This Navy hero’s descendants were baptized on the ship named after him
The U.S. Navy places great emphasis on its culture and traditions. One such tradition is the bell baptism, which traces its roots back to the British Royal Navy. When a…
Here are 8 of the American-est things you can do to celebrate the 4th of July
Every July 4th, we celebrate our independence by displaying our patriotic spirit and pride in all things American. Here are some ideas to help you celebrate America and all its glory the right way!
1. Recite the Pledge of Allegian…
What happens to coins on military headstones?
Coins have long been used to honor fallen warriors. In ancient Greece, it was customary to leave coins either on the eyes or in the mouths of the fallen. It was said that the spirits of the deceased would use these coins to pay Charon the Ferryman t…
9 interesting reasons behind US military uniforms
Have you ever been sweating the details of an inspection or searching the rack at the PX and wondered how your branch’s uniforms came to be? Here are 9 reasons behind the uniforms in seabags and footlockers worldwide today:
1. Why are t…
The 4 biggest myths US Marines keep telling themselves
U.S. Marines love to talk about their history — from battles won to the heritage of uniform items — but sometimes, that history gets a little muddled.
There are some things in Marine lore that are passed on as tradition or legend th…
This is the true origin of the Marine Recon paddle
So, you just became friends with a Recon veteran and he’s got a decorated wooden paddle on his wall. What the f*ck is that all about? Well, it’s a tradition. Simple as that. But there’s history behind that tradition and, if you really wa…
This is why these engineers burn their battalion colors every year
A unit’s colors are held in near-sacred regard by the chain of command. The seemingly simple piece of cloth is steeped in rich symbolism and represents nearly every award and conflict that the unit has ever seen.
Even simply brushing against…
4 awesome traditions to look for at the Army-Navy Game
The U.S. military’s annual mother of all battles is once again coming to TV screens across the globe as the Army Black Knights meet the Navy Midshipmen on Dec. 8, 2018 in Philadelphia. Along with more than 100 years of history, the game comes steep…
These are the military traditions for deployed troops celebrating Thanksgiving
While you’re deployed, weekends aren’t really a thing and neither are most holidays.
Thanksgiving, however, is one of the few moments throughout the year when the military slows down for the holidays.
It never comes to a stop. It…
This is what happened to the USS Constitution’s original guns
If you visit the USS Constitution in Boston these days, the cannons you’ll see on her gun deck aren’t the originals launched with the ship. The guns aboard the ship are replicas, and only two of them are capable of firing salute charges. …