Indholdsfortegnelse for April 2023 i Military Trader

Military Trader|April 2023

Vietnam hero finally receives Medal of Honor

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 60 years after he was recommended for the nation’s highest military award, retired Col. Paris Davis, one of the first Black officers to lead a Special Forces team in combat, received the Medal of Honor March 3 for his bravery in the Vietnam War. After a crowded White House ceremony, a grateful Davis emphasized the positive of the honor rather than negative of the delay, saying, “It is in the best interests of America that we do things like this.” Thanking President Joe Biden, who draped a ribbon with the medal around his neck, he said, “God bless you, God bless all, God bless America.” The belated recognition for the 83-year-old Virginia resident came after the recommendation for his medal was lost, resubmitted — and then…

8 min

Military Trader|April 2023

Still The Best

This February marked the 30th annual Show of Shows – a fact that didn’t need the extra hype, because every single year the Ohio Valley Military Society (OVMS) pulls out all the stops when it comes to putting on the largest military collectible event in North America. However, this year felt a little special, perhaps a sign of a return to normalcy after the Covid-19 pandemic. Every SOS is the yearly chance to connect with old colleagues, make new friends and of course bring home sought-after treasure. This year there was no shortage of things to buy, and based on the long lines plenty of networking opportunities. One fact was for certain in Louisville: the international collectors are back. There had been a lingering sentiment in the United States that…

2 min

Military Trader|April 2023

THE BATTLE PLAN

SHOWS, EXPOS Mar 24-25 SC, Ridgeland. 2023 South East Military Expo. 435 Lakeview Drive. Ben/Living History setup March 23, Show March 24-25, March 26 noon breakdown. www.semilitaryexpo.com April 1-2, OK, Tulsa. Wanenmacher’s Tulsa Arms Show. Expo Square (Tulsa Fairgrounds), 4145 E. 21st St. 918-492-0401; mail@tulsaarmsshow.com; www.tulsaarmsshow.com Apr 5 IN, Newburgh. Evansville Military Collectors Club 1st Wednesday Swap & Sale. American Legion - 711 State Street. 812-483-3064 or 270-827-8394 Apr 7-8 TN, Nashville / Franklin. TMCA Military Show. Tennessee Military Collectors Association. Marriott Hotel 700 Cool Springs Blvd, Franklin, TN. Friday noon-5pm, Saturday 8-3. 615-661-9379, www.tmcaonline.org. Apr 8 FL, Orlando / Mt. Dora. Florida Military Collectors Show. Renninger’s Antique Center - 20651US Hwy 441. 9am-3pm. Greg 407-462-2163 qed4@aol.com Apr 14-15 CA, Pomona. West Coast Historical Militaria Collectors Show. Fairplex Park, Building…

2 min

Military Trader|April 2023

The Web’s effect can’t be overstated

Life requires balance. Too much of anything – including militaria – likely isn’t good for anyone, even as some of us might not like to admit it. There is more to life than just adding to the collection, a fact that has become increasingly clear to me as so many of my old friends are no longer here for me to share this passion. I’ve previously noted that at the large shows, I made sure to collect memories with my friends as much as to acquire new items. In addition, I’ve also recently been critical of those who rely on the internet as the primary source of information – rather than having shelves filled with books. These two seemingly unrelated topics took on new meaning to me earlier this year…

4 min

Military Trader|April 2023

German POWs in America

There are many little-known aspects of World War II on the homefront in America. Perhaps one of the most interesting is the story of the enemy prisoners of war (POWs) who waited out the end of the war in prison camps across the country. Beginning with the defeat of Rommel’s Afrika Korps in mid-1943, a steady stream of German and Italian soldiers, sailors, and airmen were dispatched to the United States. After arrival, they were moved to prison camps around the country, many of them refurbished Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) sites. In 1943, the military made public that 72 camps were being established nationwide, with the great majority in the South and Southwest. Two camps were announced for Virginia and one each for North Carolina and West Virginia. In Virginia,…

5 min

Military Trader|April 2023

Charging into history

The American Civil War, which prevented the permanent seceding of 11 Confederate states from those of the Union, saw some of the deadliest fighting in areas which now make up the eastern and southern United States. Thousands perished from wounds received in combat, or the deadly diseases brought about by harsh and unsanitary living conditions. Through this time of bitter fighting and deprivation, one group stands out as dramatized in later tales of their reckless charges across the fields of battle. Calvarymen on both the Union and Confederate sides have been held in high regard for their heroics while fighting in the bloodiest battles that had taken place on American soil. American Calvary came into existence with Congress authorizing the first (Leavenworth, KS) and second (Jefferson) regiments in 1855 in…

5 min

Military Trader|April 2023

Tuskegee Airmen remembered in metal

On Sept. 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, thus marking the start of World War II. There was much debate on whether or not the United States should aid the Allied powers, but the U.S. remained neutral for the first two years. Then on Dec. 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service executed a surprise strike on the U.S.’s naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu. Their intention was to prevent the U.S. Pacific Fleet from interfering with military actions in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately for them, this had the opposite effect. On Dec. 8, 1941, the U.S. declared war on Japan, and then three days later on Dec. 11, declared war on Germany and Italy. The U.S. had officially joined the global war. This brought about a massive effort to…

6 min