Flag of Iraq to Change (1/24/08)
The Associated Press today announced that Iraq’s parliament voted to change the national flag of Iraq. The current national flag (on the top far left) consists of three horizontal stripes of red, white, and black with three green stars in the white stripe with the Takbir, the words ‘Allahu Akbar’ or ‘God is Great’, in green stylized Arabic calligraphy in between the stars. More >>

The National WWII Museum: A Modern Experience of the Historical Part 2 (1/22/08)
WWII Museum: Pacific Front Exhibit 945 Magazine, New Orleans LA Adult Admission $14 Student Admission $8 Child $6 More >>

13 Star Flags: How to Identify an Authentic 18c One (1/18/08)
The Flag Act of June 14, 1777 states “…that the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white: that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field…” Nowhere does it say how the stars were to be arranged. That is why there are so many different ‘national’ standards of this period simply because the star pattern wasn’t regulated until about 1912 or so. More >>

Flags of Oz (1/18/08)
Many generations have read the children’s book series “The Wizard of Oz” ever since L. Frank Baum published his first book in 1900. He wrote a total of 14 books for the series until his death in 1919 (his last book was published pothumously in 1920). More >>

The National WWII Museum: A Modern Experience of the Historical (1/18/08)
WWII Museum: European Front Exhibit 945 Magazine, New Orleans LA Adult Admission $14 Student Admission $8 Child $6 More >>

Goodbye to the Mess Kit (1/16/08)
If it is true that an Army marches on its stomach, then the mess kit was the way the Army marches. The examples of mess kits I have belong to World War I and the Vietnam Era. The first is heavy gauge steel and has some heft to it. Its design survived through the Second World War. The ‘chow’ was added unceremoniously into uncompartmented sections where everything eventually ran together. More >>

The Presidential Service Badge (1/13/08)
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U.S. Army One (1/11/08)
It began with an urgent phone call on September 7, 1957. President Eisenhower was required at the White House for some urgent affairs of state. More >>

Book Review: M-1 Helmet of the WW2 US GI (1/8/08)
I’ve been visiting Peter Oosterman’s site (www.m-1helmet.com) for a while because, in my opinion, it is the nicest looking militaria-related site on the web. When I heard he was publishing a book on M1 helmets, I was eager to purchase a copy. My expectations were high because the book cost $119.90 (including international postage), but it ended up being money well spent. More >>

The Challenge Coin (1/6/08)
In World War I, the story goes, an airman was shot down over enemy-occupied France and taken prisoner. The airman was able to escape and was ready to return to friendly territory when he was captured by French soldiers. They knew that German soldiers were dressing up as Allied soldiers trying to infiltrate Allied lines. More >>