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US Army History and Traditions
Questions to this category should refer to the history and rich traditions of the United States Army itself and the units and soldiers of the US Army, not specific wars or battles. These have a home of their own.
1,949 Questions
What does the military term GI mean?
GI-was a common US military abbreviation that meant Government Issue. Term became popular in WW2 to refer to the US soldier. Everything a soldier was issued had a name and a number and after the fighting started a lot of soldiers felt that they were simply government issue to be thrown into the fighting. The term GI was not derogatory when referring to soldiers. Hence the derived term "GI Joe" to refer to the average US soldier.
Who was the most decorated General Officer in history?
Audie Murphy, from Texas, served as a infantryman in WW-2 was the MOST highly decorated soldier in US Army history.
He also won several medals from different countries.
According to the Total Army Personnel Command in Alexandria, VA, Matt Urban of Michigan was awarded 29 medals, as many as Audie Murphy, for his service in WW2.Urban's Medal of Honor recommendation was somehow lost in the shuffle, so he did not receive his MOH until the late 70s. His other medals included: 7 Purple Hearts, Legion of Merit, Croix de Guerre with a Silver Star, Silver Star with one oak leaf cluster. Perhaps if Urban received the MOH when he should have, he would be as famous as Audie Murphy.
Although COL David Hackworth earned over 100 medals, he was embarrassed to wear them all. General Douglas MacArthur is considered by many to be America's most decorated soldier.
He was the only soldier to be a general officer in three different wars, WWI,WWII and Korea. He was the youngest Chief of Staff and the only American General to become Field Marshal of a foreign country, the Philippines. He was nominated for 3 Medals of Honor and awarded one. His records at West Point were not broken until Pete Dawkins exceeded them in the late 50s. Fifty years of service gave him an extensive collection of recognition.
The question is who is the most HIGHLY decorated, not the most decorated. The automatic answer of Audie Murphy, or even the lesser known Matt Urban really can not do justice to the question. So many lesser known but equal or greater names are out there to be explored. A few who spring to mind are Eugene Fluckey, MOH and 4 awards of the Navy Cross, Samuel Dealey, MOH and 4 awards of the Navy Cross. Everyone knows that 5 awards of this caliber is a lot more impressive than 29 medals which count purple hearts, campaign medals and good conduct medals, in other words 27 of the medals rank below the decorations for valor.
What are the criteria for "most HIGHLY" decorated? Major General Smedley Butler of USMC was awarded not one, but two Medals of Honor. Has anyone else been awared the Medal of Honor twice or more?
Actually, 19 soldiers have been awarded the medal of honor twice
Real answer is Captain Joe Ronnie Hooper, one Medal of Honor, 2 Silver stars, 6 Bronze stars and 8 Purple hearts. Look him up.
ANSWER COL Robert L Howard
Medal of Honor
Distinguished Service Cross (2 awards)
Silver Star, Bronze Star for Valor, 3rd Oak Leaf Cluster (4 awards)
Purple Heart 7th Oak Leaf Cluster (8 awards)
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit 3rd Oak Leaf Cluster (4 awards)
Air Medal for Valor, 2nd Oak Leaf Cluster (3 awards)
Army Commendation Medal for Valor, 3rd Oak Leaf Cluster (4 award) there are more, but these are just a few. I would say that he has got them all beat. Look at the fact that he was recommended for the medal of honor on three separate occasions but they were downgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross due to the secret nature of his missions at that time. As for MG Smedley Butler not to take away from him because he is a damn fine American and a hero. The US Congress in 1917 ruled that no one could receive more than one Medal of honor so later Soldiers and Marines may have done things to win them but they could only get one. Its like comparing apples to oranges its just not the same. So far I have looked them all up and I think that if you are talking highest decorations for valor then COL Howard has them all hands down. If any one can show me someone with more then please do. The other amazing fact is that Col Howard is still alive and visits Soldiers in current War Zones that is very impressive to me. He is a true warrior and hero.
Lt. Gen. Lewis B. (Chesty) Puller
As was stated above it is very difficult to truly say who is the most decorated soldier of all time. Standards change over time, and with each branch having their own standards we can never say who truly is THE MOST DECORATED.
Now having said that we must take a serious look a Gen. Chesty Puller. He was the recipient of the nations 2nd highest award six times. Speculation was always that if he had been more politically correct he would have surely been awarded the MoH. Along with 5 Navy Crosses and the Distinguished Service Cross he also has the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and two Legion of Merit awards along with 43 other awards.
See the Related Links for "Home of Heroes" and "Audie Murphy" to the left for additional information.
The most decorated soldier per month served in combat area has got to be John Kerry. He received 5 medals in four months of service in Vietnam, a Bronze Star, a Silver Star and three Purple Hearts. Some nagging questions persist about their attainment.
Like others, I don't know how you decide who was "Most" decorated. I do know that my friend MSGT Roy P. Benavidez, a Special Forces Medic, had over 25 medals, including several Purple Hearts; and his citation for the Medal of Honor was the longest one ever written. He was wounded a total of over 50 times the day he earned the MOH including schrapnel, three bullets and one bayonet wound to his left forearm. He also saved 19 wounded soldiers - including three of the enemy.
When President Ronald Reagan read the citation at the White House ceremony for the MOH, Reagan cried and hugged Roy instead of saluting him. Roy is certainly my greatest hero. I am also surprised nobody mentioned Alvin York in this discussion.
General James "Jimmy" Doolittle
Medal of Honor
Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Silver Star
Distinguished Flying Cross (3)
Air Medal (4)
And.. The Medal of Freedom. The ONLY person to receive both.
see : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Doolittle
The World War I Soldier interred at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers
This soldier, "known but to God," has been awarded every citation from every branch of the service. Plus the Victoria Cross (Great Britain's "Medal of Honor"), the Croix d Guerre (France's "Medal of Honor"), and numerous other foreign medals. If you have never been there, I urge you to see it. There is an enormous display of just the medals and awards presented to the soldier.
I think it would be impossible to say matter of factly who the most highly decorated soldier ever was but think of it like this: regardless of how many medals for valor a person has, what is the highest: the medal of honor. Being an enlisted man in the Army, the thought of having generals salute me is quite outstanding; the salute being rendered to enlisted soldier by an officer being something that comes with the MOH. That being said, I would rather have ONE medal of honor, than 5 Navy Crosses and a Distinnguished Service Cross (that would be LG "Chesty" Puller, of the USMC). So, I would IMMEDIATELY disqualify ANYONE who does not possess this award. The next thing I would look at is the number of MOHs possessed by the individual. So, since no one has ever been awarded the MOH three times, we narrow the list to 19. But I think we should take into account that 5 of these 19 received BOTH of their MOHs for the same action; they were awarded the Navy and Army MOH due to their relation to both services. 7 of the remaining 14 received at least one of these awards for peacetime action. An example of which is Robert Sweeney who received BOTH of his MOHs for jumping overboard to rescue a fellow sailor. Today, he would have been merely awarded a Soldier's Medal, which is trumped by 8 medals. So, that leaves us with 7 people I would count in the running for the most highly decorated soldier (I am obviously including, Marines, Sailors, and Airmen as well).
So, of the remaining 7 men who has more secondary decorations? My vote would HAVE to go to MG Smedley Butler. He is one of 19 men to reciecve the MOH twice. He is one of 14 men to receive the MOH twice for two separate actions. He is one of 7 men to receive the MOH twice for two separate actions, both of which were for combat actions. He is one of 23 men to receive the Marine Corps Brevit Medal, which is similar to the Navy Cross. He is one of three men to receive the MOH and the MCBM. He is the ONLY person to receive the MOH twice AND a MCBM. He has been awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, which is trumped by only three medals. The Army Distinguished Service Medal, which is the Army equivalent to the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. MG Butler is lacking the lower medals that many other well decorated soldiers have been awarded i.e. LTG Puller, 1LT Murphy, or GEN Doolittle; however, I would rather his top five medals, and those alone, than the entire set of awards than any other soldier has ever held.
The mere mention that a soldier who has never received the MOH is the most decorated soldier of all time is laughable. Fear not Marines. Though I believe your over-rated Chesty is not even close to being the most decorated soldier ever, I still have no doubt that a Marine still holds this honor.
Now, all this being said, I am not trying to take anything away from any of these men. Well, that's not completely true. I am a little more than upset about Robert Sweeney being given ONE MOH, let alone both of them. And the five men who received the award twice for the same action. Also, I think Albert Weisbogel, Louis Williams, John King, John Cooper, John Lafferty, and Patrick Mullen should not have been awarded MOHs for peacetime actions. But I do believe that all of these men have shown bravery beyond what most are capable of showing.
Five Star General Henry H. Arnold, check him..
Why are Americans called yanks?
1. The name of the country is United States of America. Logically, citizens of the US can be called "Americans" when referring to their nationality. There is no other country with "America" in it's name.
2. If you're referring to what continent citizens in the continental USA are from, then you would call them North Americans. Few people identify themselves with what continent they are from except Australians and some Europeans (Despite that Australia is both a country and a continent); they usually identify themselves by their country first. Therefore, few US Citizens are going to refer to themselves as "North American".
-I'll also note that within the US, people often identify themselves according to their state more so than "American" (ie. a person from Texas is a Texan).
3. The term "American" does not have one exclusive definition. It can refer to both the people in the USA and to people from the American continents. Context will clarify which. Neither is inaccurate or a slight to the other.
4. The terms "Americans" or "American colonists" were used by the British way back when the USA was only a colony of Britain. After the USA was formed, people living in this new country continued to be referred to as Americans. So American people did not choose to call themselves that. If anyone presumed that people in the territory of what is now the USA were the only "Americans," then it was the British. The term is not exclusively used by US citizens either. Many other countries refer to US Citizens as "Americans" also.
5. What other alternative is there, that both evokes the culture of the people in the USA and rolls easily off the tongue? Yankee? Not to mention, the term "American" has a long history in being associated with US citizens and their culture, and to ignore that is arrogant. Basically, you'd be asking a whole nation to re-write its identity.
What do you have to do to receive a star in the army?
In the U.S. Army, you must attain the rank of Brigadier General. Some unwritten rules would be to have your Masters (or even a PhD), combat leadership experience, a host of command positions with definite improvements/results, attend every leadership and position-specific course offered, etc. It certainly helps to have graduated from West Point. You generally (no pun intended) must be married with a stable family life to wear a star (or even a bird for that matter). There are few single generals. In addition, it often takes 30 or more years of service to attain the rank. It can be done in less time, but it is certainly a rare exception to the rule. Most importantly of all (and I cannot stress this enough), you should be charismatic and well-liked; a people person. Without that, you are almost certain to retire as an 0-5.
Where is the military service certificate number?
The American military introduced service numbers on February 28, 1918, and discontinued their use in 1974, replacing them with the social security numbers of the serviceman/servicewoman. However in order to prevent identity theft and possible security breaches, in June 2011, the Pentagon stopped using social security numbers on military and dependent ID cards and reintroduced the service number. All members are expected to have their new service number by June 2015.
Where was the home of Joseph who buried Jesus?
To this day, no one knows where Joseph the foster father of Jesus is buried. His tomb's location is a mystery. There is no historical record, no conclusive archaeological find, no pious traditions. It is speculated that St. Joseph died in Nazareth and may be buried somewhere in the area. There are pious assertions that St. Joseph may have, like the Blessed Virgin Mary, been assumed body and soul into heaven, however, the more common belief is that his tomb will be discovered in the end times and powerful graces will come from devotion to his patronage.
What Army regulation covers Sexual Assault Prevention?
AR 600-20, Army Command Policy. Chapter 8 of this regulation is entitled: Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program.
Who has the hardest basic training in the military?
i think that the royal marines commandos have a reputation for being one of the toughest 32 week basic training course, but there are other American forces like the U.S navy seals who also have a very hard training course.
Navy SEALs hands down have the toughest training in the US and second toughest in the world, Spetznaz being first.
What to do with old army uniforms?
Postal uniforms that are still in good condition can be donated to new letter carriers that take time to acquire a full complement of uniforms. Maybe I should start a network to facilitate this idea.
Does a Judge have more authority than a probation officer?
i'd' say a judge does they have the say in whos going to jail
What hazards are common causes of army transportation accidents?
Army transportation hazards often are seen in handling and securing cargo for transport, port operations, and rail operations.
Army transportation hazards include enemy gunfire, missiles, mines, and artillery. In addition, traffic-related accidents are also a hazard.
What is the abbreviation for an army major?
Maj is the abbreviation for the word major, e.g., "there were several majors involved in the incident.
Look in the Yellow Pages (or on the internet) for "Army Recruiter" -- then call to speak to one.
to be an army you must strong, smart and know how to make the best and the fastest decision.... and must sacrifice your life for the country... u also need to be ready whenever the war will happen
Lieutenant William Calley was convicted of murder for his role in the March 1968 My Lai massacre, which left hundreds of Vietnamese civilians dead. Calley ordered the men of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, Americal Division to shoot everyone in the village. He himself rounded up a group of villagers, ordered them into a ditch, and then mowed them down with machine gun fire. Sentenced to life in prison, Calley was seen as a scapegoat for the Army's failure to instill morale and discipline in its troops. Upon appeal, his sentence was reduced. He was eventually released from prison in 1974. He later found work in the insurance business.
Minutemen were members of teams of select men from the American colonial militia during the American Revolutionary War. They provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that allowed the colonies to respond immediately to threats (hence the name). The Minutemen were among the first people to fight in the American Revolution. These teams constituted about a fourth of the entire militia, and generally were the younger and more mobile, serving as part of a network for early response. Minuteman and Sons of Liberty member Paul Revere spread the news that "the Redcoats are coming." Paul Revere was captured before completing his mission when the British marched towards the arsenal in Lexington and Concord to collect the weapons stored there.
How many women are in the Army today?
There are over 214,000 women in the military. This is not counting branches of the military such as the reserves and the National Guard. These statistics come from the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs.
Who is the youngest US army sergeant first class?
Here are some possibilities from our community:
- 1975: Sgt John L. Goodin was 19 years 1 month 6 days old at the time of his promotion in March.
- 1970: Sgt Donald Smith was 19 years 5 months 20 days when he was promoted on June 1st.
- 1969: Sgt Robert E. Whittom Deming was 19 years 7 months old at the time of his promotion (in June I think).
Who require a privileged - level agreement?
IT-I level is privileged. It requires a favorable Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI)
Are you breaking the law to impersonate a military member?
Very much so. It is a federal crime in the US.
