Stanley Stockins' last leave home
While researching the biographies that I tell in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Daddy and I contacted the families of all three soldiers to help gather as much information about the them as we could. We did this by cold-calling the first family member that we could find. Luckily, we were able to talk to, and make friends . . .
Colonel John Haslet
KIA January 3rd, 1777, Princeton, New Jersey
Why I Chose Colonel John Haslet
I wanted to write a blog post about a Patriot killed during the American Revolutionary War and I wanted to write about an "unsung hero." I knew gathering enough information for a blog post would be difficult, but I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and I liked the . . .
Johnny Michael "Mike" Spann
KIA November 25th, 2001, Qala-i-Jangi, Balkh Province, Afghanistan
I came across Mike Spann's story while reading Eric Blehm's excellent book The Only Thing Worth Dying For. In the book, Blehm mentions Mike, who was serving in Northern Afghanistan as a Special Activities Division officer with the CIA in 2001. Mike is recognized as the first American citizen to be killed in combat during the . . .
LTC Robert Lee Wolverton, USMA 1938, Father of the 3rd Battalion, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne
KIA June 6th, 1944
Robert Lee Wolverton
Born: October 5, 1914, Elkins, Randolph County, West Virginia
Died: 1:41 am, June 6, 1944, Saint-Côme-du-Mont, Normandy, France
Alma Mater: United States Military Academy at West Point, Class of 1938, Cullum No. 11257
Married: Kathleen "Kay" Goodwin, August 17, 1938
Children: Robert . . .
The Greatest Surprise of My Life
Dining-In, Fort Campbell, August 2nd, 2017
Introduction
When daddy and I started Project Vigil in 2013 it was to say thank you to those brave soldiers who gave their lives for freedom. We did Project Vigil out of a genuine sense of gratitude. We wanted to give something back for the sacrifices made by soldiers and their families. I never imagined that one day anyone would . . .
Sergeant Dillon C. Baldridge
1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
On this day, the 18th of July 2017, I would like to remember Sergeant Dillon C. Baldridge of 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. Sgt. Baldridge was killed on deployment in Afghanistan on June 10th, 2017.
Today Dillon Baldridge would have celebrated his 23rd birthday. On . . .
Normandy 2017: Part 3, D-Day
Our last day in Normandy
On our last day in Normandy, I decided to visit the cemetery like everyone else. When I stand vigil I do not have the time to visit the graves of the fallen. On the 73rd anniversary of D-Day, I wanted to take the time to thank the soldiers in a personal way, without drawing any attention towards myself. It was important to me to get back to . . .
