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August 14th is National Navajo Code Talkers Day, a day to commemorate the contributions of Native American code talkers who served in the U.S. military during World Wars I and II. Code talkers utilized a secret, coded language, based on their native language, to communicate important information over military telephones and radios.

During World War II, the U.S. Marines enlisted 29 Navajo men who participated in every major Marine operation in the Pacific theater. Code talkers worked in pairs — one on the frontlines and one behind the lines – communicating by radio and telephone. To prevent the enemy from breaking the code and gaining access to important information, there were no printed code manuals. Code talkers had to memorize all the words and translations they used.

Approximately 400 – 500 Native Americans served in the U.S. Marine Corps during WWII as code talkers. Decades after their service and sacrifice, the federal government recognized and honored the legacy and history of the code talkers’ contributions to American democracy. On August 14, 1982, President Ronald Reagan declared the day as National Navajo Code Talkers Day. In 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded the original 29 code talkers with the Congressional Gold Medal. In 2001, President George W. Bush presented medals to the four surviving code talkers at a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.

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The setting sun shines on a group of U.S. Marines from 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, as they keep a watchful eye while taking a break in an abandoned house during the battle of Najaf in August 2004.

(Photo by Lucian Read)

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A powerful and concise definition of courage attributed to General George S. Patton. It highlights the essence of courage, suggesting that it's not the absence of fear, but rather the ability to persevere and act despite feeling afraid.

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U.S. Marines from 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, take up positions behind battle-damaged walls as they continue to engage the fighters of the Montana al-Sadr-led Mehdi Army during the Battle of Najaf in August, 2004.

(Photo by Lucian Read)

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Freedom is never free! Wear red today to support and remember our troops currently deployed overseas!

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August 7th is National Purple Heart Day.

The Purple Heart was first created on this day in 1782 by the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, General George Washington.

Then known as the Badge of Military Merit, it was awarded to 3 Revolutionary soldiers in 1783. Take a moment today to remember all the brave servicemen and women who have been wounded or killed while serving in our armed forces.

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On August 6, 2011, a U.S. CH-47D Chinook helicopter, call sign Extortion 17, was shot down while transporting a Quick Reaction Force attempting to reinforce a unit of the 75th Ranger Regiment in the Tangi Valley in Maidan Wardak province, southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan.

The resulting crash killed all 38 personnel on board, which included:

23 U.S. Navy SEALs 2 U.S. Air Force Pararescue 1 U.S. Air Force Combat Control Team member 1 pilot and 2 crewmen of the U.S. Army Reserve 1 pilot and 1 crewman of the U.S. Army National Guard 7 members of the Afghan National Security Forces 1 Afghan interpreter 1 U.S. military working dog

Navy SEALs: PO1 Darrick C. Benson CPO Brian R. Bill PO1 Christopher G. Campbell PO1 Jared W. Day PO1 John Douangdara & Navy SEAL Dog “Bart” CPO John W. Faas CPO Kevin A. Houston Lt. Cmdr. Jonas B. Kelsall MCPO Louis J. Langlais CPO Matthew D. Mason CPO Stephen M. Mills CPO Nicholas H. Null PO1 Jesse D. Pittman SCPO  Thomas A. Ratzlaff CPO Robert J. Reeves CPO Heath M. Robinson PO2 Nicholas P. Spehar PO1 Michael J. Strange PO1 Jon T. Tumilson PO1 Aaron C. Vaughn SCPO Kraig M. Vickers PO1 Jason R. Workman

U.S. Army: SGT Alexander J. Bennett SPC Spencer Duncan (youngest onboard) CWO Bryan J. Nichols CWO David R. Carter (oldest onboard) SSG Patrick D. Hamburger

U.S. Air Force: TSgt John W. Brown SSgt Andrew W. Harvell TSgt Daniel L. Zerbe

They shall never be forgotten.

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On August 5, 2004, the Battle of Najaf began between U.S. forces and the members of the Mehdi Army who were loyal to the radical cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr.

Pictured above, U.S. Marines from 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, are photographed while they take up fighting positions, as the sun begins to set on the first day of the battle. They would continue to engage the members of the Mehdi Army, long into the night and over the next several weeks.

(Photo by: Lucian Read)

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U.S. Marine Corporal Harold Tesch and his Alaskan Malamute War Dog “Tippy” during the battle of Guam, July 1944.

(Photo by W. Eugene Smith)

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Freedom is never free! Wear red today to support and remember our troops currently deployed overseas!

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A U.S. Navy hospital corpsman gives a drink of water to a U.S. Marine wounded during the Second Battle of Guam in July, 1944.

(Photo by Lieutenant Paul Dorsey)

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1st Lt. Connor Majarucon, a platoon commander with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, attached to Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, directs U.S. Marines a coastal defense exercise during Keris Marine Exercise (MAREX) 2024 on Kabupaten Lingga, Singkep, Indonesia, Nov. 15, 2024.

Keris MAREX is a bilateral exercise conducted by the U.S. Marine Corps and Korps Marinir Republik Indonesia, or Indonesian Marine Corps, to strengthen relationships as military partners and increase interoperability among participating forces in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.

(Photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter)

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"You think I have a choice? There is no fuckin' choice. I am going to get that man and his family out of the position that we put him in. And of that, I have no doubt."

(The Covenant, 2023)

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A U.S. Marine BAR gunner inspects a Japanese bunker during the battle of Guam, July 1944.

(Photo courtesy of LIFE Magazine)

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Lance Cpl. Myles Days, a rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, and a native of Nashville, Tennessee, communicates with squad members during a rifle squad competition at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, May 14, 2025.

The Marine Corps Rifle Squad Competition is an annual competition that utilizes simulated combat conditions to challenge competitors with a wide variety of complex and realistic scenarios to determine which Marine rifle squad most effectively demonstrates their combat capabilities and operational proficiency.

(Photo by Cpl. Joshua Barker)

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"It's been my experience, Lieutenant... heavy shit is highly overrated."

(Battle: Los Angeles, 2011)

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The Battle of Guam began on July 21, 1944 and would last through the first week of August, 1944.

Pictured above: U.S. Marines are photographed as they advance behind the fire support of an M4A2 Sherman tank of the Tank Company, 4th Marines.

The battle was a critical component of Operation Forager. The recapture of Guam and the broader Mariana and Palau Islands campaign resulted in the destruction of much of Japan's naval air power and allowed the United States to establish large airbases from which it could bomb the Japanese home islands with its new strategic bomber, the Boeing B-29 Superfortress.

(Photo by Paul Dorsey - Image courtesy of the US National Archives and Records Administration)

(Colorized by Benjamin Thomas)