Museum Artifacts and Veteran Gatherings

Visions of individuals engaged with military artifacts and veterans sharing experiences, promoting military history and camaraderie.

Museum Art Culture Science Air Force Museum Berlin

Tonia Deetz-Rock, Deputy Director and Curator at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, shows some of the artifacts related to the USS Cumberland that are stored at the museums artifact storage facility onboard Naval Station Norfolk. USS Cumberland, a sloop-of-war in the Union Navy, sank on March 8, 1862 during a battle with the Confederate ironclad ram CSS Virginia. The museum is the repository for artifacts recovered from the Cumberland.

Museum Art Culture Science Air Force Museum Berlin

A group of Veterans formerly assigned to K Company, 4th Infantry Division, listen to how the modern day Ranger is trained while also telling their own stories at the Pre-Ranger course, Fort Carson, Colorado, Sept. 8, 2022. It's a great chance to pick the brains of people who were doing this before I was even born, said Staff Sgt. Ryan Davis, a senior tactics advisor and counselor for the Pre-Ranger course, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 4th Inf. Div. Everything they did in Vietnam and brought back to the force is what we do now when we go to Ranger School and how we are trained.

Descendants of Maj. Gen. Robert Bruce McCoy, the man whom Fort McCoy, Wis., is named after, visit the Fort McCoy History Center on July 8, 2022, during a special visit to the post by the McCoy family. The McCoy descendants visited the Fort McCoy Commemorative Area and all it offers to learn more about their familys military history with the installation.

The 104th Fighter Wing Alumni Association hosts a dinner function May 18, 2022, at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. The dinner was the first since the COVID-19 pandemic, and 104FW leadership spoke to the group about the value of service to the nation and commonwealth.

Tonia Deetz-Rock, Deputy Director and Curator at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, fields questions from museum volunteers while showing some of the artifacts related to the USS Cumberland. The artifacts are stored at the museums artifact storage facility onboard Naval Station Norfolk. USS Cumberland, a sloop-of-war in the Union Navy, sank of March 8, 1862 during a battle with the Confederate ironclad ram CSS Virginia. The museum is the repository for artifacts recovered from the Cumberland.

Tonia Deetz-Rock, Deputy Director and Curator at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, shows some of the artifacts related to the USS Cumberland that are stored at the museums artifact storage facility onboard Naval Station Norfolk. USS Cumberland, a sloop-of-war in the Union Navy, sank on March 8, 1862 during a battle with the Confederate ironclad ram CSS Virginia. The museum is the repository for artifacts recovered from the Cumberland.

Tonia Deetz-Rock, Deputy Director and Curator at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, shows some of the artifacts related to the USS Cumberland that are stored at the museums artifact storage facility onboard Naval Station Norfolk. USS Cumberland, a sloop-of-war in the Union Navy, sank on March 8, 1862 during a battle with the Confederate ironclad ram CSS Virginia. The museum is the repository for artifacts recovered from the Cumberland.

Tonia Deetz-Rock, Deputy Director and Curator at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, fields questions from museum volunteers while showing some of the artifacts related to the USS Cumberland. The artifacts are stored at the museums artifact storage facility onboard Naval Station Norfolk. USS Cumberland, a sloop-of-war in the Union Navy, sank of March 8, 1862 during a battle with the Confederate ironclad ram CSS Virginia. The museum is the repository for artifacts recovered from the Cumberland.

Tonia Deetz-Rock, Deputy Director and Curator at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, fields questions from museum volunteers while showing some of the artifacts related to the USS Cumberland. The artifacts are stored at the museums artifact storage facility onboard Naval Station Norfolk. USS Cumberland, a sloop-of-war in the Union Navy, sank of March 8, 1862 during a battle with the Confederate ironclad ram CSS Virginia. The museum is the repository for artifacts recovered from the Cumberland.

Pacific Islands Tour: Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and aides to Midway Atoll, U.S. Territory

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Valley Forge National Historical Park in Pennsylvania for tours, discussions with Park Service personnel

U.S. Army retired Staff Sgt. Orville Ahkinga, of Little Diomede, shares experiences from his combined 32 years of active duty and Alaska National Guard service during a state of Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs outreach event at the Aurora Inn in Nome, Alaska, July 9, 2022. The state of Alaska Office of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Rural Health work with rural community partners to assist eligible veterans with receiving their earned state and federal benefits. (Alaska National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Balinda ONeal)

The 507th Silver Squadron displays historical items from the wing's 50 year history at the 507th Air Refueling Wing's 50th Anniversary Family Day celebration April 30, 2022, at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo delivers remarks at an event in honor of Veterans Day, at the Department of State, Washington, D.C., November 12, 2019.

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. David Piwowarski, the senior enlisted leader for the New York Army National Guard, embraces Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Zeller, the senior enlisted leader of 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, during the regiments annual Makin Diner, Nov. 26, 2022. The unit, which is currently deployed as part of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa, held the event overseas at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. Each November Soldiers and veterans of the regiment assemble for the dinner which commemorates the World War II Battle of Makin Island.

Rick Brown (left), a volunteer docent at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, fields questions from high school students who visited the museums gallery on Friday, May 6, 2022. He is pictured fielding questions about the museums models of the ironclads CSS Virginia and USS Monitor. The museum, located on the second floor of the Nauticus campus in Downtown Norfolk, Virginia, is home to a robust volunteer corps which helps the museum connect visitors with naval history. (US Navy by Max Lonzanida/Released).

Lt. Cmdr. Paul Castillo, USS Gerald R. Fords (CVN 78) ordnance handling officer provides a tour of Fords lower stage weapons elevator 4 to Congressional staff delegates, April 14, 2022. The tour provided an opportunity to discuss Ford and Ford-Class unique design, and highlight the ships capabilities. Ford is underway in the Atlantic Ocean conducting carrier qualifications and strike group integration as part of the ships tailored basic phase prior to operational deployment.

Norfolk (October 1, 2022) Jim Beutte, one of the Volunteer Museum Docents at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, provides some meaningful interpretation visitors who arrived as part of the USS Wisconsin annual reunion. Battleship Wisconsin is located next to the museum. (US Navy Photo by Max Lonzanida/Released).

220429-N-VQ947-1037 SAN DIEGO (April 29, 2022) Lt. Casey Arnold, center, gives a tour of the flight deck aboard amphibious transport dock USS Portland (LPD 27) to veterans of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 164 (HMM-164) and their spouses, April 29, 2022. Portland is a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock homeported in San Diego.

Descendants of Maj. Gen. Robert Bruce McCoy, the man whom Fort McCoy, Wis., is named after, visit the Fort McCoy History Center on July 8, 2022, during a special visit to the post by the McCoy family. The McCoy descendants visited the Fort McCoy Commemorative Area and all it offers to learn more about their familys military history with the installation.

Lt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen, the director of the Army National Guard, meets with Minnesota National Guard service members during a trip to the to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C., March 28, 2022. The trip was a partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council, known as the JCRC, of Minnesota and the Dakotas. The relationship between the Minnesota National Guard and JCRC helps to provide education and outreach opportunities that commemorate victims of the Holocaust and, by remembering their stories, ensure that all members of the community are treated with dignity and respect.

Anne O. Brockett, architectural historian, District of Columbia Office of Planning/Office of Historic Preservation, and Christine Ames, Assistant District Archaeologist, Historical Society of Washington D.C., tour the Brig. Gen. West A. Hamilton Museum at the D.C. Armory, Feb. 14, 2024. The museum is dedicated to preserving the heritage of the District of Columbia National Guard and honoring the memories of the Soldiers and Airmen who, for over 200 years, have served the District of Columbia and the nation whenever called upon. The museum educates the public on the heritage of Capital Guardians, both in peace and in times of war. Air National Guard

Norfolk (September 19, 2022) Chief Petty Officer selectees from various commands in the Hampton Roads, Virginia region participate in history and heritage facilitated by Museum Educator Zach Smyers of the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. The presentation centered around the U.S. Navys involvement in the Vietnam War, and occurred in the museums exhibit The Ten Thousand-Day War at Sea: The U.S. Navy in Vietnam, 1950-1975. The presentation was part of the museums 21st Annual Chief Petty Officer Heritage Days event. The three-day event allows CPO selectees to receive history and heritage training at the museum and aboard the Battleship Wisconsin, and is hosted by the museum and area commands. The event is the largest and longest running of its kind in Virginia. (US Navy Photo by Max Lonzanida/Released).

Lincoln Land Community College's Dr. Chris McDonald discusses the evolution of British Army uniforms from pre-World War I to post World War II at the Illinois State Military Museum in Springfield on February 18. The Illinois State Military Museum tells the history of the Illinois National Guard. Dr. McDonald is one of the museum's dedicated volunteers. Britain and the United States were the first to adopt webbing as opposed to leather for their battle kits, which gave their Soldiers an advantage in battle, McDonald said.

The USACE team welcomed Representative Chris Jacobs of New York's 27th District for a visit at the Mount Morris Dam and Recreation Area this week. We gave Rep. Jacobs a personal view of the vital role the dam plays in keeping surrounding communities safe. The dam, which is situated deep in the Genesee River Gorge at the northern end of Letchworth State Park, provides flood protection to downstream areas including the city of Rochester, and offers a variety of recreational opportunities to visitors.

SYDNEY, Australia (Nov. 8, 2022) - Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship USNS Mary Sears (T-AGS 65) hosted U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy during the ships scheduled visit to Sydney, Australia, on Nov 8, 2022. Ambassador Kennedy toured USNS Mary Sears and received a Naval Oceanography overview from Commander Jonathan Savage during her time onboard. The visit was Ambassador Kennedys first to an oceanographic survey vessel and her first visit to a U.S. Navy ship since taking office as U.S. Ambassador to Australia in July 2022. The namesake of USNS Mary Sears was born on 18 July 1905 in Wayland, Massachusetts. During World War II, Sears left her job as a research assistant at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to join the war effort. As a Navy lieutenant in the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), she was later appointed head of the Navy Hydrographic Offices new Oceanographic Unit where her research proved critical to the survivability of U.

Stephen Sullivan, the Chief Financial Officer and Director for Resources, Installations, and Materiel for the Office of the Chief of the Army Reserve, participates in a tour of facilities April 25, 2022, at Fort McCoy, Wis., as part of an official visit with Fort McCoy Garrison officials. Sullivan visited Fort McCoy from April 25-27 to learn more about the installation and see facilities throughout the post. The visit included an initial overview briefing by Garrison Commander Col. Michael Poss with other members of the Fort McCoy Garrison command team as well as several Fort McCoy workforce leaders and members. The visit also included tours of barracks buildings and dining facilities used for the Operation Allies Welcome mission at Fort McCoy between Aug. 15, 2021, and Feb. 15, 2022. And Sullivan received an aerial tour aboard a UH-60 Black Hawk that showed him the entire installation from north to south and in between.

Department of the Interior University-sponsored reception marking the opening of the Interior Museum exhibit, "The Vietnam Veterans Memorial: America Responds," with remarks by guests including Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Founder and President Jan Scruggs

Participants in a Community Leader Engagement visit the subway training facility at the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility on April 19, 2022, at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than a dozen community leaders from Tomah, Sparta, and other nearby municipalities gathered at Fort McCoy to see the posts mission first-hand. During their visit, the community leaders received a driving tour of the installation and made stops at the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility on South Post, Fort McCoy Commemorative Area, Fort McCoy Simulations Training Complex in the 200 block on the cantonment area, Garrison Headquarters, and McCoys Community Center where they received a lunch.

Soldiers of the 870th Military Police Company participate in a Strong Bonds event hosted by the Chaplains office on Camp Roberts 22 July 2022.Specialist Nathan Tyrell said, "I learned that my platoon and I are a lot alike. We were the green category which had strong traits of respect of others, trustworthiness and fair treatment of others fairly."Specialist Precious Okoro said, "I want to learn more about myself through this event. I also want to learn more about my battle buddies."The Strong Bonds session focused on personality differences. Chief Religious Affairs NCO, Sgt. Maj. Desmond Knight led the discussion. The 49th MP BDE Chaplains provided pizza for the Soldiers.

SILVERDALE, Wash. (August 11, 2022) - The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Sustainment, Erica Plath, meets Trident Refit Facility, Bangors (TRFB) waterfront services division head, Scott Fuller, during a visit to better understand how TRFB is modernizing its facilities and processes in preparation for the delivery of the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN). TRFB's core mission is repairing, incrementally overhauling, and modernizing the Pacific Fleets SSBN force constituting more than 60 percent of the nations strategic nuclear deterrent which forms the foundation of U.S. national defense strategy.

GREAT LAKES, Il. (Sep. 22, 2022) Capt. (ret.) John White tours the USS Whitehat, during his visit to the Aubrey H. Gunn building on Naval Station Great Lakes. The building was dedicated to White's grandfather, Lt. Cmdr. Aubrey H. Gunn who joined the Navy in 1919 as a boatswain's mate, commisioned as an ensign in 1941, and served as a commanding officer on three ships in WWII.

Educators from Recruiting Stations Indianapolis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Twin Cities attending the 2024 Educators Workshop tour the museum at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California, Feb. 22, 2024. Participants of the workshop visit MCRD San Diego to observe recruit training and gain a better understanding about the transformation from recruits to United States Marines. Marine Corps

Sal Martoelli, a U.S. Army veteran, looks at the history of 3rd Infantry Division in the 3rd ID museum at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Sept. 15, 2022. Martoelli served with the West Point band. Come Meet Your Army tours help bridge the divide between Soldiers and civilians by allowing civilians to see the sights and sounds of a military installation and develop a better understanding of what Soldiers do on a daily basis.

Susan Anderson (right) provides some insights to the State of Indiana flag that she is donating as an artifact to the Hampton Roads Naval Museum to Museum Educator Zach Smyers (left). The flag belonged Andersons father, the late Captain Walter “Jack” Deal, USN, who was the Commanding Officer of River Assault Squadron 15 during the Vietnam War. At the time, it was customary for boat captains to fly the state flag of their home state on their river assault boats during the Vietnam War.

Descendants of Maj. Gen. Robert Bruce McCoy, the man whom Fort McCoy, Wis., is named after, visit the Fort McCoy History Center on July 8, 2022, during a special visit to the post by the McCoy family. The McCoy descendants visited the Fort McCoy Commemorative Area and all it offers to learn more about their familys military history with the installation.

CORONADO, Calif. (Nov. 2, 2022) Current and former SEAL Team 1 members and their families look a static displays of memorabilia during a ceremony celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Navy SEAL Teams at Silver Strand Training Complex. The 60th anniversary is a chance to celebrate Naval Special Warfare's rich history, heritage, and time-honored tradition of serving with humility. Naval Special Warfare is the nations premier maritime special operations force, uniquely positioned to extend the fleets reach and deliver all domain options for naval and joint force commands.

82nd Fighter Group Association host the closeout and final reunion of the 96th and 97th Fighter Squadrons with the last four surviving pilots in attendance; Leo Press, Lute Thompson, Dick Ostronink, and Mel Roaslvig at March Field Museum, Calfi.

Attendees of the Come Meet Your Army tour learn about the history of the 3rd Infantry Division at the 3rd ID Museum at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Sept. 15, 2022. Come Meet Your Army tours help bridge the divide between Soldiers and civilians by allowing civilians to see the sights and sounds of a military installation and develop a better understanding of what Soldiers do on a daily basis.

Volunteers and staff members from the Hampton Roads Naval Museum in Norfolk, Virginia receive a guided tour of some of the artifacts and historical displays at the Mariners Museum in Newport News, Virginia. The tour allowed for a greater understanding of the naval history of the Hampton Roads, Virginia region.

Lincoln Land Community College's Dr. Chris McDonald discusses the evolution of British Army uniforms from pre-World War I to post World War II at the Illinois State Military Museum in Springfield on February 18. The Illinois State Military Museum tells the history of the Illinois National Guard. Dr. McDonald is one of the museum's dedicated volunteers. Britain and the United States were the first to adopt webbing as opposed to leather for their battle kits, which gave their Soldiers an advantage in battle, McDonald said.

Volunteers and staff members from the Hampton Roads Naval Museum in Norfolk, Virginia receive a guided tour of some of the artifacts and historical displays at the Mariners Museum in Newport News, Virginia. The tour allowed for a greater understanding of the naval history of the Hampton Roads, Virginia region.

U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Adam Scholl, left, from Coast Guard Air Station Houston, speaks to Ambassador Sharon L. Cromer, center, US Ambassador of The Gambia, and Honorable Sering Modou Njie, right, Minister of Defense of The Gambia, about the MH-65 Dolphin helicopter during a tour aboard the Famous-class medium endurance cutter USCGC Mohawk (WMEC 913) in Banjul, The Gambia, July 26, 2022. USCGC Mohawk is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Africa area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.

Participants in a Community Leader Engagement visit the subway training facility at the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility on April 19, 2022, at Fort McCoy, Wis. More than a dozen community leaders from Tomah, Sparta, and other nearby municipalities gathered at Fort McCoy to see the posts mission first-hand. During their visit, the community leaders received a driving tour of the installation and made stops at the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility on South Post, Fort McCoy Commemorative Area, Fort McCoy Simulations Training Complex in the 200 block on the cantonment area, Garrison Headquarters, and McCoys Community Center where they received a lunch.

040101-F-0000M-001. Base: Lajes Field State: Azores Country: Portugal (PRT) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Williamsburg, Virginia, for Colonial National Historical Park touring, discussions with National Park Service Director Mary Bomar and Colonial National Historical Park staff, and keynote address at the 2007 National Association of State Park Directors and National Park Service Leadership Council Conference

Army Veterans from the 44th Engineer Battalion visit the 139th Airlift Wing, Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, St. Joseph, Missouri, Sept. 15, 2022. The visitors toured a C-130 Hercules and learned about the the mission of the 139th.

Miscellaneous - Coast Guard Operations - 26-HK-433-159. Hurricane Katrina

CHERRY POINT, N.C. (Jan. 27, 2022) Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro views a 3-D printed gadget during the Eastern North Carolina Tech Bridge Launch in Craven County, N.C., Jan. 27, 2022. The Tech Bridges, a part of the NavalX office, will partner with academia, industry and government entities to remove the barriers that traditionally hamper external collaboration. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class T. Logan Keown/Released)

220731-N-DN159-1114 MEDITERRANEAN SEA (July 31, 2022) Capt. Gavin Duff, left, commanding officer, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), left, presents a gift to Ambassador Neven Pelicaric, Foreign Policy Advisor to President Milanovic, in the inport cabin aboard Truman during a scheduled visit, July 31, 2022. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and partner interests.

82nd Fighter Group Association host the closeout and final reunion of the 96th and 97th Fighter Squadrons with the last four surviving pilots in attendance; Leo Press, Lute Thompson, Dick Ostronink, and Mel Roaslvig at March Field Museum, Calfi.

Museum Art Culture Science Air Force Museum Berlin

110505-N-DX615-012SAN DIEGO (May 5, 2011) Holocaust survivor Rose Schindler shows the prisoner number tatoo on her arm to Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eddie D. Harrison Jr. after sharing her experiences with Sailors at Navy Public Affairs Support Element West during the 2011 Holocaust Days of Remembrance. The visit gave Sailors the opportunity to hear a first-hand account of the Holocaust.

Museum Art Culture Science Air Force Museum Berlin

Fort McCoy Installation Safety Office Manager Randy Eddy puts the sixth U.S. Army Excellence Safety Streamer Award on the garrison flag Oct. 27, 2022, during the Garrison Commander Town Hall event in building 60 at Fort McCoy, Wis. The installation received the award in September 2022 from the Director of Installation Management Command Directorate-Readiness. Standing with Eddy is Dale Marsolek, also with the Fort McCoy Installation Safety Office.

SYDNEY, Australia (Nov. 8, 2022) - Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship USNS Mary Sears (T-AGS 65) hosted U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy during the ships scheduled visit to Sydney, Australia, on Nov 8, 2022. Ambassador Kennedy toured USNS Mary Sears and received a Naval Oceanography overview from Commander Jonathan Savage during her time onboard. The visit was Ambassador Kennedys first to an oceanographic survey vessel and her first visit to a U.S. Navy ship since taking office as U.S. Ambassador to Australia in July 2022. The namesake of USNS Mary Sears was born on 18 July 1905 in Wayland, Massachusetts. During World War II, Sears left her job as a research assistant at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to join the war effort. As a Navy lieutenant in the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), she was later appointed head of the Navy Hydrographic Offices new Oceanographic Unit where her research proved critical to the survivability of U.

Vice President Dick Cheney Visits USS Iwo Jima in New Orleans - 26-HK-17-10. VP Cheney at briefing table. Hurricane Katrina

230327-N-PG545-1006, Sun City, Arizona (March 27, 2023) Recruiters from NTAG Phoenix interact with audience members before a U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters concert at Sun Dial Auditorium in Sun City. The Sea Chanters performed 19 concerts over 22 days, covering 2800 ground miles throughout Washington, Oregon, California and Arizona. National tours allow the band to connect with communities in areas of the country that do not have opportunities to see the Navys premier musical ensembles on a regular basis, and to honor those who have served and continue to serve in the military.

110507-N-KK330-558BATH, Maine (May 7, 2011) Maureen Murphy, mother of late Navy (SEAL) Lt. Michael Murphy and ship's sponsor breaks a bottle of champagne across the bow of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer Michael Murphy (DDG 112) during the ship's christening ceremony at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan in June 2005. He was the first Sailor awarded the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.

NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (Aug. 17, 2022) - Mrs. Linda Gilday, wife of Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday, gives Amparo Diaz del Río Jáudenes, wife of Spanish Adm. Eugenio Díaz del Río Jáudenes,Admiral of the Spanish Fleet, a Women in the Navy (WIN) book during an office call at the Office of the Fleet Admiral during a visit to Rota, Spain, Aug. 17.CNO and Mrs. Gildayvisited Spain to engage with Sailors and meet with local military and government leadership to discuss regional and maritime security.

Coast Guard Air Station - Clearwater - Vice Admiral Thad Allen Visit - 26-HK-277-40. Hurricane Katrina

Vietnam War veterans take a group photo during the National Vietnam War Veterans Day commemoration ceremony hosted at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, March 29, 2023. In 2017, President Donald Trump declared National Vietnam War Veterans Day because on this day in 1973, U.S. combat troops departed the Republic of Vietnam.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Mississippi, for touring, participation in events highlighting the restoration project--funded jointly by the National Park Service and the Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park and Campaign, as part of the National Park Centennial Initiative--aimed at replacing interpretive battlefield markers and conserving the array of bronze statuary and stone monuments at the Civil War site. Joining Secretary Kempthorne for the events, including the unveiling of the first group of 22 metal markers identifying the specific locations of various Union and Confederate artillery batteries during the siege and defense of Vicksburg, were National Park Service Director Mary Bomar, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Chairman John Nau III, and country music star Trace Adkins, among other dignitaries.

060315-N-9640W-013. Base: USS Emory S. Land (AS 39)

Russ Martin, a Volunteer Docent at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, welcomes and orients visitors to the museum. The museum is one of ten U.S. Navy museums within the Naval History & Heritage Command and is located on the second floor of the Nauticus building in Downtown Norfolk, Virginia. The museum is also home to a robust volunteer corps that helps the museum connect visitors with naval history.

Exhibition on building soldiers in the GDR at the TH Merseburg

Rod Gainer (right), historian, Arlington National Cemetery, gives a tour of the Memorial Amphitheater Display Room to Hanke Bruins Slot (left), minister of interior and kingdom affairs, Netherlands, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., Sept. 28, 2022.

220518-N-MI811-1077 WASHINGTON NAVY YARD (May 18, 2022) Claudio Cortinas and Mike Lopez, both U.S. Army veterans with Honor Flight Network, look at a ship model at the National Museum of the U.S. Navy (NMUSN). The Honor Flight Network facilitates trips across the country for veterans to share their stories and experiences with each other.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and aides to Boston, Massachusetts, for tour of harbor and the historic U.S. Naval vessel, U.S.S. Constitution

Coast Guard Air Station - Clearwater - Vice Admiral Thad Allen Visit - 26-HK-277-8. Hurricane Katrina

Material from Vice Admiral Allen - Principal Federal Official - 26-HK-370-61. File Unit includes photographs of Admrial Allen on CNN and Visits by Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton among others. Hurricane Katrina

Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Janet Cobb stands proudly next to the trophy case commemorating her years of dedicated service to the U.S. Army Reserve during a room dedication ceremony in her honor at the U.S. Army Reserve Deployment Support Command in Birmingham, Al. May 14, 2022. Cobb began her journey as a cadet in the Reserve Officers Training Corps at the University of Alabama, graduating as a second lieutenant in May 0f 1978.

Retired Maj. Gen. Wesley Craig, former 28th Infantry Division commander and later serving as Adjutant General of Pennsylvania, speaks about the Iron Division's role in the Battle of the Bulge during a monument dedication ceremony May 22, 2022 in Boalsburg, Pa. The monument is located on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Military Museum, site of the division shrine. U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Doug Roles

YOKOSUKA, Japan (Nov. 10, 2022) Sherrill Wines, special events coordinator for the Navy Exchange (NEX) Yokosuka reads a poem to U.S. armed forces veterans during the 247th Marine Corps Birthday and Veteran's Day celebration at the Fleet Navy Exchange (NEX) Yokosuka onboard CFAY. For more than 75 years, CFAY has provided, maintained, and operated base facilities and services in support of the U.S. 7th Fleet's forward-deployed naval forces, tenant commands, and thousands of military and civilian personnel and their families.

The German-American Institute Nuernberg held an opening of the photo exhibition: "Home-Based in Bavaria" with honored guests including Nuremberg Mayor Marcus König, United States Consul General in Munich Timothy Liston, and 7th Army Training Commands Joint Multinational Simulations Center Chief Col. Heath McCormick, in Nuremberg, Germany, April 3, 2023. The exhibition explores and celebrates the German-American partnership through photos taken in and around the Grafenwöhr training area.

Exhibition on building soldiers in the GDR at the TH Merseburg

DN-SN-89-03325. Base: Los Angeles State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Col. D. Landon Phillips, center left, 501st Combat Support Wing commander, addresses distinguished guests and attendees after a Ceremony of Remembrance at Stanwick Lakes, England, Feb. 22, 2024. Phillips expressed gratitude to the staff at Stanwick Lakes for preserving the memory of the fallen Pathfinders, as well as to the U.K community for welcoming U.S. military members and being such close partners. U.S. and U.K. leaders gathered to honor 17 Airmen who died in a midair collision on Feb. 22, 1944, involving B-17 Flying Fortresses from the 303rd Bombardment Group at RAF Molesworth and the 384th Bombardment Group at RAF Grafton Underwood. The Airmen were part of Operation Argument, or "The Big Week," targeting enemy industrial sites and aircraft facilities in Central Europe to secure Allied air superiority for the upcoming landings in France in June 1944. Air Force

GREAT LAKES, Il. (Sep. 22, 2022) Capt. (ret.) John White tours the USS Whitehat, during his visit to the Aubrey H. Gunn building on Naval Station Great Lakes. The building was dedicated to White's grandfather, Lt. Cmdr. Aubrey H. Gunn who joined the Navy in 1919 as a boatswain's mate, commisioned as an ensign in 1941, and served as a commanding officer on three ships in WWII.

220503-N-ZK609-0012 - FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (May 3, 2022) -MU3 John Landis stops to talk with a member of the audience after the concert. MU3 Landis is a member of the Navy Band Southeasts Brass Quintet. The Spirit of America Concert is a new addition to Fleet Week Port Everglades. Fleet Weeks are designed to show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy and increase the awareness of the Navys role and purpose in our national defense.

Medium shot, right front view, David McCloud Foundation members Don Delk (left), and Ed Lamm (center) show CHIEF MASTER Sergeant of the Air Force (Retired) Thomas M. Barnes P-38 wreckage, landing gear, which the McCloud members are restoring as part of Project Lighting Save. Base: Elmendorf Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

LOS ANGELES (May 28, 2022) Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Sebastian Buturuga discusses his job with television series NCIS: Hawaii” writers room and their families aboard amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) during Los Angeles Fleet Week, May 28 2022. Los Angeles Fleet Week is an opportunity for the American public to meet their Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard teams and experience America's sea services. During fleet week, service members participate in various community service events, showcase capabilities and equipment to the community, and enjoy the hospitality of Los Angeles and its surrounding areas.

220818-N-UJ449-1006 NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA, Italy (Aug. 18, 2022) Former Naval Air Station Sigonella high school graduate retired U.S. Navy Reservist Richard Kaiser, visits and talks with current high school class presidents on NAS Sigonella, Aug. 18, 2022. NAS Sigonellas strategic location enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to deploy and respond as required, ensuring security and stability in Europe, Africa and Central Command.

Bausoldaten at the memorial plaque in Merseburg

Jim Caldwell, a volunteer docent at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum in Norfolk, Virginia, provides some meaningful interpretation during a guided tour for sailors assigned to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth. The museum, located on the second floor of the Nauticus building in Downtown Norfolk, is one of 10 U.S. Navy museums within the Naval History and Heritage Command.

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Sept. 5, 2022) -Capt. Hank Kim, Pacific Partnership 2022 mission commander, right, speaks with John Koloni, son of World War II hero Eroni Kumana, center, to talk about the history of the United States and Solomon Islands working together in support of the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercys (T-AH 19) visit to Solomon Islands during Pacific Partnership 2022. Now in its 17th year, Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership is a unifying mission that fosters enduring friendships and cooperation among many nations. The years mission in Solomon Islands will include participants from the United States, Japan and Australia.

Charles D. Benberry, news reporter with WANE 15 News, interviews a Cold War and Vietnam War veteran April 27, 2022, at the 122nd Fighter Wing, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Military veterans were given a hot breakfast before boarding Honor Flight Northeast Indiana's 35th flight.

Past and present U.S. service members and guests attend the Allentown Chapter of the Honorary First Defenders and the 213th Regional Support Group's 77th Annual Military Ball at The Americus Hotel in Allentown, Nov. 12, 2022. The evening program included toasts and award ceremonies. Patricia Veresink, Esq., 2022 Commander - Honorary First Defenders, Col. Frank Montgomery, commander of the 213th RSG and other distinguished visitors shared remarks during the event.

U.S. Marine Corps veteran and retired U.S. Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Bradford Fish, visits the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Museum at MCRD Parris Island, April 28, 2022. Fish, and two other veterans, traveled to MCRD Parris Island to celebrate their 40th year anniversary of graduating Marine Corps Recruit Training on March 23, 1982; they enlisted out of Recruiting Station Pittsburg.

President's Call to Service Award ceremony and reception for volunteers at the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Hawaii, with Secretary Dirk Kempthorne joining the National Park Service's Chief Historian for the Memorial, Daniel Martinez, among the dignitaries on hand

Coast Guard Air Station - Clearwater - Vice Admiral Thad Allen Visit - 26-HK-277-41. Hurricane Katrina

Vietnam War veterans place their hands over their hearts during the national anthem during the National Vietnam War Veterans Day commemoration ceremony at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, March 29, 2023. In 2017, President Donald Trump declared National Vietnam War Veterans Day because on this day in 1973, U.S. combat troops departed the Republic of Vietnam.

US Army Command Sergeant Major Benjamin C. Palacios (Left) presents a momento to the Sergeant Major of the Army, Robert E. Hall, on behalf of all the FORSCOM (United States Army Forces Comand) Command Sergeants Major during a dinner at the Command Sergeants Major Conference, College Park, Georgia. Base: College Park State: Georgia (GA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

061207-N-0879R-018. Base: Pearl Harbor State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

WASHINGTON (May 12, 2016) United States Navy Shore Sailor of the Year, Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Jessica Wentlent, has her Chief Petty Officer anchors pinned on during her Sailor of the Year advancement ceremony. The week, hosted by MCPON Mike Stevens, brings the Navys four top Sailors to Washington D.C. where they will be meritoriously advanced to Chief Petty Officer on May 12th.

Coast Guard Air Station - Clearwater - Vice Admiral Thad Allen Visit - 26-HK-277-3. Hurricane Katrina

Joan Brown, spouse of Maj. Gen. Donald D. Brown, unveils the bust of her late husband for the first time during the Airlift/Tanker Association Hall of Fame ceremony for Gen. Brown on Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, May 25, 2022. The general was the A/TA Hall of Fame recipient for 2021 and a bust of his likeness was unveiled in front of the A/TAs Memorial Walkway.

Miss Seafair and King Neptune pose for a photo with a Coast Guardsman during a reception at City Hall during Fleet Week, Aug. 3, 2022. Fleet Week Seattle is a time-honored celebration of the sea services and provides an opportunity for the citizens of Washington to meet Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, as well as witness firsthand the latest capabilities of today's maritime services.

011201-F-4300H-001. Base: RAF Mildenhall Country: Great Britain / England (GBR) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

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