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Skies Above North Carolina. (June 5, 2024): In 1861, a gunsmith named Richard Gatling had an idea, one that revolutionized warfare to this day. He invented the rotary cannon, a multiple barrel machine gun with a huge rate of fire that terrorized the enemy. In this photo by Lance Corporal Orlanys Diaz Figueroa, Gunnery Sergeant Parrish Hall II, a UH-1Y Venom crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 167, fires a GAU-17A minigun during live fire maritime to surface warfare training.
What began as a hand operated “Gatling Gun” has evolved into today’s multiple versions and capabilities, all of which are deadly. First used in combat by U.S. forces during the Civil War, the six-barrel gun went on to see service in the Japanese Civil War, the Anglo-Zulu Wars, and it even played a part in Teddy’s Roosevelt’s charge up San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War.
These early versions used multiple barrels (up to ten) to limit overheating, a rotating mechanism, and a gravity fed reloading system that could fire up to two hundred rounds a minute. Despite its promise, the Gatling Gun fell out of favor with militaries of the time and Gatling himself ended up declaring bankruptcy.
Until World War II.
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Darwin, Australia. (June 5, 2024): There are few places on earth as challenging as the steamy jungles “down-under”, even for the most hardened Marine. In this photo by Lance Corporal Nicholas Filca, Corporal Dustin Miles, a rifleman with the Ground Combat Element, Marine Rotational Force - Darwin, is on a combat patrol at Australia’s Tully Jungle Warfare School. The Marine Rotational Force was established in 2012 with up to 2,500 Marines deploying to Darwin on a six-month rotation to train with their Aussie counterparts in the Northern Territory.
During their six-month deployment, Marines train with their Australian counterparts in live fire exercises at various locations in this sprawling training area. Tully is a 33,000 acre mix of swamps, ravines, and sharp cliffs with an annual rainfall of about one hundred and sixty inches. Forces train each other in military methods, artillery fire, infantry tactics, and communications. Warfighters practice their navigation skills in a triple canopy jungle in which GPS is not always available. This forces Marines to employ traditional methods of relying on maps, compass bearings, and pacing to reach their destination, especially at night.
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New London, Connecticut. (June 4, 2024): In this photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matt Thieme, 225 Coast Guard Cadets take the first step in their nautical careers by taking the oath of office during commencement ceremonies held here. Founded in 1876, the Coast Guard Academy trains future officers for sea duty and to staff land bases around the world.
All graduating cadets earn commissions as ensigns in the United States Coast Guard and Bachelor of Science degrees. Cadets complete a core curriculum of mathematics, science, engineering, and liberal arts plus courses in leadership, ethics, and nautical science. The Academy also prepares these newly commissioned officers in piloting, voyage planning, seamanship, and all aspects of ship handling.
Unlike most college students, cadets live in a military campus where they are expected to follow orders and adhere to a strict code of ethics. As future military officers, cadets endure rigorous training to develop character, teamwork, discipline, and drive. In exchange for a debt-free education worth over $250,000, cadets incur a five-year active-duty service obligation (longer if they choose aviator training). Each year, more than two thousand apply with an average starting class of three hundred cadets. Unlike the other service academies, admission to the USCGA does not require a congressional nomination.
These newly minted offices leave the Academy having been challenged in mind and spirit and ready to lead others in defense of our nation.
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Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia. (June 9,2024): In this photo by Army Sergeant Natalie Pantalos, members of the “Old Guard” charge as part of a dramatic reenactment during “Twilight Tattoo” performances held here each week.
Twilight Tattoo is a weekly series of shows hosted by the Washington Military District to celebrate the history and traditions of the Army through theatrical performances and musical numbers.
The 3d Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) is the oldest Regular Army unit, organized in as the First American Regiment in 1784. The Regiment has been the official ceremonial unit of the U.S. Army since 1948. The Old Guard is part of the Army Military District of Washington’s ceremonial units that include the famous Army Band "Pershing's Own." The band was founded in 1922 by General of the Army John J. “Blackjack” Pershing to compete with the European bands he heard during World War I. Headquartered at For Myer, Virginia, the U.S. Army Band conducts performances all over the world.
Read more: Army’s “Twilight Tattoo” Shows Wow Audiences Worldwide
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Normandy, France. (June 6, 2024): The free world salutes the gallant troops that stormed these beaches eighty years ago to free Europe from the evil grip of the Nazis. In that these memorials are held every five years; this is the last time living participants will attend.
In this photo by MC2 Grant Grady, Retired Army Staff Sergeant Jake Larson embraces active-duty Seaman Nicole Gonzalez during a ceremony honoring the veterans who landed at Omaha Beach that fateful day. The ever-dwindling number of veterans like these travelled to Normandy to remember fallen comrades and to share their experiences, most likely for the last time.
Over sixteen million Americans served during World War II and fewer than one hundred thousand are expected to be alive by the end of 2024 according to the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Most are in their late nineties and by the 85th anniversary in 2029 they will be in the triple digits.
For these reasons, the U.S. military pulled out all the stops for this year’s celebration.
Parachutists jumping from World War II-era planes provided a dramatic backdrop for events honoring D-Day survivors that included fireworks, remembrances, and solemn ceremonies attended by world leaders. England’s King Charles III joined twenty-five heads of state to literally give these veterans the royal treatment. Veterans Affairs estimates one hundred and fifty American veterans travelled to Normandy and, of these, two dozen took part in the invasion.
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Undisclosed Location. Saudi Arabia. (May 27, 2024): The U.S. Marines have returned to the blazing sands of Saudi Arabia to participate in Exercise Native Fury 24. In this photo by Corporal Alfonso Livrieri, Marines and Sailors from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates conduct a long-range convoy to assess their logistical readiness. In its eighth year, Exercise Native Fury is sponsored by the U.S. Central Command and is designed to evaluate the ability of the Marines to strategically deliver logistics across the Arabian Peninsula.
More than 600 U.S. Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, and Airmen from 2nd Marine Logistics Group, 1st Theater Sustainment Command practiced responding to various hypothetical scenarios. Most of the action occurred at the Red Sea port of Yanbu where Saudi and U.S. troops offloaded an amphibious expeditionary force. The job involved moving the Command’s hundreds of vehicles, tactical operations centers, cyber communication capabilities, and communications networks. Once offloaded, the expeditionary force moved hundreds of miles inland to take up the pre-positioned equipment it would use in combat.