CAPT Stanley W. “Swede” Vejtasa

Apr 27, 2018 | Navy

Stanley W. “Swede” Vejtasa is the only World War II carrier pilot to receive Navy Crosses for both dive bombing and aerial combat. Born in Montana in 1914, Vejtasa attended both Montana State College and the University of Montana. He enlisted in the Navy...

Lt Tammie Jo Shults

Apr 24, 2018 | Navy

Passengers aboard the tumultuous Southwest Airlines flight — during which one passenger was killed after nearly being ripped from the plane — are crediting pilot Tammie Jo Shults’ quick thinking with saving their lives. The former Navy fighter pilot safely brought the...

LT Garnett Bailey Moneymaker

Apr 13, 2018 | Navy

Born in 1918 in Clifton Forge, VA to Reginald Clyde and Florence Opal (Baker) Moneymaker, he grew up in rural Virginia with two siblings, John and Rosemary, on the Cow Pasture River. Sounds idyllic and it was. After high school he joined the Navy in 1937 and was...

PhM3c John Andrew Haskins

Mar 28, 2018 | Navy

Located on the southern banks of Suisun Bay, just over six miles outside of Martinez, California, Port Chicago was one of the Navy’s busiest and most vital munitions magazines during the Second World War.  Each day, tons of munitions destined for the Pacific Theater...

MAJ Katherine Mary Doody

Mar 18, 2018 | Army, Navy

Katherine was raised on a rural Maryland farm, went to nursing school and landed a job at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. She had hopes of joining the Army to see the world, but was one inch too short for Army standards, so she joined the Navy. Soon...

PO1 Leonardo Lucio

Mar 10, 2018 | Navy

Leonardo Lucio was born September 11, 1972 in Chicago Heights, Illinois. His family had a history of working with the railroad: his father worked for the Union Pacific Railroad, and his grandfather and younger brothers also both worked for the railroad. Coming from a...