#American Military

[greatworldwar2]

• Jake McNiece

James Elbert "Jake" McNiece was a US Army paratrooper in World War II. Private McNiece was a member of the Filthy Thirteen, an elite demolition unit. McNiece practiced in several operations throughout world war 2 with the 101st Airborne Division.

James McNiece was born on May 24th, 1919, in Maysville, Oklahoma, the ninth of ten children born to Eli Hugh and Rebecca McNiece, and of Irish American and Choctaw descent. During the Depression, the family moved to Ponca City, Oklahoma in 1931. In 1939, he graduated from Ponca City High School and went to work in road construction, and then at the Pine Bluff Arsenal, where he gained experience in the use of explosives. McNiece enlisted for military service on September 1st, 1942. He was assigned to the demolition saboteur section of what was then the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. This section became the Filthy Thirteen, first led by Lieutenant Charles Mellen, who was killed in action on June 6th, 1944, during the Invasion of Normandy. Following Mellen's death, Private McNiece became acting leader of the unit. McNiece is iconically recognized by wearing Native American–style "mohawk" and applying war paint to himself and other members of his unit which, excited the public's interest in this unit. The inspiration for this came from McNiece, who was part Choctaw.

McNiece's deliberate disobedience and disrespect during training prevented him from being promoted past Private when most Paratroopers were promoted to Private First Class after 30 days. McNiece would act as section sergeant and first sergeant through various missions. His first sergeant and company commanders knew he was the man the regiment could count on during combat. McNiece went on to make a total of four wartime combat jumps, the first as part of the Invasion of Normandy in 1944. In the same year he jumped as part of Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands. McNiece would see action again at the Siege of Bastogne, part of the larger Battle of the Bulge. During fighting in the Netherlands, he acted as demolition platoon sergeant. He volunteered for pathfinder training, anticipating he would sit out the rest of the war training in England, but his pathfinder stick was called upon to jump into Bastogne to guide in resupply drops. McNiece received a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and French Legion of Honor medals for his service and deeds during the war.

His last jump was in 1945, near Prüm in Germany. In recognition of his natural leadership abilities, he ended the war as the acting first sergeant for Headquarters Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. McNiece would be kicked out of the military in February 1946 after fighting with MP’s. In 1949, McNiece returned to live in Ponca City. He began a 28-year career with the United States Postal Service. His first wife Rosita died in 1952 and, a year later, he married Martha Beam Wonders. They had two sons and a daughter and remained married until his death at age 93.

[stigma-military]

The deadly beauty of the air

[spotlightstory]

Trump says he will “fire” America’s military generals and replace them with MAGA loyalists, echoing Project 2025

Link to Reddit video Best Comment: "Just going to remind everyone that, after Trump lost the election, General Milley and the Joint Chiefs of Staffs were concerned that Trump was attempting a military coup and took steps to prevent it.

They were joined in this concern by all living former defense Secretaries, Republican and Democrat, who flouted two hundred years of military tradition by posting an open letter announcing that the election was over, and warning military people everywhere not to obey any orders aimed at preventing the peaceful transfer of power.

Just in case people don't realize this -- these are, you know. Pentagon people. THE Pentagon people.  These people know things that we don't know.

So, let's be really clear here. Trump is promising an old-fashioned Praetorian guard COUP here. That's what's happening right in front of our eyes. I don't understand why anyone is talking about anything else."

[ripstefano]

Officer from the First Troop, Philadelphia, facing forward (1839) (right)

Soldier from the First City Troop, Philadelphia, in uniform and helmet with a plume (1839) (left)

John Rubens Smith (American, 1775 - 1849)

[reading-writing-revolution]

(via Service members: Remember the duty to disobey)

I won’t have to face this hard choice myself. But, as a retired Air Force veteran, I have many friends who remain in the military. They tell me that they are worried, afraid to speak up or out, and being warned to be careful if they do. Some are whispering in twos or threes, barely willing to voice their concerns out loud. Others are reaching out to retired military colleagues to ask for guidance on how to navigate the “craziness” of the Trump administration while maintaining their integrity. Still others have decided that they cannot serve under this president and have quietly submitted their retirement paperwork. The departures of these highly respected leaders have eroded trust in the chain of command and made things even more fraught for the active-duty members who remain.

Fraught might be an understatement. As Americans, we are faced with an administration that is displaying open hostility to the Constitution. It is blatantly testing boundaries, running roughshod over established law, and careening towards autocracy.

As a young airman, I worked on a signals intelligence “watch floor” with service members from every military branch. Surrounded by computer screens and informed by data feeds, we monitored our area of responsibility for “indications and warnings” to keep our deployed military comrades safe. Most of the time, the work was predictable. But one night, there was unusual activity in our region, creating confusion that could lead to dangerous delays in reporting.

Just when it felt as if we were losing control of the situation, our watch chief, an Army sergeant first class with a booming voice, shouted across the dark room: “If you see something you don’t understand, yell ‘WHAT THE F$CK?’ and I will come over there, and we will figure it out together!”

And that’s exactly what happened. Throughout the night, we sounded the alarm and used our collective experience to make sense of the data, fulfilling our duties.

Unfortunately, the time has come yet again to stand up and yell, “WHAT THE F$CK?”

As a Navy veteran, I get it. We will do what is right and in accordance with the Constitution, and that’s what we’ve always done.

[makymakvrchat]

If you dont love America hear this

[robinlovexo]

-Nuseirat Massacre, 8 June 2024

the U.S. government is fucking DESPICABLE - it is literally organized crime - they’re all war criminals. every. single. one. i am ASHAMED and disgusted to be an american.

fuck amerikkka, fuck israhell.

this grief is born of love. may my rage fuel me to action. may the earth people continue to wake up. may the empires fall.

fire is catching

VIVA LA REVOLUCIÓN -

🔻🔻🔻

[theworldofwars]

An American soldier in heavy marching order, pack correctly slung. Le Mans, 26 February 1919.

[yz]

M151 MUTT.

[sweaterkittensahoy]

For full understanding, please know people at this rank basically NEVER send this sort of dissenting communication. Sounds like the email was a real hard "Well bless his heart and stupid, stupid brain," sort of affair.

Shiiiìiit

[nickysfacts]

Nutcrackers are always ready to serve regardless how nutty the enemy is!

💂🏻‍♀️🌰💂🏻‍♂️

[jangillman]

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A post shared by David Harris Jr (@davidjharrisjr)

[unwelcome-ozian]

the United States has overthrown or attempted to overthrow more than 50 governments, mostly democracies. It has interfered in democratic elections in 30 countries. It has dropped bombs on the people of 30 countries, most of them poor and defenceless. It has attempted to murder the leaders of 50 countries. It has fought to suppress liberation movements in 20 countries. The extent and scale of this carnage are largely unreported, and unrecognised; and those responsible continue to dominate Anglo American political life.

In accepting the Nobel prize for literature, Pinter said this: “The crimes of the United States have been systematic, constant, vicious, remorseless, but very few people have actually talked about them. You have to hand it to America. It has exercised a quite clinical manipulation of power worldwide while masquerading as a force for universal good. It’s a brilliant, even witty, highly successful act of hypnosis.”

[nando161mando]

▶️ Protesters in Italy's Ederle gathered outside an American military base to voice their opposition to US support for Israel and express solidarity with Palestinians and Lebanese.

#Italy #GazaGenocide #Lebanon

[padparadzha]