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I am looking for information for a co-worker. This is a very interesting story. The father of one of my co-workers passed away 2 weeks ago. (The link I supplied for this post goes to his obituary in my hometown newspaper.) His name was Joseph J. Becker, and he was a Staff Sergeant in Company C, 147th Infantry in WWII. On Guadalcanal, he received a Bronze Star. It was only a couple of years ago that my co-worker even found out about this award, and his father would never tell him what he did to receive it. He would just...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. God Bless America...................................................................................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members...

Peaceful return to Guadalcanal By Alex Spillius in Honiara (Filed: 25/07/2003) Australian troops and police poured into the Solomon Islands by air and sea yesterday to restore stability to the troubled archipelago. Troops, vehicles and equipment of the 2,500-man force were delivered by Hercules aircraft, while landing craft from the Australian navy ship Manoora anchored off the main island, Guadalcanal, unloaded in the area where American troops landed to fight the Japanese 61 years ago.Australian troops disembark from a landing craft yesterday Hundreds of islanders, mostly barefoot and in ragged T-shirts, pressed against the airport fence in amazement at the...

Memories of fallen consecrate name of Solomons' airportBy Tom HennessyStaff columnistHenderson Field is one of those place names that still resonates with most Americans who lived through World War II. And even with some of their descendants. U.S. Marines seized the airfield Aug. 7, 1942, when they invaded Guadalcanal in our first offensive of the Pacific War. They finished the construction the Japanese had started and named the airfield for Lofton Henderson, a Medal of Honor aviator killed in June at the battle of Midway. It was one of the war's most significant airfields. Whoever held Henderson pretty much...

Just returned from having my boots on the ground in the Solomon Islands. Bit of a working holiday of sorts – had the best time imaginable, despite a fair bit of hard yakka. While I was there I heard a little gem of some news from a primary source: According to the prime minister, the right honourable Sir Allan Kemakeza KBE, Henderson International Airport, formerly Henderson Airfield, and formerly planned to be known by some Japanese name that’s been mostly erased from history by an assault by the US Marines and months of heavy fighting… will be retaining its present...

Here is an e-mail I received from the webmaster, 1st Marine Division Associaion, involving the name of Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, named after a KIA Marine just prior to that great battle of the Corps and WW II.

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. We hope to provide an ongoing source of information about issues and problems that are specific to Veterans and resources that are available to Veterans and their families. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood...

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. We hope to provide an ongoing source of information about issues and problems that are specific to Veterans and resources that are available to Veterans and their families. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood...

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. We hope to provide an ongoing source of information about issues and problems that are specific to Veterans and resources that are available to Veterans and their families. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood...