and Allentown, Pennsylvania
When Irvin Schwartz graduated from Pine Grove High School in the spring of 1942, he was already a gifted writer. As a student, he penned the high school sports section of his hometown paper, the West Schuylkill Press-Herald. He carried that love of writing with him to the battlefield after he was drafted by the United States Army in 1943. Over the next several years, Schwartz embarked on an incredible correspondence with readers back home in the form of a series of 50 letters to the Press-Herald documenting his service in the European theater as part of the First Division.
Schwartz was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross on April 30, 1945 for heroism as a corporal and gun commander, at the battle of Dom Bütgenbach on December 21, 1944, where he organized his crew to repel the advancing German infantrymen–just days before penning one of his letters to the Press-Herald detailing how he and his fellow soldiers observed the holidays in the field. His Distinguished Service Cross award includes the following: “Corporal Schwartz’s extraordinary heroism, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 1st Infantry Division, and the United States Army.”
By Julie Germany | December, 2025
Milestone birthdays always have a way of recalibrating our goals and refocusing our vision. In the quiet moments, after the party’s over, we look back, we look ahead, we look at where we were, where we are, and where we want to be.
As we call “over and out” on the 250th birthday year of the US Army, our nonprofit –the Army Heritage Center Foundation—born in 1999, is exceedingly grateful to everyone who connected with us this year to help us celebrate the rich legacy of the U.S. Army. We are buoyed by the many success stories of 2025, and our success stories to come in 2026.
Among these high points are these advancements:
Our visibility has increased, thanks to many well-attended events, our friends in the media, and those inspired by what they see;
- Our memberships and donations have increased, to help us advance our mission to promote soldier stories, fortify military-civilian bonds, and support beneficiaries such as the one-of-a kind U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle;
- Our social media followers on the “Army Heritage Center Foundation” Facebook page have increased 200 percent; and
- Our community partnerships have increased, with vital grassroots groups that include Love Carlisle, Leadership Cumberland, the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation, Visit Cumberland Valley, and Veterans Outreach of PA.
Looking ahead to the 250th birthday year of the nation, and our 251st birthday as the Army, please mark your calendars for June 13, which is our 251st birthday dinner, and our Legacy Awards Dinner on October 24. These celebrations are for everyone as we unite to reflect together, thank the U.S. Army, and salute the proud history of our nation.
We are looking forward to many more opportunities for engagement–to meet you and partner with the nation in honoring our past and present military heroes. We have some top-shelf speakers, honorees and board members on the drawing board.
Thank you for being part of our story, and please stay involved in the Army story, where central PA looms large as the epicenter of our nation’s fighting force.
While the Army and our nation were far different in 1775 than 2025, the human stories of grit, resilience, and selflessness for a higher purpose endure. Gen. George S. Patton, Jr., encapsulates our mission beautifully: “The soldier is the Army. No army is better than its soldiers.” And we are all better and safer for the U.S. Army. Happy 250th birthday to our Armed Forces!
By Staff Writers | October, 2025
When one of the nation’s most renowned military leaders arrives in Central Pennsylvania this fall to receive the Living Legend Award from the Army Heritage Center Foundation, leadership lessons that transcend time, territory, and trade will accompany him.
It was General David Petraeus who famously said, “Leadership is about energy, intellect, and the ability to inspire others—especially in the hardest moments.”
His strategic military actions in the most challenging life-and-death moments have already spoken louder than his words. A retired four-star general in the U.S. Army, he led the Central Intelligence Agency and commanded U.S. forces in Afghanistan and multi-national forces in Iraq. For his grace under pressure, he earned a Bronze Star with Valor, a Defense Distinguished Service Medal and a litany of other prestigious marks of recognition.
Petraeus emphasizes that strategic leadership involves first getting the “big ideas” right. Then these ideas must be communicated to the organization, implemented, and refined again and again.
Like today’s captains of business, he highlights the importance of thoughtful leaders in providing energy and inspiration, developing talent, and shaping the architecture of the organization. Petraeus also notes that strategic leaders must be inclusive in developing ideas, ensuring everyone feels vital to the effort.
The primary aspects of Petraeus’s leadership philosophy include:
The “Big Ideas”
A strategic leader’s primary duty is to formulate the core strategy or “big ideas” for an organization. For example, during his command of the “surge” in Iraq, as troops protected Baghdad and the Al Anbar Governorate, one of his core big ideas was to protect the local population.
Messaging
These ideas must be effectively communicated throughout the entire organization to ensure understanding and alignment.
Implementation and Oversight
Leaders are responsible for overseeing the execution of these ideas, setting metrics, and providing encouragement.
Iterative Refinement
The process is not a one-time thing. Leaders must continuously assess and modify the “big ideas” based on feedback and evolving circumstances.
Inclusivity
Shaping ideas inclusively brings people into the tent, fostering cooperation and a shared sense of purpose.
Energy and Inspiration
Leaders should provide the energy and inspiration needed to motivate and retain talent within the organization.
Adaptability
Petraeus notes that leadership involves constant reaction and adaptation to changing situations, requiring a sustained focus.
Determination
A high degree of determination, akin to a “stubborn Dutchman,” is necessary to persist in the face of challenges.
“Leadership is an individual sport, one that has to be fine-tuned to each of the people that reports to you,” Petraeus said. “Leaders also need to provide the direction, energy, encouragement, and inspiration for each person who reports directly to the leader as well as for the overall organization.”
A board member of the Army Heritage Center Foundation, Major General John Gronksi, recounts similar lessons in his book Iron-Sharpened Leadership.
Gronski notes that military lessons for business leaders include taking ownership, acting decisively and under pressure, empowering teams through trust and communication, fostering adaptability and resilience in the face of change, maintaining discipline and focus on the mission, and utilizing after-action reviews for continuous improvement. These principles, honed in high-stakes environments, create a strong foundation for effective leadership in any challenging business context.
In studying General Petraeus, Major General Gronski, and other military leaders over the 250-year life of the U.S. Army, these lessons stand out for leaders in every industry:
Own It
A military leader takes responsibility for every outcome and leads by example to earn trust.
Just Do It
Leaders must make fast, informed decisions with the information available at the time and execute plans effectively, even when facing uncertainty or enormous pressure.
Go Team
Build a cohesive team by fostering transparency, giving clear directives, and allowing team members to take the initiative and execute tasks, which boosts morale and productivity.
Bend, Don’t Break
The environment is constantly changing. Be flexible; be resilient.
Mission Possible
A clear mission and shared purpose will motivate teams and ensure everyone works toward a unified goal, fostering commitment and resilience in the face of setbacks.
Communicate Often
Clear, consistent communication is vital for aligning teams, ensuring clarity on tasks and expectations, and building trust.
Learn Every Day
Use after-action reviews (AARs) to debrief and learn from successes and failures, applying those lessons to improve future performance.
Focus, Focus, Focus
The disciplined execution of tasks and maintaining focus on the mission, even under the most difficult circumstances, are core military principles that translate to consistent high performance in business.
It has always been the “big idea” of the nonprofit Army Heritage Center Foundation to preserve these lived lessons and the stories of every Army soldier, past and present. We share the stories of U.S. Army soldiers from all eras, fostering understanding and building meaningful connections between the military and civilian communities.
By Julie Germany | September, 2025
A yearly gathering at the gravesite of Sgt. 1st Class Randall Shughart brings Special Forces, families, and neighbors together to remember the Battle of Mogadishu—and to renew a promise to the fallen. These are the roots of our community and a part of a legacy of remembrance and honor.
It was muggier than usual in Cumberland Valley early last October. It felt like midsummer. I sat in the car with my parents, COL (Ret.) William and Laura Barko, watching the gravel drive winding through Westminster Cemetery in Carlisle fill somberly, one car at a time.
When we stepped out of the car, I felt a slight breeze and reached out to put my arm around my mother’s shoulders as we walked to where a small formation gathered at the gravesite of Sgt. 1st Class Randall Shughart. The sky was deep blue, patched with those heavy cumulonimbus clouds that sometimes hang over our valley like lost cities in the sky.
Each year on October 3, the Special Forces community in Cumberland County returns here to observe the anniversary of the Battle of Mogadishu, and last year in 2024, like many past years, members of our Army Heritage Center Foundation team came to share in the commemoration. There was no fanfare, just the steady cadence of soldiers and neighbors who came, as they always do, to keep a promise: to remember the Battle of Mogadishu and those who gave their lives–a few words, a moment in time that teaches us that memory is a duty.
This is where a national story becomes local, and where a local soldier’s legacy helps carry the weight of history.
Remembering Mogadishu
On October 3, 1993, American soldiers fought through the streets of Mogadishu, Somalia, in what became one of the fiercest battles of the modern era. Randall Shughart, a soldier from nearby Newville, Pennsylvania, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism that day. His gravesite in Cumberland Valley has become the natural center of remembrance for the Special Operations community and for local residents who claim him as one of their own.
Why We Gather
The commemoration is both solemn and intimate. Veterans return each year to honor their comrade, and neighbors stand alongside them in quiet solidarity. This annual gathering at Randy Shughart’s gravesite calls us to remember, but also to act. For the people of Cumberland Valley, October 3 is not just history—it is a lived reminder of sacrifice and service.
The gathering will unfold in camaraderie and respect. A few remarks. A wreath. Bowed heads in prayer. A steady hand resting on the stone. The moment is brief but meaningful.
The Promise Endures
This year in 2025, when the community gathers on October 3, something special will occur. Special Forces Association Chapter 64 will dedicate a Mogadishu Memorial at West Pennsboro Veterans Memorial Park in Plainfield, Pennsylvania to all the fallen of the Battle of Mogadishu. This memorial has united Central Pennsylvania with supporters across the country and around the world–and I’ve had the honor of witnessing the selflessness, devotion, and leadership of many over the course of the last two years.
The day before, on October 2, 2025, a few of my colleagues from the Army Heritage Center Foundation and I will observe the anniversary of the Battle of Mogadishu in Huntsville, Alabama with our friends from the AUSA Redstone-Huntsville chapter, the Veterans Memorial Museum of Huntsville, and WAAY-TV at an afternoon tea with Gold Star families and later at an evening dinner and panel discussion with some of the veterans of the Battle.
As a lifelong student of the classics, I have found the theme of fallen comrades to be powerfully explored in the epic The Iliad. I think of Achilles’ grief and rage over the death of Patroclus, and the profound commitment Achilles makes to preserving Patroclus’ memory:
“Nay if even in the house of Hades the dead forget their dead, yet will I even there be mindful of my dear comrade.”
When the last note of taps fades on October 3, no one will hurry away from Westminster Cemetery or from the West Pennsboro Veterans Memorial Park. Patches and coins will be placed at Randy Shughart’s gravesite and at the newly dedicated Memorial to the Battle of Mogadishu, small circles of color against the granite.
Our promise endures: we will remember, and we will tell the story.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
The Army Heritage Center Foundation is committed to preserving soldier stories like those of Randy Shughart and all the fallen of the Battle of Mogadishu and ensuring they are told with integrity for future generations. After all, it’s in our roots.
That’s why the Army Heritage Center Foundation invests in programs that foster understanding and build meaningful connections between the military and civilian communities. We are shaped by gratitude and commitment. We’re a private, nonprofit, non-Federal entity. We’re not the Army, and we don’t speak on behalf of the Army. But we believe in something greater than ourselves: preserving the stories of American soldiers not just to honor their memories but also so that they can inspire new generations. We believe Army heroism is a living story.
The Battle of Mogadishu, Oct 3–4, 1993
October 3, 1993 – 15:30 hrs
U.S. Special Operations Forces launch a mission to capture Somali militia leaders in Mogadishu.
16:00 hrs
Two Black Hawk helicopters are shot down by enemy fire. Rescue efforts begin immediately.
Late Afternoon–Evening
Rangers and Special Forces secure crash sites under heavy fire. A fierce urban battle unfolds.
Sergeant 1st Class Randy Shughart & Master Sergeant Gary Gordon deploy voluntarily to protect downed helicopter crew. Both are killed in action while defending the site, later awarded the Medal of Honor.
October 4 – Early Morning
After hours of intense street fighting, U.S. troops break contact and withdraw with the help of UN forces.
Casualties
18 American soldiers killed, more than 70 wounded. Hundreds of Somali militia and civilians were also killed.
Legacy
The battle—later chronicled in Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War by Mark Bowden (1999) and In the Company of Heroes by Mike Durant (2003)—became a defining moment in U.S. military history, underscoring courage, sacrifice, and the cost of service.
By Julie Germany | June 14, 2025
Since June 14, 1775, when the Continental Congress formed the Continental Army, the story of the Army has been inseparable from the story of America.
From Valley Forge to Normandy, from the deserts of the Middle East to humanitarian missions at home and abroad, ten generations of soldiers whose actions and lives serve as a collective symbol of shared values, sacrifice, and service to something larger than ourselves. They’ve missed birthdays, school talent shows, the passing of loved ones, and the simple joy of taking the dog for a walk on a beautiful summer day. From every corner of America, across every generation.
More than a milestone, this is a moment to honor the people behind the uniform. The fight for freedom has always been complex—and deeply personal. And to truly honor that legacy, we will tell the stories of those whose courage shaped our nation, almost always without the recognition they deserved, sometimes even from within their own families.
Brigadier General William Thompson was appointed the first colonel of the Continental Army. His unit, Thompson’s Rifle Battalion, was known for its discipline and effectiveness. Thompson’s story is one of early bravery, strategic leadership, and personal sacrifice—key qualities that earned him a place among the unsung heroes of the American Revolution.
Staff Sergeant John W. Minick was a Medal of Honor recipient and a true hero of World War II because of his extraordinary courage, leadership, and self-sacrifice during combat in Germany in 1944. Minick’s actions helped turn the tide in a brutal and costly campaign in the Hürtgen Forest. His bravery inspired others and exemplified the highest standards of selfless service.
Sergeant Patrick C. Hawkins, an Army Ranger, displayed exceptional courage, leadership, and sacrifice while serving in combat operations in Afghanistan. He gave his life on October 6, 2013, during a mission with the 75th Ranger Regiment. Today, Hawkins is remembered for his selfless actions and deep commitment to his fellow soldiers.
Thompson, Minick, Hawkins: three lives representing a quarter millennium of soldiers who acted and are acting with the seven Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. They are not side notes in history. They are history. And they show us what the Army really is: an American legacy of who we are, at our very best.
To every soldier—past, present, and future—we say thank you. For your service. For your stories. And for reminding us that freedom is something we must always protect, together.
Happy 250th birthday, United States Army.
By Julie Germany | May 26, 2025
This Memorial Day, we turn our hearts and our thoughts to the extraordinary men and women in every branch of military service who possessed profound courage, selflessness, and commitment to something bigger than themselves.
From our own soil here in Cumberland County, heroes have risen.
Sergeant Patrick Hawkins was one of them. An Army Ranger with the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment — Patrick was not just a soldier; he was a brother, a leader, a friend. As a young man, he was described as loyal and determined–someone who understood commitment early on.
Patrick was an Army brat like me. He was a member of the Carlisle High School Class of 2007. He had a dog. As a youth and avid skateboarder here in Carlisle, he served as a member of the Army Family Action Plan council. In 2003, Patrick transformed the old tennis courts at Carlisle Barracks behind the bowling alley into a skate park.
Alumni of Carlisle High School still tell stories about how Patrick was the guy who would tell the bullies to knock it off and would invite kids to sit at his table during lunch.
In October 2013, when Patrick was on his fourth deployment in Afghanistan, the remnants of Tropical Storm Karen hit parts of Pennsylvania, including areas near Carlisle. The storm brought heavy rainfall, leading to flooding in various regions. While Carlisle itself was spared the worst, nearby communities faced challenges such as road closures and property damage.
In our homes that autumn, many of us were watching the Breaking Bad series finale, which had just aired on television, or Orange Is the New Black, which debuted a few months earlier on Netflix, and was one of the most streamed series in history.
During the dark night of October 6, 2013 at the age of 25, Patrick ran toward danger to rescue wounded comrades under heavy enemy fire. Patrick and his team were running a night raid in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, aimed at disrupting enemy forces when the air tore itself apart. An instant and overwhelming violence–a female suicide bomber–killed his fellow soldiers.
Amidst the shockwave, the crushing, deafening blast and the auditory distortion that surely followed, choking on a cloud of dust and dirt and the smell of metal and death, Patrick quickly moved to aid one of the fallen.
A split second of silence. A second violent blast. And in the midst of saving life, Patrick lost his own.
It was a Sunday when his parents Roy and Sheila, who are with us today, were informed of Patrick’s death. They had spent the morning with their church community at Carlisle Barracks. Shelia was wearing a white dress in the early autumn weather.
They were surrounded by love that day–an entire community here in Carlisle, across the nation, and around the world.
Those who knew Patrick said he led with compassion — that he cared deeply for his fellow Rangers. His story reminds us that real leadership is grounded in love and sacrifice, not just strength.
In a different era, almost a hundred years ago, Staff Sergeant John Minick grew up in a Carlisle shaped by hard times and strong hearts. In the 1920s and 1930s, farmers in Cumberland County struggled with falling crop prices, and the Carlisle Tire and Rubber Company was one of the few industrial employers that gave steady work during the long shadow of the Great Depression. Some horse-drawn wagons still shared High and Hanover Streets with automobiles when John was a kid. A few cents could get you a ticket to the Comique Theater–known as the Carlisle Theater today–for a Saturday matinee.
John was in his mid-thirties when he led his men through the brutal battles of Europe during World War II. Near Hürtgen, Germany, in November 1944, Minick and his men found themselves in the Battle of Hürtgen Forest, where the temperature hovered near freezing with steady rain, mud, and in many areas, early snow.
I’ve read that the soaked ground turned the forest trails into deep mud pits and that the dense forest trapped the dampness and cold. Fog and low-hanging mist coated the battlefield. The air smelt of sweat and wet wool, blood and decay, damp earth and charred wood. Artillery shells and constant gunfire left a sharp, acrid stench.
One veteran said, “The Hürtgen smelled like the world was rotting from the inside out.”
Soldiers in the Battle of Hürtgen Forest — including John Minick and his men — fought under these freezing, wet, and almost claustrophobic conditions for weeks on end. They were often soaked to the bone, exhausted, and dealing with things like trench foot, pneumonia, and hypothermia, even while under relentless German artillery and machine gun fire.
On November 21, Minick’s company was pinned down by devastating enemy machine gun, rifle, and rocket fire while trying to cross a heavily mined field.
Seeing the danger his men were in, Staff Sergeant Minick charged alone across the minefield — deliberately exposing himself to enemy fire — to find a route his company could safely follow. He personally killed 20 German soldiers, captured 20 more, and destroyed four enemy machine gun nests.
Minick charged through a minefield alone, destroying enemy positions and capturing prisoners, clearing the way for his company, before he stepped on a hidden landmine and was killed. His actions earned him the Medal of Honor.
In November 1944, when Staff Sergeant John Minick charged across that deadly minefield in Hürtgen Forest, the world he left behind was a world filled with the music of hope and longing.
Back home in Carlisle, radios played Bing Crosby’s voice over the airwaves — songs like “Swinging on a Star,” reminding Americans to aim higher, to be better, even when the future seemed uncertain. And on quieter nights, you might hear “I’ll Be Seeing You,” that haunting promise whispered from mothers to sons, from sweethearts to soldiers:
“I’ll be seeing you in all the old familiar places.”
That was the world John fought for — a world of dreams, family, music, and memory. A world worth crossing a minefield for. A world worth every sacrifice he made.
John Minick wasn’t seeking glory. His story teaches us that true bravery is often quiet, determined, and focused not on self, but on others.
These men were not distant legends. They were ours — part of Carlisle’s story.
They are not side notes in history. They are history.
And they show us what our community in Carlisle really is: an American legacy that stretches back to the very founding of our Republic. Carlisle has long been intertwined with the American story—training soldiers, nurturing leaders, and forging warriors at institutions like the U.S. Army War College. Here, in this place, courage has been taught, modeled, and ultimately lived.
Today, on the eve of our nation’s 250th birthday next year in 2026, as we lay wreaths, as we raise our flags, and as we bow our heads in prayer, let us remember that we are the inheritors of a sacred trust.
In the words inscribed upon the Medal of Honor: “For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.” Let us, too, live beyond the call of duty. Let us live lives worthy of their sacrifice, and may we always tell their stories.
By Julie Germany | May 2025
This winter still had its firm grip on Central Pennsylvania one March day my colleague Amanda Neal informed me that artist, veteran, and Silver Star recipient Bill Beck had passed away. He and his wife Jennifer lived a few miles down the road from the Army Heritage Center Foundation. In 2017, we awarded him our Living Legend award for a few very important reasons.
Beck was an assistant machine gunner assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment (1/7 Cav), 1st Cavalry Division on November 14, 1965, when the unit airlifted into the Ia Drang Valley. It was America’s first large-scale battle of the Vietnam War, and the subject of a book authored by Joe Galloway and Lieutenant General Hal Moore (Ret.) titled We Were Soldiers Once…and Young (1992). Later, the book became the movie We Were Soldiers (2002).
Beck’s sketches of his time in Vietnam hang in the offices of our Army Heritage Center Foundation. They are visual retellings of the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley, etched in long lines of greens and tans–earthy, unsettling, and deeply emotive. The faces of Beck’s fellow soldiers and friends show confusion, exhaustion, determination, and, occasionally, pain.
His death came just a few days after fellow veteran and Foundation supporter J.B. Hudson, who served on our board for a number of years, passed away. At the end of a long and impactful career in government service, Hudson served for eight years as Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. Hudson was an instrumental figure in our most successful fundraising initiatives. He was also a strong, ethical leader who infused our meetings with both stability and joy. He received the Foundation’s Brigadier General Joseph McCarthy Leadership Award in 2022.
In late 2024, historian, author, and veteran Dr. Lewis “Bob” Sorley, a graduate of West Point and a resident of Carlisle, PA, left us. I’ve just been reading Sorley’s book A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America’s Last Years in Vietnam. Sorley argued that while many great books had been written about the early years of the war, the later years did not receive the same consideration. Of the military leaders during those final years in Vietnam, Sorley wrote that they were a different breed of leaders than their predecessors. They
“Brought different values to their tasks, operated from a different understanding of the nature of war, and applied different measures of merit and different tactics…They went about that task with sincerity, intelligence, decency, and absolute professionalism, and in the process came very close to achieving the elusive goal of a viable nation and lasting peace.”
I’ve reached a point in my life where the leaders I looked up to all my life are no longer with me. My best friend and I have told each other far too often lately that we’ve started to grow tired of losing “our Great Ones”–the men and women whose strength was carved by decades of sacrifice, who held the roof of the world up around us, and gave us a sense of certainty and identity.
The term “Greatest Generation” has been used to describe the generation of Americans alive during World War II. They certainly were great, and they certainly changed the institutions of our nation and its role in the world. However, my Great Ones are those of the Vietnam generation.
Carl von Clausewitz coined the metaphor “fog of war” to describe the difficulty leaders have of making decisions in the complex environment of war. Grief is also a heavy fog. It covers everything and sinks into your bones. I get lost in it easily.
Who are we once we lose our Great Ones?
Legacy Building
Growing up in an Army family, the concept of legacy was something my dad (who is one of my “great ones” and who continues to hold the roof of the world up above me) always emphasized. Many of you know my origin story: I grew up in an Army family, and when my dad was stationed at Carlisle Barracks, I fell in love with the Army War College. Today, as an adult, I have the honor of leading the Army Heritage Center Foundation.
We are a community of members, patrons, and donors who support the development and expansion of the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC) and its programs, and sustain and enhance the Center’s and the Foundation’s ability to inform and educate the American public on contributions by Soldiers and the U.S. Army to our nation’s history.
As each of you know, our Foundation is a private, non-Federal entity that is not affiliated with the Department of Defense and has no governmental status.
That’s why, when I describe who we are to people who don’t know us very well, I like to say that we’re the non-profit support group (sometimes call ourselves the “friends group”) of USAHEC.
Our Foundation was “born” in 1999 (we’re 26 years old), when we were incorporated to build an Army museum in Carlisle, PA. Our first challenge: build the museum from literally the ground up, transferring 56 acres of land (the ground, in this metaphor) adjacent to Carlisle Barracks from Cumberland County, PA to the U.S. Army. From there, we went on to fund the master planning and for the utility infrastructure of the Center and continue to help build USAHEC into the campus that it is today.
We’re here because of the Great Ones and their legacies–Brigadier General Joseph McCarthy, Major General Robert Scales, historian and author Dr. Dick Summers–and the Great Ones who are still with us, like Marty Andresen, Brigadier General Hal Nelson, and Brigadier General Dick Potter. And those I had the privilege of serving with at the Foundation, like Major General Robert Diamond, and, of course, retired Foundation president Lieutenant Colonel Mike Perry.
It is by the example of these Great Ones that my colleagues at our Foundation have built an organizational culture that values the following characteristics.
- Emotional intelligence
- Community-building
- Ability to fail well
- Discernment
- Member / donor / patron experience
We incorporate these values into our decision-making framework–much like the U.S. Army and its seven core values of Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage–so that when we make choices, we know exactly why we made those choices. We evaluate the way we accomplish our successes, hire new team members, mentor current team members, and review the performance of both our organization as a whole and its individual members based on those five core values.
Another way to put this operational philosophy is “Be kind. Help your community thrive. Take risks and learn from failures. Grow in wisdom. Take care of those around you.” All lessons we’ve learned from our Great Ones.
Shared Wisdom
Last week, a few days after the annual commemoration of the War in Vietnam, we spent the day wandering around a different battlefield further back in American history. We invited some of the Foundation’s closest friends, donors, and Great Ones to Gettysburg to introduce them to the Foundation’s recently endowed ROTC Staff Ride program. The weather was bleak that day. Icy wind and hail whipped us and froze our hands and noses. But it didn’t matter. Two of our living legends–Dr. Carol Reardon and Colonel Tom Vossler–captivated our entire group as they outlined the decision-making challenges facing General Officers trapped in the fog of war from July 1 to July 3, 1863.
People like Colonel Vin Tedesco and his wife Suzann. Tedesco was an artilleryman in Vietnam, where he earned a Silver Star for valor. Part of his legacy is the creation of an endowed scholarship for Penn State Army ROTC Cadets. He was inducted into the ROTC Hall of Fame in 2023.
Bob and Nancy Gessner also joined us. Nancy Gessner grew up in an Army family like mine. Her father, Colonel Don Esper, was an ROTC cadet at Xavier University before having an incredibly impactful career that culminated in a tour of duty as Garrison Commander at Carlisle Barracks. He passed away in 2023. The Gessners’ generosity led to the creation of our Colonel Don Esper Endowment and ROTC Staff Ride program.
The Esper Endowment allows the Foundation to fund national program expansion and development, veteran retraining in current Army doctrine of certified battlefield guides, and scholarship funds for travel and lodging for ROTC cadets, and it has already helped us connect hundreds of cadets to the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center and the value it brings to the U.S. Army and the American public.
Vietnam veteran and Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Joe Marm and his wife Deborah brought two of their grandsons, Gabe and Ty, on our trip. Marm has joined the Foundation for multiple events focused on his role in the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley. I’ll never forget getting to see Little Round Top through the eyes of his grandsons. Gabe and Ty asked so many insightful questions as they grappled thoughtfully with the concepts of war and decision-making. It was the concept of legacy that I alluded to earlier in action.
To return to historian Bob Sorley, he wrote that the leaders who served our nation in Vietnam
“by their actions defined stewardship–doing the best you can with what you have to work with, and doing it with selflessness, dignity, and integrity…the vast majority of American men and women who served in Vietnam exhibited the same admirable traits…”
Those are our Great Ones, and our Army Heritage Center Foundation grapples with the best ways to preserve and tell those stories. I hope you will continue to support their legacies and the legacies yet to come.
By Julie Germany | October 2024
One of our beloved donors today reminded me of the wit and wisdom of the British author G.K. Chesterton, who once wrote that
“Real development is not leaving things behind, as on a road, but drawing life from them, as from a root.”
When I stepped into my role with our Foundation, it was with a full appreciation for, love of, and pride in who we were and what we had spent the last quarter century accomplishing in our support of the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center. It’s quite a legacy and a mission to which so many of you have contributed.
Now, over a year later, the importance of building on the past resonates just as strongly, if not more so.
Next year we will commemorate an occasion that warrants both reflection and celebration: the Army’s 250th birthday in 2025.
I feel an incredible and often overwhelming sense of responsibility for positioning our Foundation to be a leader locally–and a supporter of other initiatives nationally–in what will be a year of activities and celebrations.
Outside our community, too many Americans are disconnected from their Army, the role it played in founding our country and the contributions made by generations of soldiers. And unfortunately, many of those disconnected are my generation or younger. Consider this:
53% of American adults under the age of 30 say that the military has a negative impact on their lives, according to February 2024 data released by the Pew Research Center. Just 43% say it has a positive impact.
The U.S. Army Recruiting Command reports that 50% of youth say they know little to nothing about military service.
Only 1% of the American population currently serves across all branches of the military.
Our veteran population–those who have contributed so much and whose stories we aim to preserve–is rapidly declining, and we are losing the ability to connect the legacy of their service to the rest of our society.
The Army’s 250th birthday presents an opportunity to connect those stories with our neighbors here in Carlisle, where we’re physically located, but also just as importantly across the nation. In fact, it’s a part of my vision for our Foundation. Over the last year, we have been positioning ourselves to be local leaders in the Army’s 250th birthday activities. This will allow us to:
- Connect over 250 years of soldier stories in effective and engaging ways with the American public.
- Build a community of local and state-wide support for our Foundation and our mission.
- Promote the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center and its upcoming exhibits and important public outreach initiatives.
That’s why I’m asking you right now to put a hold on your calendar for Saturday, June 14, 2025 and the week leading up to it for what will be more than just a celebration.
Here’s my favorite part: so far we have received an incredible amount of support across the county and state, as well as from our members. In fact, a group of you have been working alongside our Foundation team for months now to make sure we’re heading in the right direction with everything we are planning in 2025 (and beyond).
You probably know many of them quite well:
William Barko
John Bonin
Scott Buran
Frank Hancock
Tom Hendrix
Doug Johnson
John Martin
Ed Murdock
Mark O’Donnell
Ray Porter
Al Shine
These volunteers have formed our 250th Planning Committee, and together, we will announce our lineup for 2025, beginning later this autumn. Our group (you could even call it a movement) is growing, thanks to its incredibly strong roots in our community.
By Julie Germany | April 2024
In a few weeks, my colleagues and I will be packing our bags and heading down to Huntsville, Alabama for our third annual event with the AUSA Redstone-Huntsville chapter. This year we’re hosting a program called An Evening in the Desert with Operation Eagle Claw on Wednesday, May 8th.
The Iran Hostage Rescue mission in 1980 was an attempt by a Joint Force of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines to bring back our 52 hostages. This mission was one of the first for the Army’s Delta Force (1st Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta) and one that played a significant role in the development of today’s United States Special Operations capabilities.
Parts of their story have been untold. Until now.
Our first Huntsville program occurred two years ago in 2022, when I was still a board member, and we hosted General David Petraeus for a fireside chat. Then in 2023, a week after starting my job as president of the Foundation, I headed back down to Huntsville for our program with the surviving veterans of the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley in Vietnam. Both programs were outstanding. Eagle Claw is shaping up to be just as good.
Along the way, I’ve learned a few things from our collaborators in Alabama, and I wanted to share them with you.
Lesson 1: Army museums are community spaces.
The community of Huntsville is incredibly proud of its veterans museum. Countless school and scouting groups visit the U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum in Huntsville each year and for good reason: the collection is vast and thoughtfully curated, and the people who spend their time managing the museum–all of them volunteers and mostly all of them veterans–are gifted at making army history relevant and important to every visitor.
Community matters. That’s why we share the donations we receive from our annual Huntsville event with the Memorial Museum.
Lesson 2: Telling soldier stories is a public good.
Marie Waxel is a news anchor with WAAY-31, the ABC affiliate in the Huntsville area. She has spent years working with the production team to craft Emmy-award winning documentaries and news series showcasing veterans stories. That includes two programs very modestly connected with our work: Unbroken: The Bonds Formed in the Ia Drang Valley and Look Back, Don’t Stare: The Battle of Mogadishu 30 Years Later.
It’s an initiative supported by the leadership at the station. Mike Wright, the General Manager, has been a tremendous advocate. The entire WAAY team showed up to meet our Ia Drang veterans when we visited the studio for lunch and a screening of their documentary last year.
Soldier stories do more than connect us to the past. They build empathy. They help people of all generations develop values like perseverance, integrity, and loyalty and skills like decision-making and leadership.
Lesson 3: Good leaders organize others and then stay up with them all night.
Major General Paul Pardew (USA Ret.) has been a member of our Board of Directors for a few years, and he has been very involved in leading our joint Carlisle-Huntsville effort, from organizing biweekly phone calls to helping us wrangle speakers lost at the airport.
Rhonda Sutton, the former president of the Redstone-Huntsville Chapter and current Third Region president for AUSA, is the same kind of leader.
And they are both so kind to everyone no matter how tired we all are. Together they have given me the best crash course in leadership.
Three lessons from three years of events with the Foundation in Huntsville–and hopefully many more to come.
By Julie Germany | Spring 2024
Can you guess what my favorite part of my job is?
Almost every day, I have the privilege of talking to the (now grown up) children of Army soldiers, like myself. There hasn’t been a day in my life when I haven’t been extraordinarily proud of my father, Colonel (Ret.) William Barko and his service to the nation–it’s a warm, strong feeling resonating deep in my heart–and I feel the same way when I talk to you about your parents’ service.
The picture you see is of me and my dad, when he was stationed at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, Korea. I was nine years old, and the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics were a few months away. My dad is standing so tall, and I’m there in pigtails with a chest full of Brownie badges. What I like about this picture is that you can see how proud we are of each other and how happy we are spending time together. I store the original version of this photo in a memory box in our guest bedroom.
If you’re an Army kid like me, and you have a box full of memories of your parents’ service, then let me give you one major piece of advice: STAPLES AND PAPER CLIPS ARE YOUR ENEMY.
I know that sentence above is a very awkward narrative transition. I apologize for my inadequacies as a storyteller, but I’ve learned some things about preserving the memories of our loved ones over the last year I’ve spent with the Army Heritage Center Foundation.
Staples and paper clips are your enemy because they cause oxidative damage to the important papers and photos, degrading them over time. If you’re reading this, consider it a message to spend some time preserving your Army family memories during spring cleaning this year.
Here are a few tips that I share with our Foundation supporters when we meet.
- Remove staples and paper clips before they discolor and damage your memories even further.
- Many types of cardboard boxes are acidic, which also contributes to decay. Consider transitioning to acid-free preservation envelopes and PVC-free plastic archival sleeves.
- Newspaper clippings are also highly acidic and can harm anything else stored with them. Photocopy newspaper clippings onto acid-free paper and remember not to store the originals with other documents.
- Store your memories in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
- If you only have digital photos of your loved ones, make sure you back them on the cloud. Don’t rely on software from 10 years ago that may (eventually) become incompatible with evolving tech standards.
Did you know my dad is also an Army kid? Like so many of you, his father, Captain Arpad Barko, served in World War II. Grandpa Barko didn’t talk much about his time in North Africa or Europe, so we only have a few stories of his service. I don’t want to lose them, and I’d like to find some way of keeping his experiences alive.
This year, our annual Army Birthday Program on June 15th will fall just a few days after the 80th commemoration of D-Day. We’d like to incorporate as many pictures and stories of your loved one’s service in World War II as possible into the program.
If you had a relative who served in World War II, would you mind pulling a picture or two of them and sending them to me? You can email directly at president@armyheritage.org. We will take very good care of them, and we’ll let you know how we plan on honoring them during our