The story of Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart is one of the most extraordinary acts of bravery and self-sacrifice in modern military history. Both were soldiers; U.S. Army Delta Force members who gave their lives trying to protect their fallen comrades in the face of overwhelming odds. It came in 1993, during the Battle of Mogadishu, famously depicted on the screen in the 2001 film, "Black Hawk Down."
American forces in Somalia were looking to capture the Somali warlord Mohamed Farah Aidid. On Oct. 3, 1993, the U.S. launched an operation aimed at capturing two of his top lieutenants during a meeting in the middle of Mogadishu. It was supposed to be a quick, relatively simple mission. Delta Force soldiers would assault the building from MH-6 Little Bird helicopters while U.S. Army Rangers fast-rope into the area from MH-60L Black Hawks and secure four points around the target building. A convoy of 12 vehicles would then swoop up the assault teams and the prisoners to return to the American base.
Some 40 minutes into the operation, a Black Hawk designated Super 61 was hit by an RPG and crashed 300 yards away from the mission's target building. The pilots were killed, and two crew members were injured in the crash. Little Bird helicopters covered the wreck until a combat search and rescue team could arrive on site. The Black Hawk carrying the CSAR team was also hit by an RPG and had to return to base, but the team recovered the wounded crewmembers and took them to a nearby building. Then, another Black Hawk was hit.
This time, the helicopter was Super 64, piloted by Warrant Officer 4 Mike Durant. As it plummeted into a residential neighborhood, the Somalis cheered and began to mass toward the wreckage. All four crew members survived the initial impact. U.S. forces tried to launch a rescue mission, but the Somalis set multiple ambushes for any possible response the American base might try to make. The resistance and nonstop ambushes made it nearly impossible to get to the Super 6-4 crash site.
Master Sgt. Gary Gordon was the sniper team leader providing sniper cover from the air with Sgt. 1st Class Randy Shughart and Sgt. 1st Class Brad Halling. All three repeatedly requested to be inserted into the Super 64 crash site to protect the injured crew members from the coming swarm of enemy soldiers.
From their perch in the air, they could see the mass of armed Somalis converging on the site. Initially, their requests were denied. Their command believed the situation on the ground was too dangerous, and that the snipers were better equipped to help from the air. Gordon was persistent, however, and kept requesting until command gave the go-ahead. Halling did not insert, instead he took over a minigun to defend the Black Hawk because the gunner was wounded.
Mark Bowden, author of "Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War," wrote that the two operators were inserted some 100 meters from the site armed with their sniper rifles and sidearms. They removed the crew from the wreckage, established a defensive position, and fought until they began to run out of ammunition. 
There were just too many enemies swarming the crash site. Durant never recalled which one was killed first, but he does believe he heard Gordon say he was hit, and Shughart would hand Durant Gordon's CAR-15 to use. Shughart died shortly after, and Durant was captured, bloodied but alive.
Durant was held for 11 days before being released to the International Red Cross. The bodies of Gordon and Shughart were stripped and dragged through the streets of the city. They were both eventually recovered. On May 23, 1994, both Gordon and Shughart received a posthumous Medal of Honor for their sacrifice and gallantry in the face of the enemy.
The Barbary Pirates were corsairs from the North African states of Morocco, Tunis, Algiers, and Tripoli who raided European commerce unchecked for nearly three centuries. Not only did they capture ships, cargo, and weapons from their victims, but they also enslaved their Christian captives. Despite all the naval might projected by Europe's powerful military elite, it was the fledgling United States that ultimately dealt with the pirates. The Barbary Wars became America's first overseas war and its first overseas military victory.
Although nominally under the rule of the Ottoman Empire (except for independent Morocco), the Barbary States largely acted independently of their Sultan in Constantinople. Europe, for all its naval might, decided it was far easier and cheaper to buy off the pirates with an annual tribute than it was actually to fight a war over such a vast coastline. When the United States declared its independence from Britain, it lost the protection of British tribute payments, and the pirates began attacking American merchant ships. It wasn't long before the United States also started paying off the pirates.
By the time Thomas Jefferson entered the White House, the cost of not being pirated had ballooned to a fifth of the country's budget. Since spending was less than $11 million, it meant the United States was giving around $2.2 million to pirates, equivalent to $55 million in today's dollars. (Of course, today's budget is $6.75 trillion so we would be giving $1.35 trillion to the pirates, which is still cheaper than the War in Afghanistan). American merchantmen, sick of paying off thieves, argued that it would just be cheaper to invest in the Navy to go over there and show the Barbary States who's boss. It just so happened that the U.S., relatively fresh from the Quasi-War with France, had an experienced Navy available to the president by 1800.
So the U.S., Sweden, and Sicily went to war. The USS Philadelphia, USS President, and USS Enterprise were dispatched to North Africa in 1801. It began with the blockade and shelling of ports on the Barbary Coast. In October 1803, Philadelphia ran aground in Tripoli harbor after hitting an uncharted reef. The ship was captured and its crew enslaved. To prevent the pirates from using the 36-gun frigate, a raiding party of Americans and Sicilians, led by Stephen Decatur, raided Tripoli in February 1804 and burned the Philadelphia in the harbor.
In 1805, William Eaton, an Army veteran and former U.S. consul, teamed up with Marine Corps 1st Lt. Presley O'Bannon, along with a force of Marines and foreign mercenaries, to capture the Tripolitan city of Derna. It was the first time the Stars and Stripes were ever raised over a captured enemy city on foreign soil (and gave the Marines' Hymn its "shores of Tripoli" lyric). The Americans threatened to depose the Bashaw of Tripoli in favor of his older brother. The Basahaw agreed to a prisoner exchange and a payment of $60,000 to end the fighting, reminding him that the payment was a ransom and not a tribute.
The American victory cowed the pirates for a few years, but it wasn't long before they started attacking Americans again, around 1807. This time, however, the U.S. Navy was a bit busy building up for the War of 1812. But when that was over, the Navy was even more experienced. The U.S. sent Stephen Decatur back to North Africa in 1815. With 10 ships, Decatur and company wiped the floor with Algiers at Cape Gata and again at Cape Palos, capturing two ships.
When they arrived in Algeria, they forced the Dey of Algiers to quit taking American ships, return American prisoners, and pay for the cargo stolen. In return, Decatur returned the Algerian ships and prisoners. Not only did it end Mediterranean piracy for the United States, but it also helped Europe garner the courage to fight the pirates, too. It was a prelude to the U.S. Navy's ongoing mission to keep sea lanes open and free, securing economic prosperity and fighting piracy and terrorism.
It's pulling up old memories and names I had forgotten. It's a great way to honor those who served, and I am excited to dig through my family's history of those who served. It's also a great place that acts as a repository for my records, reflections, photographs, and documents that will live on after I am gone. I had forgotten many of the things I did and the service schools I attended. I created a page for my brother, who died in an accident at Fort Hunter Liggett in 1973. A retired Army First Sergeant wrote me a message letting me know he remembered my brother as they were roommates at the time of my brother's death. It's a great way for us to remember each other, get to know others, and honor those who went before us.
Semper Fi
Sgt Michael Weaver, US Marine Corps Veteran
Served 1983-1993
We all know that military personnel are held to a different standard than their non-military peers. The Uniform Code of Military Justice makes things that are socially scandalous in civilian life, like adultery, are actually a crime for military members. Other activities, like attending political events, protest rallies, or other events, are protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution for most Americans. The Constitution won't protect military members who attend those events in uniform, though.
Most importantly, there is a catchall article in the UCMJ that covers conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline, brings discredit to the armed forces, or involves violations of federal law that are not explicitly covered by the other articles. But what might surprise some people – military and civilian – are a few bizarre things that are mentioned specifically.
1. Article 114: Dueling
Article 114 of the UCMJ technically covers "endangerment offenses," reckless conduct that is likely to produce death or bodily harm to another person. But specifically outlawed by this article is the practice of dueling: the old-timey act of defending your honor by going one-on-one with the coward who wronged you, also known as the thing that killed Alexander Hamilton.
There's actually a good reason to specifically prohibit dueling between military members. There was a time when the practice of dueling reduced the number of Navy officers by two-thirds, which would wreak havoc on the Navy for decades to come.
2. Article 112: Being a Drunk Prisoner
It's probably not a surprise to anyone that the U.S. military has an entire article outlining the punishments for drunkenness. If there's one thing that young, junior enlisted people in any military, at any time in history, love to do, it's drinking alcohol. There's nothing wrong with taking a responsible drink, but to ensure it's responsible, the military made a law about it.
What's surprising is that the law specifically mentions that U.S. military members who are also prisoners and also happen to be drunk are subject to court-martial. So, for any member who might be incarcerated in the future: drinking toilet wine while in prison is just as illegal as whatever crime got you thrown in there in the first place.
3. Article 112: Being Too Hungover
We're still in Article 112 for this specific mention. It shouldn't be a surprise that being drunk on duty can earn a troop a court-martial. What might be a surprise is that being too hungover, or "as a result of indulgence in any alcoholic beverage or any drug, is incapacitated for the proper performance of duty" – is just as illegal as showing up drunk.
4. Article 83: Faking an Illness
The technical term for faking or exaggerating an illness for personal gain is "malingering." In the case of the U.S. military, the personal gain is avoiding their duties. This article also covers faking a physical disability or mental illness to get out of work, too.
Most importantly, malingering includes anyone who intentionally injures or inflicts a wound on themselves to avoid service. Be it faking a stomach ache or shooting yourself in the foot, it's probably best to just go to work.
5. Article 87: Jumping Off a Ship
What Article 87 technically covers is any member of a unit who intentionally misses the departure of their ship, aircraft, or other movement, which causes them to miss their duty, either on purpose or through neglect. But just because a military member came aboard their vessel doesn't mean they can jump off the ship and miss a movement that way. The UCMJ specifically mentions jumping off a ship as punishable by court martial, but don't worry – it's still legal for swim call.
"In this case, we were in an extremely violent political campaign over ideas, and we were trying to treat the problem of Fallujah like a conventional war… But that was the order: Attack."
James Mattis, General, USMC (Ret), SecDef (2017-19)
The 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines (3/1) is an infantry unit in the United States Marine Corps. Nicknamed the "Thundering Third," the Battalion consists of approximately 1,200 Marines and Sailors. It falls under the command of the 1st Marine Regiment and 1st Marine Division, based at Camp Horno on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. It has four subordinate companies: Headquarters and Service Company (H&S Company), India Company, Kilo Company, and Lima Company. Weapons Company is also a subordinate unit, though it is a non-rifle company. Mike Company is a reserved designation for augmenting a fourth rifle company if needed, but it is currently deactivated.
The second Battle of Fallujah, codenamed "Operation Phantom Fury," was fought by American-led Marine and Army forces, with 9th Air Force aviation support and Navy special warfare units, in November and December 2004. One hundred two distinct units from the Squad level up to the Division and Squadron levels up to the Wing are recorded as having been engaged, including nine Iraqi units and elements of the British Black Watch. The first battle for the city, "Operation Vigilant Resolve," had been waged in April-May that same year, while the 1st Marines was under the command of then-MajGen James Mattis. It is often reported that the catalyst for the battles was an earlier (31 Mar 2004) highly publicized murder and mutilation of four US Blackwater private military contractors, and the killing of five American soldiers in Habbaniyah. When 3/1 engaged at second Fallujah, "Operation Iraqi Freedom" (2003-11) of the GWOT had been underway officially for about eighteen months. This unit deployed to Iraq multiple times, notably in 2002 for "Exercise Eager Mace" and again playing a key role in what soon became known as "Operation Al Fajr" to liberate Fallujah. It was the single bloodiest and fiercest battle of the OIF conflict, including for American troops:
"He fought in Fallujah, and when his father said, 'God brought you back home!' he quickly denied his father's hug and said, 'There is no god in war.'… However, the most moving thing was how he talked about his friends whom he had lost. He didn't feel bad for the men he killed, only how he wasn't able to save his friends."
Nic August 6Missouri, US Militaria Forum 6 November 9013
In the photo sequence on 9 Nov 2004, are reportedly the first casualties two days after Operation Phantom Fury opened. 1/8 GySgt Lonny Wells, fallen to the ground, was immediately rendered aid by Sgt Ryan Shane and a medic until continuous enemy sniper fire made further rescue impossible for a time; Ryan survived, Lonny did not. Unusually, it rained that day in Fallujah.
In 2004, before the second Fallujah, the estimated population of the city was around 250-300,000 residents. In 2025, about 190,000 live there. It had been predominantly Sunni Arab and was a densely populated, industrial city with a long history. Regional temperatures vary between ca. 40-110 degrees F, with average annual rainfall of 1 inch or less. The town at this site, according to Jewish sources, was known as Nehardea and was the primary center of Babylonian Jewry until its destruction by the Palmyran ruler Odenathus in 259 CE. Fallujah is located in the Iraqi province of al-Anbar (which means "warehouse"), about forty miles west of Baghdad. In 2004, it spanned twenty-five square kilometers. It consisted of over two thousand city blocks laid out in a grid pattern characterized by a mix of wide boulevards, narrow streets, and alleyways, with most buildings being two-story concrete houses. Many residents were wary of marginalization as the country's formerly repressed Shia majority was empowered in the transition to democratic governance. It became a center of resistance against US-led operations in Iraq. All but (it was estimated) 30,000 fled the city ahead of the fight. In the bloody street-by-street, house-by-house fighting, 82 US troops fell, and another 600 were wounded. Though the late 2004 battle is considered a success, the city would fall approximately a decade later to Islamic State fighters, who held the city until 2016 when they were defeated by Iraqi-led coalition forces. Two decades after our fighters entered the hornet's nest, Fallujah is regarded for its ferocity and the lessons it yields for Marines in an urban fight. In 2023, our Navy laid the keel for a future amphibious assault ship, "Fallujah," named in honor of the Marines who fought the battle. "Fallujah has come to represent Iraq to the Marine Corps," said Mark Cancian, a retired Marine Colonel who now serves as a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
A general chronology of this unit's action at Fallujah:
• April 3, 2004: US forces, including the 1st Marine Division, launched Operation Vigilant Resolve to respond to the killings.
• April 7, 2004: 1st Marine Division's Regimental Combat Team 1 (RCT-1), which included 3/1, commenced operations.
• April 9, 2004: The US announced a ceasefire in Fallujah, but insurgents continued to attack Marines.
• May 1, 2004: Marines withdrew from Fallujah, marking the end of Operation Vigilant Resolve.
Second Battle of Fallujah (Operation Phantom Fury):
• November 7, 2004: 1st Marine Division, including RCT-1 (with 3/1 as a key component), launched Operation Phantom Fury, an assault north of Fallujah.
• November 7, 2004: RCT-1, designated the division's main effort, crossed the line of departure.
• After 12 days of intense urban combat, the 1st Marine Division had defeated the insurgents and captured the western half of Fallujah.
• End of December 2004: The city was cleared and under Coalition control.
• April 2005: 1st Marines returned to Camp Pendleton.
After the First Battle of Fallujah, the US turned the city over to a newly formed Iraqi security unit called the Fallujah Brigade. The brigade became incapable of controlling the city, and many of its personnel deserted or sided with the opposition. Over the following months, the insurgency strengthened in Fallujah, attracting more fighters to its cause.
"We received reports of terrorists who murdered children or booby-trapped dead bodies so that families would be killed when they tried to retrieve their loved ones. In Fallujah, those who refused to collaborate with the terrorists who controlled the city were beheaded and tossed into the Euphrates River."
Donald Rumsfeld, SecDef (1975-77, 2001-06)
The assault consisted of a company from the Marines' 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, a reinforced infantry company from 1st Battalion, 23d Marines, a reinforced mechanized infantry company from the US Army's 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, and the Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion. They swiftly entered Fallujah's west, at the bend of the Euphrates River, and secured the hospital and two bridges that span the waterway. Coalition forces conducted a 12-hour air bombardment focusing on the city's south and southeast to mislead the insurgents about the direction of the attack. After the airstrike, US troops followed with artillery or mortars. Next, combined arms teams of armor, infantry, and engineers worked together to advance across the city. Insurgents realized the US has more firepower, so they fought from inside buildings using small arms, rocket-propelled grenades, and IEDs. The Second Battle of Fallujah lasted until Dec. 23, 2004. Thirty-eight US troops fell, along with eight Iraqi soldiers. The Pentagon estimates 1,200 insurgents were killed, and the Red Cross says 800 Iraqi civilians also perished.
For an engagement which took place over multiple weeks, expressing the precise 3/1 unit history in Fallujah is not possible in limited space. Perhaps the most accurate and comprehensive unclassified order of battle, including descriptions of the 3/1, was written by CWO4 Timothy S. McWilliams with Nicholas J. Schlosser for USMC University in 2014, a brief excerpt:
"The 3d Battalion, 1st Marines, would attack and destroy insurgents behind Task Force 2-7, clearing buildings as it established a line of communication for resupply and evacuations along Phase Line Henry. Iraqi soldiers would help search and clear buildings or areas not cleared in the initial assault. Task Force 2-7 would then finish securing Main Supply Route Michigan between Phase Line Henry and the two Euphrates River crossings, and the 3/1 would continue west and attack to secure the al-Kabir Mosque."
As of 2004, the city was largely ruined, with 60% of buildings damaged or destroyed, and the population at 30%–50% of pre-war levels; reports vary widely depending on the reliability of the sources. And yet, words can barely describe the history of 3/1 in Fallujah at all. The authentic experiences and facts are known only to the Marines who lived it in person, while hundreds of existing photographic and video documents fill in the blanks for those who were not present. In 2025, the city of Fallujah, known as the "City of Mosques," is likely to be a place of ongoing development and recovery, with the Iraqi Armed Forces having stated that Fallujah was fully liberated from militant control in 2016.
"… on November 15, 2004, Marine Sergeant Rafael Peralta… had volunteered for a house-clearing mission and, when entering the fourth house, had opened a door and was hit several times with AK-47 fire. As two other Marines entered behind him, an insurgent threw a grenade that surely would have killed them except that, according to eye witnesses, Peralta pulled the grenade under his body, absorbing the blast… the other Marines survived."
Robert M. Gates, SecDef (2006-11)
Sgt Peralta received the Medal of Honor. Ten Marines were awarded the Navy Cross, four received the Silver Star, and numerous others the Bronze Star for exemplary valor at Fallujah. To date, fourteen books, seven documentaries, a film, three video games, seven musical compositions, and an unknown number of blogs, podcasts, websites, or chat rooms have been created discussing and commemorating this battle. Marines TWS currently lists 2293 members who have served with the 3/1 at various points in its history, from 1941 to the present.
Now that I have had time here on this site, I find I enjoy reading other members' stories of their careers, and it allows me to jog my own memory of my time in the Navy. Also, it is very nice to see former shipmates here on this site, many of whom I served at the same duty stations with, and men who were in basic training with me. Always nice to reminisce about your career.
Served 1971-1995
On May 7, 1915, the German submarine U-20 fired a single torpedo in the waters off the coast of Ireland. Its target was the luxury cruise liner-turned auxiliary war vessel Lusitania. The torpedo hit home, triggering a second explosion (likely the ship's boilers) minutes later. Less than 20 minutes after the torpedo was fired, Lusitania was on its way to the bottom of the ocean. It sank so quickly that fewer than half of those aboard the vessel survived.
Because it carried arms and ammunition and was classed as an armed merchant ship, the Lusitania was a legitimate war target for the German submarine. It was also traversing waters that the German Empire declared a war zone and warned foreign nationals against traveling on belligerent ships through those areas. Despite the facts, the sinking of the erstwhile luxury liner sparked outrage around the world, but most importantly, back in the United States. Some 128 Americans, including a handful of prominent citizens, were killed in the attack, and that turned U.S. public opinion against Germany, and closer to war.
When World War I began in July 1914, President Woodrow Wilson's biggest foreign policy objective was to keep the United States out of the war. He even offered to mediate an end to the conflict (an offer both sides rejected). He asserted American neutrality and demanded respect for it from both sides. The British blockaded Germany, but paid for the cargo it seized from U.S. vessels. Germany, on the other hand, launched an unrestricted submarine warfare campaign around Britain, which resulted in the sinking of three American ships.
Although many Americans sympathized with Britain, France, and the other Entente powers, U.S. public opinion favored preparedness for war, but also supported and demanded the neutrality and isolationism that Wilson espoused in foreign policy. American businesses made large loans to the Entente Allies and sold large amounts of raw materials and supplies to them with the money loaned. But all that neutrality changed after the Germans torpedoed the Lusitania.
Suddenly, Americans began to openly talk about going to war against Germany on the Allied side. Pro-German elements in the media were suddenly quieted. It didn't matter that the Germans had every right to sink the ship and fired just one torpedo. Rumors flew about how the German crew prevented the use of all the lifeboats. The more Germany defended itself, the guiltier it appeared to be.
The U.S. didn't rush into war, however. Wilson was re-elected on the slogan "He Kept Us Out of War," because he did keep the U.S. out of the fighting. But the Germans kept provoking the Americans. Then, in 1917, the Russian Empire fell, and Russia brokered a separate peace with 
Germany, which would soon turn the tide for the Germans. But the British blockade was devastating German citizens, so Germany announced it would resume the unrestricted submarine warfare that sank Lusitania in 1915. Two American ships were sunk in February 1917. Then, another bombshell dropped.
A secret message from Berlin to the Mexican government offered to help Mexico retake what it had lost in the Mexican War of 1846-1848. The "Zimmerman Telegram" was intercepted by the British and shared with the Americans, who promptly published it for the world to see. Not only did President Wilson say the telegram was genuine, Zimmerman himself admitted it in the Reichstag. The U.S. severed diplomatic relations with Germany, and Wilson decided to ask Congress for a declaration of war. The U.S. steamship Aztec was sunk by the Germans on April 1, 1917, killing 28. The United States declared war just five days later.
The following is a speech that was given at The Wall That Heals in 2019 when it came to Arvada, CO.
How Many Vietnam Vets Do We Have Here?
Today, I would like to honor the more than 58,000 who are listed on that black wall… and those who are not. I'm not here to honor the names on that wall. I'm here to honor and remember the ones behind those names. Let's honor our brothers and sisters who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country… and for your and my freedom.
Today I am going to talk about them and you Vietnam veterans. And while I'm speaking about a specific group of veterans some of what I say will pertain to all veterans and… everyone here. There is a message for a nation here.
I'm going to talk about a time - long ago – and far away - but not really that far away in most of our daily, if not almost daily thoughts ….and nighttime sweats.
I don't know how each of you feel about your service THERE… so I'll speak somewhat in generalities. You apply what fits.
I‘m going to tell you something that I hope you've heard before but if you haven't, it's about time that you did.
First… Let me tell you that you have nothing to be ashamed of for having served your country in that hell hole we know and remember as Vietnam.
You didn't go to Vietnam to save those little folks from the big, bad communist thugs. You went there because you were ordered there. But once there, you did your job…and you did it well!
When you're reminded in some way of those times in Vietnam and your service there, by a certain smell; or, a sound; or, by a song of that era; or, whatever it is that brings you back to those times, I hope they're not all bad memories. I know your memories are all different. For some of you, they're not so good. I hope I can change a little of that for you today.
For others your memories are about the courage and the sacrifices you saw on the battlefield. It's about those you served with.
Once you were there, and having served your Cherry time, then working your way into their ranks, it didn't take you long to realize… you were all brothers! If there's any doubt IN ANYONE'S MIND, I can guarantee you THERE'S NO SKIN COLOR IN A FIREFIGHT.
You were young and not really that well trained. You didn't know what to expect or what the hell was really going on. You were in a war that few understood, mostly by our leaders. But you fought hard and YOU won every single major engagement that you were asked to do.
The Ia Drang valley was the first. You've seen the movie, WE WERE SOLDIERS. Colonel Hal Moore and the First Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment. Khe Sanh, the Ashau, the battle of Hue, The Tet Offensive, Rolling Thunder, Hamburger Hill, Linebacker I And II, and a hundred other battles. You won every single major engagement.
I know that it was sometimes hard to understand how you made those sacrifices to take that hill today then walk off and leave it tomorrow and give it back to your enemy; to clear a zone for the farmers to harvest their rice only to have the PAVN and Viet Cong come in at night and take it from them anyway.
Some of you served among those Vietnamese people and seeing them just wanting to be able to live in peace and freedom… like we do. The average farmer could have cared less who ran that country. He just wanted to be left alone. That contact with them may have influenced you in some ways. But I think it's that battle brotherhood that probably influenced you the most.
And when you came home, I don't know if anyone ever called you names and spit on you or not. I hope not. But some were! Jeered instead of cheered! But that shame is not yours. It's on those WHO protested during those times. IT'S NOT YOUR SHAME.
You have nothing to be ashamed of. You did your job! President Nixon said, and I quote - "No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam war. It was misreported then, and is misremembered now. Rarely have so many people been so wrong about so much. Never have the consequences of their misunderstanding been so tragic." – End quote. The saddest tragedy of that era is those that fell into that trap.
But you can walk away from it all with honor. You went there because you were ordered there, and again, once there, you did your job and you did it well. Afterwards, it was easy to fall into the trap of thinking it was all a waste. You can question the circumstances. You can condemn the war. You can condemn the politicians, the protestors, and especially the media. But never, ever, dishonor your fellow warrior for doing his job by ANY FEELINGS of Guilt YOU MAY HAVE! Don't let those that died on those battlefields ever be dishonored by any feelings of your guilt.
And, you can stop asking that question of why you made it back and he didn't! He was a good guy! Why him and not me? Why did I make it home and he didn't?
I'll tell you why. I'll tell you why you made it back. You made it back to honor him! You made it back to make sure that he, or they, will never EVER be forgotten! You made it back to make damn sure their name is more than just another space on that black wall. Honor them! Remember their name! Remember their laugh? Never, ever, let their names be forgotten! Remember them with honor! That's your job. And if that's a job you didn't accept when you came home, your new job starts today! That's why you made it back! To honor them! Never… let them be forgotten.
You made it back to honor that brotherhood that's formed only on a battlefield. That brotherhood is something that no one can ever take away from you - that bond that's seared into your souls. That's something no protester could ever have taken away from you. It's not about the politics of war. It's about your brother in arms. It's about that bond that nothing but battle can create.
It's not about being in some foreign land fighting for a people that you didn't even understand. It's about that brother on your left or right flank. It's those you fought with! It's those you fought for. It's those that you were even willing to die for. And you know that! Be proud that you answered the call and gave it your best. Never apologize for anything you did during or after that war! You have nothing to apologize for!
Let me tell you why else you made it home! After building the most powerful WAR MACHINE this world has ever seen, you came home to build an economy that surpassed any before. You made this a better country. That's what you did!
Hell! You even won the Cold War.
Have you ever even won
dered why there are so many people running around out there… pretending to be Vietnam veterans? I don't think I've ever run into anyone pretending to be one of the protesters of that era.
Why do our current soldiers thank you for showing them the way? Because that's exactly what you did! That's why!
No one can steal your valor! It's yours! You own it! Your memorial in Washington, DC, along with the three servicemen statue and the Vietnam Women's Memorial, with some 5.3 million visitors a year, is the most visited war memorial in this country! It has one of the highest visitation rates in the world. That is your honor!
And listen to me now! You did not lose that war! You all know about the rules of engagement. Let me tell you about some that you may not know. Navy pilot Lieutenant Phil Waters, navigator and bombardier on an A-6 Intruder, from the carrier USS Constellation, flying into Hanoi on a bombing run, could look down at the surface-to-air missile sites on the dikes holding back the South China Sea. He could not attack those Surface-to-Air Missile sites. No collateral damage. He might destroy the dikes and flood the rice paddies with salt water, ruining their rice crop. He could look into the huge Hang Dai soccer stadium in Hanoi and see the SAM site inside it. He could not attack that site! No collateral damage!
Did you know that our pilots could not attack the MIGs on the ground? No collateral damage.
Without those rules of engagement, how long do you think it would have taken our massive airpower to have wiped out their entire air force? A week or maybe a month? But we could not attack them on the ground.
You know about the rules of engagement on the ground…don't fire until you are fired upon.
Give those little folks a chance! Let them shoot at you first! These rules of engagement came straight from the Oval Office of Lyndon Baines Johnson, your President, and Clark Clifford, your Secretary of Defense. Both of whom were trying to buy a peace with our lives. You did not lose that war! The politicians may have. The protesters and the media may have driven them to it. But you did not lose that war! Remember, you won every single major engagement! That's what wins wars!
It's been falsely reported on the internet that General Vo Nguyen Giap, commander of the North Vietnamese Army, may have said when he was considering his memoirs that if that war had lasted another six months, they would have had to surrender. While that report is false, the reality of it could have been true. Think about it. No rules of engagement! But even with them, you won every single major engagement that you were asked to. You controlled South Viet Nam. You could go anywhere in South Viet Nam that you wanted to. Sometimes it might take a good battalion of Infantry to get you there. But once there, I'll bet you won the fight. With continued victories like those and the bombings of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, Hanoi, and Hai Phuong without those rules of engagement, they would have had to surrender if our politicians had not given up too soon. You won your war! Never let anyone tell you anything different! Those are fighting words!
Ninety-one percent of you say YOU are glad YOU served! Seventy-four percent of you say you would do it again, even knowing the outcome. You were not the drugged-out culture that the media presented you to be back then. Ninety-seven percent of you were discharged under honorable conditions. Eighty-five percent of you made a successful transition back into civilian life and even formed 
successful companies! You became doctors and nurses. You became preachers, teachers, and professors. And for those of you who did, thank you for being there to tell those young students the truth about what you did. Your income exceeded that of non-Vietnam veterans of the same era by more than eighteen percent. That's pride! You did that!
You may have confusing emotions about what you did, but there is one thing that you should never forget: the brotherhood of having been there and done that! Of walking the walk, so others could talk the talk! Stand tall! Be proud of being a Vietnam veteran. You earned it! … You earned it!
Thank you for your service! And welcome home, brothers and sisters!
TogetherWeServed.com provides veterans with a great methodology for recording experiences and memories. Hopefully, they will feel that what they did in service to their country made a difference in the world.
SP5 Paul Wetherington, US Army Veteran
Served 1965-1969
While visiting some cemeteries, you may notice that headstones on certain graves have coins on them, left by previous visitors to the grave. We recently visited the gravesite of John Baker "Texas Jack" Omohundro in Leadville, Colorado. There were various coins left on his headstone. To learn more about Texas Jack, I recommend Googling him.
These coins usually have distinct meanings when left on the headstones of those who lost their lives while serving in America's military, and these meanings vary depending on the denomination of the coin. The coins are also left to honor veterans who have passed away. I say that, usually, as Texas Jack passed away on 28 June 1880, coins of various denominations were left on his headstone.
A coin left on a headstone or at the gravesite is meant as a message to the deceased soldier's family that someone else has visited the grave to pay respect. Leaving a penny (one-cent piece or 1¢) at the grave means simply that you visited. A nickel (5¢) indicates that you and the deceased trained at Basic Combat Training/Recruit Training/Basic Military Training "boot camp" together, while a dime (10¢) means you served with the deceased in some capacity. By leaving a quarter (25¢) at the grave, you are telling the family that you were with the soldier when he was killed. This practice of leaving a certain denomination of coin seems to have started around June of 2009 on a website post.
Also, challenge and unit coins are being left on gravesites. These tokens usually bear the emblem of the deceased's military unit. These coins are usually left there by the service member's brothers-in-arms. Unit coins are given to recognize a service member's contributions to a unit, while challenge coins are given to recognize a member's achievement or to commemorate a special event. There are also commander's coins and military coins. The commander's coin is awarded to a military member for reaching career goals or going above and beyond the call of duty. Military coins are small tokens that symbolize membership, camaraderie, and excellence in the military. They are all considered a challenge coin. Today, challenge coins come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
The oldest and first challenge coin is thought to have been produced by Colonel William "Buffalo Bill" Quinn. Quinn had the coins made for those who served in his 17th Infantry Regiment from 1950 to 1958. On one side of the coin is a picture of a buffalo with the date 1812, which signified the year the regiment was formed. On the other side was the 17th Infantry patch, which dates from 1950 to 1958, and the word Korea was used to signify the tour. The cross and fort icon represents the unit's heritage, which started in Cuba during the Civil War.
Challenge coins gained popularity during the Vietnam War with the Special Forces. COL Vernon E. Green, 10th SFGA Commander in 1969, is said to have made the first one for Special Forces as a fundraiser. The coin had the unit's badge and motto in 1969. The 10th Special Forces Group is said to be the only Army unit with its own coin until the mid-1980s. It is also said that COL Green got the idea from the 11th Special Forces Group, which took old coins, had them overstamped with a different emblem, and then presented them to unit members.
The challenge coin tradition has spread to other military units, in all branches of service, and even to non-military organizations, as well as the United States Congress, which produces challenge coins for members of Congress to give to constituents. Today, challenge coins are given to members upon joining an organization, as an award to improve morale, and sold to commemorate special occasions or as fundraisers. In the Air Force, military training instructors award an airman's coin to new enlisted personnel upon completion of their United States Air Force Basic Military Training and to new officers upon completion of the Air Force Officer Training School. Presidential challenge coins date back to the late 1990s.
The tradition of a challenge is the most common way to ensure that members carry their unit's coin. The rules of a challenge are not always formalized for a unit and may vary between organizations. The challenge only applies to those members who have been given a coin formally by their unit. A member of a unit may call a "coin check" by slapping the coin down on a table. Everyone being challenged must immediately produce the coin for their organization, and anyone failing to do so must buy a round of drinks for the challenger and everyone else who has their challenge coin. However, should everyone challenged be able to produce their coin, the challenger must buy a round of drinks for the group.
The Roman Empire rewarded soldiers by presenting them with coins to recognize their achievements. Challenge coins were also known as "Portrait Medals" during the Renaissance and were often used to commemorate specific events involving royalty, nobility, or other types of well-to-do individuals.
Another story goes that during World War I, a wealthy lieutenant ordered medallions struck in solid bronze and given out to members of his flying squadron. A pilot who was shot down behind German lines and captured had one in a leather pouch around his neck. The Germans took everything from him except his pouch with the medallion. The pilot escaped and was captured by the French; the medallion helped prove to the French that he was not a German spy. There are many stories about the origins of the Challenge Coin on the internet.
According to tradition, the money left at graves in national cemeteries and state veterans' cemeteries is eventually collected, and the funds are put toward maintaining the cemetery or paying burial costs for indigent veterans.
In the U.S., this practice of leaving a coin (no particular denomination) became common during the Vietnam War, due to the political divide in the country over the war; leaving a coin was seen as a more practical way to communicate that you had visited the grave than contacting the soldier's family, which could devolve into an uncomfortable argument over politics relating to the war.
The tradition of leaving coins on the headstones of military men and women can be traced as far back as the Greek and Roman Empires.
In Greek mythology, Charon (in Roman mythology, Charun) is the ferryman of Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. It was required to pay Charon to ferry the deceased across the rivers Styx (River of Hate) and Acheron (River of Woe, Misery, Pain) and into the world of the dead. Coins were placed in the eyes of the deceased or under the tongue of the fallen. This was called Charon's Obol, also known as viaticum "provision for a journey", (the obolus was a silver coin in ancient Athens, Greece). The practice seems to have started around the 5th century BCE. Souls who could not pay the fare had to wander the shores of Styx for 100 years. The Roman god of the underworld is Orcus. Styx and Acheron are two of the five rivers of the underworld; the others are Cocytus (River of Lamentation), Phlegethon (River of Fire), and Lethe (River of Forgetfulness).
In Navy mythology, coins were placed under the mast of a ship to pay the "ferryman" for safe transport to the afterlife in the event sailors died at sea.
In England and the United States, pennies were placed on the closed eyes of the dead. It is also believed that placing coins on the eyes of the dead was historically done to make sure the eyes remained closed, out of the superstitious fear that looking into the eyes of the deceased would reveal our own death. The older pennies (one-cent pieces, 1¢) were larger in size than today's pennies and were as large as today's half-dollars (50¢). In 1858, the U.S. penny (one-cent piece, 1¢) became the size we see today.
At the gravesite of William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody (1846 - 1917), Lookout Mountain, Colorado the placing of coins on his grave started in 1923. A group of Oglala Lakota (Sioux) led by Chief Spotted Weasel "Itonkasan Gleska," a former performer with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, visited his grave. They put Indian head (buffalo) nickels on the grave to honor Buffalo Bill. The image on the nickel (1913 - 1938) is comprised of three Native American chiefs. They are the Oglala Lakota Chief Iron Tail, Cheyenne Chief Two Moons, and Kiowa Chief John Big Tree. Iron Tail "Siŋté Máza" was a long time friend of Cody and also a performer in the Wild West show. The tradition of putting money on the grave has continued ever since. Today U.S. and foreign coins of different denominations are placed on his grave. William Cody is a recipient of the Medal of Honor for gallantry in action on 26 April 1872. He served as a Private (Chief of Scouts) for the 3rd U.S. Cavalry, at Loupe Fork of the Platte River, Nebraska. His Medal of Honor was revoked in a review of 1916-1917 because they considered him a civilian scout instead of a soldier. Upon further review, in June 1989, the Medal of Honor was restored. Buffalo Bill's Native American name, given to him by the Sioux Nation, was Pahaska or "Long hair".
Today, we also have Wreath Across America and the EOD Warrior Foundation (EDOWF) Flag Programs. Wreaths Across America is an American nonprofit organization established in 2007 by wreath producer Morill Worester. Its primary activity is distributing Veteran's wreaths for placement on graves in military cemeteries. In December 2008, the United States Senate agreed to a resolution that designated December 13, 2008, as Wreaths Across America Day.
Subsequent National Wreaths Across America Days have been designated on the second or third Saturday of December.
The EOD Warrior Foundation Flag Program was created in 2021 as a memorial to honor and remember all deceased EOD Technicians, regardless of years of service, branch, or cause of death. The goal is to have a flag placed on every EOD grave throughout the summer and by Veterans Day every year through a team of volunteers. Each year there is a different flag design. For Arlington National Cemetery, they have a requirement that anything left on a grave has to be biodegradable. For 2024, that will be a white rose with a tag.
There is a link on the EODWF website to sign up as a volunteer. Website: FLAG PROJECT | EOD Warrior Foundation Memorial. I have also created a Virtual EOD Cemetery that is used by the EODWF. Link: EOD: a Virtual Cemetery - Find a Grave
Please send your comments to [email protected].
These days, Ed Fisher (callsign: "Tuna") is twice-retired and living with his wife on Washington State's Whidbey Island. His second career was as a lecturer at the Naval Postgraduate School, from which he retired in 2021. His first career was much more exciting.
As Lt. Col. Fisher, he was a U.S. Air Force Wild Weasel Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO), who performed this duty during Operation Desert Storm. "Last In, First Out" is his diary from his days fighting combat missions there.
For the uninitiated, the First Gulf War came in two phases: Operation Desert Shield and then Operation Desert Storm. On August 2, 1990, Saddam Hussein's Iraq invaded neighboring Kuwait for a number of reasons, none of which were enough for the United Nations to let Iraq keep it as a territory. The UN gave Iraq an ultimatum: withdraw from Kuwait by January 15, 1991, or face the consequences. Operation Desert Shield was a buildup of forces in Saudi Arabia from a Coalition of UN member states. Operation Desert Storm was the aforementioned consequences.
When the deadline passed and Iraq still hadn't withdrawn, the U.S. and Coalition forces launched 42 consecutive days and nights of aerial bombing. The Coalition launched some 116,000 combat sorties during the air war, and 65,000 of those were conducted by the U.S. Air Force.
"When war broke out with the start of the air campaign, we were still sitting in the Philippines," Fisher wrote in "Last In, First Out." We continued to train to fight as we watched CNN reports of our comrades actually doing the fighting. The frustration I and others felt was immense."
"During the middle of the second week of the war the request came in: send six aircrews to augment forces already in place," he continued. "We were to depart for Shaikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain, as soon as transportation could be found. We would leave our jets behind, as the problem was not aircraft losses but aircrews wearing out from the workload of sortie after sortie with no break."
Upon arrival, Lt. Col. Fisher and other F-4G pilots and EWOs began flying "Wild Weasel" combat missions against Iraq. The Wild Weasel is a special kind of air mission. It's a combat aircraft that is actively seeking to be targeted by the enemy's air defenses, particularly radar-based surface-to-air missile installations. If it sounds crazy to you, that's because it is kind of crazy. The Wild Weasel patch includes the abbreviation "YGBSM," which means "You Gotta Be Sh*tting Me."
But there's a method to the madness: the aircraft carries anti-radiation missiles, so (hopefully) as soon as the SAM's radar is turned on for targeting, it's ready to get blown away before it can launch. The book is simply Fisher's diary from the time period, reformatted to be read like a book. It's a good read for anyone interested in air operations, Wild Weasels, the Air Force in general, or anyone curious what it was like to deploy in the days before wifi, texting, or email. Readers, even some who were Air Force pilots themselves, find the book to be interesting, engrossing, and heartfelt.
"Last In, First Out: A Desert Storm Diary" by Ed "Tuna" Fisher can be found on Amazon starting at $18.99 for paperback or on Kindle eReader for $4.99. Those with Kindle Unlimited subscriptions can read it for free.
The story of Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart is one of the most extraordinary acts of bravery and self-sacrifice in modern military history. Both were soldiers; U.S. Army Delta Force members who gave their lives trying to protect their fallen comrades in the face of overwhelming odds. It came in 1993, during the Battle of Mogadishu, famously depicted on the screen in the 2001 film, "Black Hawk Down." 
This time, the helicopter was Super 64, piloted by Warrant Officer 4 Mike Durant. As it plummeted into a residential neighborhood, the Somalis cheered and began to mass toward the wreckage. All four crew members survived the initial impact. U.S. forces tried to launch a rescue mission, but the Somalis set multiple ambushes for any possible response the American base might try to make. The resistance and nonstop ambushes made it nearly impossible to get to the Super 6-4 crash site. 
There were just too many enemies swarming the crash site. Durant never recalled which one was killed first, but he does believe he heard Gordon say he was hit, and Shughart would hand Durant Gordon's CAR-15 to use. Shughart died shortly after, and Durant was captured, bloodied but alive. 
Although nominally under the rule of the Ottoman Empire (except for independent Morocco), the Barbary States largely acted independently of their Sultan in Constantinople. Europe, for all its naval might, decided it was far easier and cheaper to buy off the pirates with an annual tribute than it was actually to fight a war over such a vast coastline. When the United States declared its independence from Britain, it lost the protection of British tribute payments, and the pirates began attacking American merchant ships. It wasn't long before the United States also started paying off the pirates. 
In 1805, William Eaton, an Army veteran and former U.S. consul, teamed up with Marine Corps 1st Lt. Presley O'Bannon, along with a force of Marines and foreign mercenaries, to capture the Tripolitan city of Derna. It was the first time the Stars and Stripes were ever raised over a captured enemy city on foreign soil (and gave the Marines' Hymn its "shores of Tripoli" lyric). The Americans threatened to depose the Bashaw of Tripoli in favor of his older brother. The Basahaw agreed to a prisoner exchange and a payment of $60,000 to end the fighting, reminding him that the payment was a ransom and not a tribute. 
1. Article 114: Dueling 
What's surprising is that the law specifically mentions that U.S. military members who are also prisoners and also happen to be drunk are subject to court-martial. So, for any member who might be incarcerated in the future: drinking toilet wine while in prison is just as illegal as whatever crime got you thrown in there in the first place.
Most importantly, malingering includes anyone who intentionally injures or inflicts a wound on themselves to avoid service. Be it faking a stomach ache or shooting yourself in the foot, it's probably best to just go to work.
The second Battle of Fallujah, codenamed "Operation Phantom Fury," was fought by American-led Marine and Army forces, with 9th Air Force aviation support and Navy special warfare units, in November and December 2004. One hundred two distinct units from the Squad level up to the Division and Squadron levels up to the Wing are recorded as having been engaged, including nine Iraqi units and elements of the British Black Watch. The first battle for the city, "Operation Vigilant Resolve," had been waged in April-May that same year, while the 1st Marines was under the command of then-MajGen James Mattis. It is often reported that the catalyst for the battles was an earlier (31 Mar 2004) highly publicized murder and mutilation of four US Blackwater private military contractors, and the killing of five American soldiers in Habbaniyah. When 3/1 engaged at second Fallujah, "Operation Iraqi Freedom" (2003-11) of the GWOT had been underway officially for about eighteen months. This unit deployed to Iraq multiple times, notably in 2002 for "Exercise Eager Mace" and again playing a key role in what soon became known as "Operation Al Fajr" to liberate Fallujah. It was the single bloodiest and fiercest battle of the OIF conflict, including for American troops:
In the photo sequence on 9 Nov 2004, are reportedly the first casualties two days after Operation Phantom Fury opened. 1/8 GySgt Lonny Wells, fallen to the ground, was immediately rendered aid by Sgt Ryan Shane and a medic until continuous enemy sniper fire made further rescue impossible for a time; Ryan survived, Lonny did not. Unusually, it rained that day in Fallujah. 
After the First Battle of Fallujah, the US turned the city over to a newly formed Iraqi security unit called the Fallujah Brigade. The brigade became incapable of controlling the city, and many of its personnel deserted or sided with the opposition. Over the following months, the insurgency strengthened in Fallujah, attracting more fighters to its cause.
For an engagement which took place over multiple weeks, expressing the precise 3/1 unit history in Fallujah is not possible in limited space. Perhaps the most accurate and comprehensive unclassified order of battle, including descriptions of the 3/1, was written by CWO4 Timothy S. McWilliams with Nicholas J. Schlosser for USMC University in 2014, a brief excerpt:
"… on November 15, 2004, Marine Sergeant Rafael Peralta… had volunteered for a house-clearing mission and, when entering the fourth house, had opened a door and was hit several times with AK-47 fire. As two other Marines entered behind him, an insurgent threw a grenade that surely would have killed them except that, according to eye witnesses, Peralta pulled the grenade under his body, absorbing the blast… the other Marines survived." 
On May 7, 1915, the German submarine U-20 fired a single torpedo in the waters off the coast of Ireland. Its target was the luxury cruise liner-turned auxiliary war vessel Lusitania. The torpedo hit home, triggering a second explosion (likely the ship's boilers) minutes later. Less than 20 minutes after the torpedo was fired, Lusitania was on its way to the bottom of the ocean. It sank so quickly that fewer than half of those aboard the vessel survived. 
Although many Americans sympathized with Britain, France, and the other Entente powers, U.S. public opinion favored preparedness for war, but also supported and demanded the neutrality and isolationism that Wilson espoused in foreign policy. American businesses made large loans to the Entente Allies and sold large amounts of raw materials and supplies to them with the money loaned. But all that neutrality changed after the Germans torpedoed the Lusitania.
Germany, which would soon turn the tide for the Germans. But the British blockade was devastating German citizens, so Germany announced it would resume the unrestricted submarine warfare that sank Lusitania in 1915. Two American ships were sunk in February 1917. Then, another bombshell dropped.
Today, I would like to honor the more than 58,000 who are listed on that black wall… and those who are not. I'm not here to honor the names on that wall. I'm here to honor and remember the ones behind those names. Let's honor our brothers and sisters who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country… and for your and my freedom.
When you're reminded in some way of those times in Vietnam and your service there, by a certain smell; or, a sound; or, by a song of that era; or, whatever it is that brings you back to those times, I hope they're not all bad memories. I know your memories are all different. For some of you, they're not so good. I hope I can change a little of that for you today. 
I know that it was sometimes hard to understand how you made those sacrifices to take that hill today then walk off and leave it tomorrow and give it back to your enemy; to clear a zone for the farmers to harvest their rice only to have the PAVN and Viet Cong come in at night and take it from them anyway. 
But you can walk away from it all with honor. You went there because you were ordered there, and again, once there, you did your job and you did it well. Afterwards, it was easy to fall into the trap of thinking it was all a waste. You can question the circumstances. You can condemn the war. You can condemn the politicians, the protestors, and especially the media. But never, ever, dishonor your fellow warrior for doing his job by ANY FEELINGS of Guilt YOU MAY HAVE! Don't let those that died on those battlefields ever be dishonored by any feelings of your guilt. 
dered why there are so many people running around out there… pretending to be Vietnam veterans? I don't think I've ever run into anyone pretending to be one of the protesters of that era. 
Give those little folks a chance! Let them shoot at you first! These rules of engagement came straight from the Oval Office of Lyndon Baines Johnson, your President, and Clark Clifford, your Secretary of Defense. Both of whom were trying to buy a peace with our lives. You did not lose that war! The politicians may have. The protesters and the media may have driven them to it. But you did not lose that war! Remember, you won every single major engagement! That's what wins wars!
successful companies! You became doctors and nurses. You became preachers, teachers, and professors. And for those of you who did, thank you for being there to tell those young students the truth about what you did. Your income exceeded that of non-Vietnam veterans of the same era by more than eighteen percent. That's pride! You did that!
These coins usually have distinct meanings when left on the headstones of those who lost their lives while serving in America's military, and these meanings vary depending on the denomination of the coin. The coins are also left to honor veterans who have passed away. I say that, usually, as Texas Jack passed away on 28 June 1880, coins of various denominations were left on his headstone.
The oldest and first challenge coin is thought to have been produced by Colonel William "Buffalo Bill" Quinn. Quinn had the coins made for those who served in his 17th Infantry Regiment from 1950 to 1958. On one side of the coin is a picture of a buffalo with the date 1812, which signified the year the regiment was formed. On the other side was the 17th Infantry patch, which dates from 1950 to 1958, and the word Korea was used to signify the tour. The cross and fort icon represents the unit's heritage, which started in Cuba during the Civil War.
The Roman Empire rewarded soldiers by presenting them with coins to recognize their achievements. Challenge coins were also known as "Portrait Medals" during the Renaissance and were often used to commemorate specific events involving royalty, nobility, or other types of well-to-do individuals.
In Greek mythology, Charon (in Roman mythology, Charun) is the ferryman of Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. It was required to pay Charon to ferry the deceased across the rivers Styx (River of Hate) and Acheron (River of Woe, Misery, Pain) and into the world of the dead. Coins were placed in the eyes of the deceased or under the tongue of the fallen. This was called Charon's Obol, also known as viaticum "provision for a journey", (the obolus was a silver coin in ancient Athens, Greece). The practice seems to have started around the 5th century BCE. Souls who could not pay the fare had to wander the shores of Styx for 100 years. The Roman god of the underworld is Orcus. Styx and Acheron are two of the five rivers of the underworld; the others are Cocytus (River of Lamentation), Phlegethon (River of Fire), and Lethe (River of Forgetfulness).
At the gravesite of William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody (1846 - 1917), Lookout Mountain, Colorado the placing of coins on his grave started in 1923. A group of Oglala Lakota (Sioux) led by Chief Spotted Weasel "Itonkasan Gleska," a former performer with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, visited his grave. They put Indian head (buffalo) nickels on the grave to honor Buffalo Bill. The image on the nickel (1913 - 1938) is comprised of three Native American chiefs. They are the Oglala Lakota Chief Iron Tail, Cheyenne Chief Two Moons, and Kiowa Chief John Big Tree. Iron Tail "Siŋté Máza" was a long time friend of Cody and also a performer in the Wild West show. The tradition of putting money on the grave has continued ever since. Today U.S. and foreign coins of different denominations are placed on his grave. William Cody is a recipient of the Medal of Honor for gallantry in action on 26 April 1872. He served as a Private (Chief of Scouts) for the 3rd U.S. Cavalry, at Loupe Fork of the Platte River, Nebraska. His Medal of Honor was revoked in a review of 1916-1917 because they considered him a civilian scout instead of a soldier. Upon further review, in June 1989, the Medal of Honor was restored. Buffalo Bill's Native American name, given to him by the Sioux Nation, was Pahaska or "Long hair".
The EOD Warrior Foundation Flag Program was created in 2021 as a memorial to honor and remember all deceased EOD Technicians, regardless of years of service, branch, or cause of death. The goal is to have a flag placed on every EOD grave throughout the summer and by Veterans Day every year through a team of volunteers. Each year there is a different flag design. For Arlington National Cemetery, they have a requirement that anything left on a grave has to be biodegradable. For 2024, that will be a white rose with a tag.
These days, Ed Fisher (callsign: "Tuna") is twice-retired and living with his wife on Washington State's Whidbey Island. His second career was as a lecturer at the Naval Postgraduate School, from which he retired in 2021. His first career was much more exciting. 
Upon arrival, Lt. Col. Fisher and other F-4G pilots and EWOs began flying "Wild Weasel" combat missions against Iraq. The Wild Weasel is a special kind of air mission. It's a combat aircraft that is actively seeking to be targeted by the enemy's air defenses, particularly radar-based surface-to-air missile installations. If it sounds crazy to you, that's because it is kind of crazy. The Wild Weasel patch includes the abbreviation "YGBSM," which means "You Gotta Be Sh*tting Me."