Note: In May 1994, Bill and I sailed to Normandy for the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, the landing of the Allied Forces on 6 June 1944 on the beaches of Normandy. The trip didn’t go as planned. Here’s an account from my journal. – Sandra D-Day, A Return to Normandy 50 Years Later In…
Veterans Remembering Veterans World War II veterans Bill “Mac” McGee (left) and Larry “Salty” Trueax (right) lay a wreath in the water from the deck of the USS Massachusetts. Memorial Day 1997, Battleship Cove, Massachusetts (Photo Sandra V. McGee) May is Military Appreciation Month Throughout the month, several military holidays pay tribute to present and…
Thanks to Rev. Michael Gatton, former Chaplain for the USS LCI (Landing Craft, Infantry) National Association, for permission to share his impressive remarks honoring the Greatest Generation. 7 LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE GREATEST GENERATION Remarks from Chaplain Mike Gatton USS LCI National Association Annual Reunion 2011, Nashville, TN EVERY GENERATION LEAVES A LEGACY OF…
In May 1994, Bill and I sailed to Normandy for the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, the landing of the Allied Forces on 6 June 1944 on the beaches of Normandy. The trip didn’t go as planned. Here’s an account from my journal. – Sandra D-Day, A Return to Normandy 50 Years Later In 1994,…
The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943: From Guadalcanal to Bougainville, Pacific War Turning Point wins the MILITARY WRITERS SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018 SILVER MEDAL AWARD FOR HISTORY Nov 10, 2018 – Bill McGee was honored to be the recipient of the Military Writers Society of America Silver Medal Award for History. The Solomons Campaigns, 1942–1943 is…
The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943 by William L. McGee has been designated as a 2018 awards finalist by the Military Writers Society of America (MWSA). The award category – Gold, Silver, or Bronze – will be announced at MWSA’s General Membership Conference on November 9, 2018 in Charleston, South Carolina. Sandra McGee, Bill’s publishing partner and wife,…
A big thank-you to the Military Writers Society of America for the May 2018 review of The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943… Click to read review Since its publication in 2001, The Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943 has been repeatedly lauded as one of the most comprehensive books on all the campaigns fought in the Solomon Islands. “Enough gripping drama, heroism, and…
The U.S. Navy Armed Guard was a special service branch of the U.S. Navy responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships, their valuable cargo, and crews from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines, and surface ships. In World War II, nearly 145,000 men served in the Naval Armed Guard, including Gunner’s Mate and Bronze Star…
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day. The name Memorial Day was first used circa 1882, but did not become commonly used until after World War II. Memorial Day was declared the official name by Federal […]
“I would like to thank Bill McGee and his wife, Sandra, for their work over the years to preserve U.S. Navy Armed Guard and Merchant Marine history so people of future generations may read and see what both crews did in World War II. Without Bill and Sandra working together, and their interest, the Naval…
Bill and I attended the 74th Annual Seabee Ball on Saturday, February 20, 2016, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. Bill has written extensively about the Seabees in his WWII military histories and is a Life Member of the Navy Seabee Veterans of America. We were honored to be invited to the VIP…