In Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth‚ you’ll find various materials you can use to craft and upgrade the most powerful weapons. Some necessary materials are tricky to find‚ so here is our guide telling you where to find the Squid Tentacles in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth – where to find the Squid Tentacles When you invest enough in Julie’s Gearworks that the establishment levels up a bit‚ she can start crafting amazing weapons for you. Some of the absolute finest equipment available requires the Squid Tentacles. Those listings are basically just there to taunt you‚ as I see it. You can’t find the Squid Tentacles until Chapter 10 of the campaign. Screenshot: PC Invasion As you play through Chapter 10‚ you will eventually visit a training area. It’s like the Hawaii Haunt you will have explored earlier. The Yokohama Underground has a host who will trade Geomijul Survey Data for special rewar...

As you progress through Palworld‚ you will eventually end up needing a massive amount of Quartz. It is used for everything from production lines to modern kitchens. However‚ it is a lot more scarce on the Palworld map than other minerals‚ so here are three spots you can find it in abundance. Snowy Mountain Located in more or less the centre of the Palworld map‚ you will find a large snowy mountain. On the northern face of this mountain‚ you can find a huge deposit of pure Quartz that can be easily mined. The coordinates are 200‚ 99. Placing a base here would be a fantastic idea for a passive Quartz ore collection in Palworld. Screenshot: PC Invasion South of the Snowy North Just as you reach the snowy northern areas of the map‚ you can find some huge deposits of Quartz. Collecting this yourself will require warm clothing or some kind of heating. If you plan to build a base here‚ you will need a source of heat as well as the level 3 mining Pals to...

The Pentagon plans to cover advanced fertility treatments for same-sex and unmarried couples‚ Military.com reported‚ citing court documents unsealed recently as part of an ongoing lawsuit. Certain military hospitals offer donor gametes and in vitro fertilization to married troops at a cost‚ or free to those whose infertility can be connected to a service-related injury‚ according to Military.com. The military health system plans to introduce a rule change expanding that coverage to unmarried service members‚ nixing the requirement that recipients be married and permitting the use of donor eggs or sperm‚ the documents viewed by the outlet said. “[The Defense Department] is in the process of determining the exact contours of these policy changes and expects to finalize and share with plaintiff a signed memorandum by the end of February 2024 that formally directs the changes and provides further details on their scope‚” Damian Williams‚ U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York‚ wrote‚ according to Military.com. Advocates claimed the DOD’s existing policy discriminated against same-sex couples and single troops‚ according to Military.com. In August‚ the National Organization for Women‚ the Yale Law School Veterans Legal Services Clinic‚ and the National Veterans Legal Services Program sued the DOD and the Department of Veterans Affairs based on that claim. They also allege the policy violates the Affordable Care Act‚ which bans sex-based discrimination. “Infertility is pervasive within the military community‚ leaving thousands of veterans and service members struggling to build their families‚” the complaint states. Research shows that veterans and service members experience higher rates of infertility than the general population‚ often as a result of the physical hardships they undergo in service‚ according to the groups. The VA is reviewing its policy in consideration of the DOD’s changes‚ the documents seen by Military.com state. An extension on the case was granted while the VA deliberates the DOD’s planned changes. “We applaud the Department of Defense for working to expand access to fertility treatments for service members‚” Sonia Ossorio‚ executive director of NOW NYC‚ said in a statement‚ according to Military.com. “We are overjoyed for our military members who may only now qualify for coverage and desperately need this care to build a family.” Yesterday‚ @DepSecDef joined @POTUS and @VP at the @WhiteHouse for the 1st Reproductive Health Care Access Task Force meeting. The Deputy Secretary discussed several steps the Department has taken to ensure access to care. Taking care of our people remains our top priority. pic.twitter.com/cK4IsrZGdE— Department of Defense ?? (@DeptofDefense) August 4‚ 2022 The Pentagon’s current policy pays for in vitro fertilization‚ counseling‚ and select assisted reproductive technologies just for married service members with service-related infertility‚ according to Military.com. Some married troops can pay for in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination at one of seven military-operated facilities. The military’s health plan‚ TRICARE‚ has limited care options mostly related to diagnosing issues and does not cover most reproductive assistance procedures. Under the Biden administration‚ the Pentagon and the VA have dramatically sought to expand accommodations for troops and veterans who are LGBTQ and boost access to abortion and reproductive aids. “There are limitations on services that VA can provide to include to legally married‚ same-sex couples‚ [limitations] that we think are not in keeping with our requirement to care for all veterans‚” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in May. Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post DOD Plans to Cover Fertility Treatments for Same-Sex and Unmarried Couples appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Is 2024 the year of polyamory? “How Did Polyamory Become So Popular?” wonders The New Yorker in a late December article. The New York Times gushes in a Jan. 13 article: “How a Polyamorous Mom Had ‘a Big Sexual Adventure’ and Found Herself.” More articles rapidly followed. New York Magazine’s Jan. 16 cover article was “A Practical Guide to Modern Polyamory.” The Wall Street Journal warned‚ “You’re Looking for ‘The One.’ These Dating-App Users Are Looking for ‘Another One.’” And the New York Post asked‚ “Is your relationship ready for polyamory? 6 signs that point to yes.” It’s not just you; everyone is talking about being open. But even though it’s become more discussed‚ it isn’t such a simple thing to do well. For our latest cover story‚ we’ve created an exceedingly in-depth guide to the polyverse. https://t.co/28V4FiHfWD pic.twitter.com/UEuipgB1Eg— New York Magazine (@NYMag) January 21‚ 2024 Is our society shifting? Is being monogamous soon going to be yet another thing that sets apart religious Americans from everyone else? Are parents soon going to have to make the case for monogamy to the next generation? As much as I’d love to chalk this up as another made-up media narrative‚ there is some evidence polyamory is catching on. A third of singles have been in a non-monogamous relationship‚ according to a 2023 survey of American singles by Match‚ a dating site company. Just half of singles (49%) picked monogamy as their ideal sexual relationship structure. Perusing dating apps‚ I’ve seen men saying they are in an open relationship and looking for another. A third of Americans‚ including an astonishing 51% of 18- to 29-year-olds‚ say that an open marriage is “acceptable‚” according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in April 2023. What is going on? Curious‚ I decided to read the new book “More: A Memoir of Open Marriage‚” by Molly Roden Winter‚ a Brooklyn wife and mother who chronicles her adventures in polyamorous relationships. In her new memoir‚ “More‚” Molly Roden Winter recounts the often turbulent experience of open marriage and the challenges of juggling her obligations as a wife and mother with her pursuit of sexual and romantic fulfillment. https://t.co/APHbyN8h5r pic.twitter.com/zfMbVhckjH— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 17‚ 2024 Winter‚ who is interviewed in several of the new articles about polyamory‚ writes about her various experiences and ends her book by talking about how she wondered‚ before her second child arrived‚ how she could love him as much as her first. “But then a miracle happened. Nate arrived. And I loved them both‚” she recounts. “Because love is vast. Abundant. Infinite‚ in fact. And the secret is this: love begets love. The more you love‚ the more you have to give.” The message is clear: Just as we can love multiple children‚ so can we love multiple romantic partners. But Winter’s actual tale—to give her credit‚ she is honest about the turbulence and devastation open marriage brings to her—paints a much less rosy picture. In fact‚ the book convinced me polyamory is just the latest way the patriarchy is hoodwinking the women of America. While Molly Roden Winter paints herself as the protagonist of her own story‚ it is her husband‚ Stew‚ whose urges drive the opening of the marriage. After Stew sees a flirty text from another man to Molly‚ then his wife of a decade‚ he advocates that Molly‚ who did not plan to have further contact with the man‚ sleep with him. When Molly goes out on a date with the new man‚ her husband texts her: “Have fun‚ tonight‚ baby. I’ll be thinking about you.” Her reaction to the text is: “Something about his message irritates me. Does he think this is all for him?” Sadly‚ Molly does not linger on this question long enough. When she chickens out on sleeping with the new man‚ who has a girlfriend of his own‚ Stew is disappointed—but doesn’t let Winter forget. “For the first few months after my failed ‘date‚’ when Stew and I have sex‚ he tries to keep the fantasy of Matt alive. Talking about Matt feeds Stewart’s libido.” When Molly sees Matt again‚ she once again wonders if she should sleep with him. Confiding to a friend‚ she says‚ “Stewart wants me to sleep with him … He says the idea of it turns him on.” Ah‚ feminism in the 2020s. It’s no longer enough to sleep with your husband. Now you also have to gratify him sexually by sleeping with other men. She ultimately does sleep with Matt‚ arguing unconvincingly that she didn’t do it for Stew or her marriage but because “it is what I want.” But almost immediately the situation spirals. Molly recounts being teary‚ worried Matt won’t cheat on his girlfriend again with her. Stew‚ ever the Prince Charming‚ quickly asks if it’s OK if he can sleep with an ex-girlfriend‚ to which Winter reluctantly agrees‚ conceding it’s “not fair” if she can sleep with others and he can’t. The book rapidly gallops through similarly heartwarming scenes. When Molly finds out that Stew did indeed sleep with his ex‚ she recounts her emotional response: “My legs give way. I crumple onto the floor next to the bed. I’m afraid I might vomit.” Nor do the men she dates treat her well. A man on his third marriage doesn’t ask for permission to not use a condom; consistently takes her to a place where you rent rooms for two or three hours‚ furniture “covered in easy-to-wipe plastic‚” and when she refuses to cave into his pleadings that they go to a sex club‚ tells her‚ “Very well. Perhaps it is time I look for another … ” Another fling calls her one day for an afternoon sex session that she describes as “consensual‚” but “also rough … rougher than I want it to be.”  She decides to prioritize the man’s needs: “I give myself over to his desires and try to squelch my own.” On the subway ride home‚ Molly ponders her decision‚ wondering‚ “Why didn’t I stop him? Why couldn’t I tell him how he was making me feel—like a Grubhub delivery to a ravenous man‚ devoured without even the civility of napkin or utensils?” “Because‚ really‚ who am I?  I am not special. I am not loved. I’m not even Leo’s mistress. I am his piece of ass on the side. What did I expect anyway?” Talk about a fairy tale. In search of a More intimate read ?? MORE by Molly Roden Winter is an unputdownable memoir of love‚ desire‚ and personal growth that follows a happily married mother’s exploration of sex and relationships—outside of her marriage.? pic.twitter.com/TzD306CV1x— Doubleday (@doubledaybooks) December 17‚ 2023 When Molly stops finding men on Ashley Madison‚ a dating site for cheaters‚ her luck doesn’t substantially change. She meets Karl‚ who has a bisexual girlfriend. At first‚ Karl is wonderful‚ but after Molly isn’t enthusiastic enough about a threesome with him and his girlfriend—a threesome she talks herself into‚ despite her clear reluctance—Karl disappears. Months later‚ she sees a wedding photo of Karl and his girlfriend. “Looking at the two of them together‚ I feel sure I spent more time thinking about Karl than he spent thinking about me. I was merely a pawn. Martina liked straight women. Karl’s job was to bring them home to her‚” she writes. Definitely what every teenage girl dreams of happening in her adult romantic life. Sadly‚ Molly isn’t even the first woman in her family to go down this path because of a man. She tells of her mother’s experience in an open marriage‚ where her mother slept with men she explored spirituality with and nicknamed “Jesus Christ” and “Buddha.”  “It was your father’s idea‚” her mother tells Winter about the affairs she had. Later‚ in therapy‚ Winter explores her feelings about her mother’s life in a heartbreaking monologue. “It makes me question if my mother ever did anything for herself‚” she recalls telling her therapist‚ adding: I mean‚ seeing other men was my father’s idea. And then this whole spiritual quest of hers was driven by the men she was involved with. Even her names for them: Jesus Christ and Buddha. Like they’re divine beings or something. Like the men have all the answers and she’s just following them … So I’m wondering if that’s the source of the ‘repressed rage’ she told me about. “It freaks me out a little‚” Molly tells her therapist of her mother’s experience. “I thought her sexual freedom was the one release valve she had. But what if it was just‚ I don’t know‚ an illusion of freedom?” Bingo. Sadly‚ Molly maintains to the end that her open marriage is a positive experience of learning and love—perhaps because she remains in thrall to her husband. She concedes that she has “fantasized” about returning to monogamy with Stew‚ but “I know Stewart is happier this way.” Less convincingly‚ she continues that an open marriage is “good for me‚ too … I’m learning to be responsible for my own happiness.” Left unexplored is whether she could continue that responsibility while also closing her marriage. For all the hoopla about Molly’s being a brave pioneer and trendsetter in the ways of modern love‚ her tale is ultimately as old as time. She’s yet another woman suppressing her sexual longings and true desires to keep her man happy. When I finished Molly’s book‚ I felt immense pity for her‚ for this woman who is assaulted constantly by migraines‚ who is frequently stifling her quite natural feelings‚ and who‚ for all her talk about no longer being the pleasant “Straight-A Molly” of her youth‚ seems doomed always to be a people pleaser. But based on the trends‚ Molly won’t be the only woman who falls victim to this lifestyle. Research suggests polyamory is unlikely to bring about genuine happiness for many. Ashley McGuire‚ author of the book “Sex Scandal‚” writes at the Institute for Family Studies blog: [R]esearch has found that long-term stability and happiness are tied to having less‚ not more‚ sexual partners‚ with the least likely cohort to divorce being women whose only sexual partner in life is the man they married. Research published … also found that couples who are the ‘least sexually experienced’ outside of marriage report the highest levels of both sexual and emotional satisfaction in their marriages. No doubt the media and other key influencers will continue hyping polyamory as something glamorous and adventurous‚ an exciting quest for sexual fulfillment. But Molly Roden Winter’s memoir‚ despite her efforts‚ tells the truth: For many women‚ polyamory is likely to end in tears and sadness‚ not joy and satisfaction. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post The Patriarchy’s New Way to Quash Women’s Happiness appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The University of California Regents delayed a plan that would have allowed illegal immigrant students to have jobs on campus‚ Politico reported. The UC Regents voted on Thursday to put the plan on hold for at least a year‚ according to Politico. The Department of Homeland Security previously pressed UC officials to reconsider the plan‚ which it saw as a violation of federal law. “We concluded that the proposed legal pathway is not viable at this time‚ and in fact carries significant risks for the institution and for those we serve‚” UC President Michael Drake told Politico. “For that reason‚ it is inadvisable for the university to initiate implementation right now.” There are an estimated 4‚000 undocumented students enrolled in the UC system who will be unable to obtain campus jobs and paid fellowships‚ according to Politico. The students are among illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and cannot work because of legal challenges to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. UC Regent John Perez was saddened by the decision‚ according to Politico. “Quite frankly‚ I wish I was more surprised‚” Perez told Politico. The university will pursue “experiential learning” opportunities for students‚ instead‚ Drake reportedly said. Immigration is a pivotal issue for the upcoming 2024 presidential election‚ with 43% of Hispanic adults identifying immigration as the No. 1 issue‚ according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. The Biden administration has released more than 800‚000 illegal immigrants into the U.S. with future court dates in 2023. UC did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment. Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post University Of California Officials Delay Plan to Hire Illegal Immigrant Students appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Sign Up To Keep Reading This post is for Reclaim The Net supporters. Gain access to the entire archive of features and supporters-only content. Help protect free speech‚ freedom from surveillance‚ and digital civil liberties. Join Already a supporter? Login here The post Tor for Privacy and Censorship Circumvention: Benefits‚ Things to Consider‚ and Best Desktop and Mobile Apps appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

“Rommel‚ you magnificent bastard! I read your book!” shouts a triumphant U.S. Lt. Gen. George S. Patton‚ Jr. (as played by Best Actor Oscar winner‚ George C. Scott in 1970’s Best Picture‚ Patton) while watching the March-April 1943 Battle of El Guettar in Tunisia‚ North Africa. This “gotcha!” exclamation implies the American general gained the key to victory over the German-Italian Axis forces he mistakenly thought were then commanded by Rommel from reading Rommel’s own impressive account of his development as a daring‚ tactically-innovative troop commander fighting French‚ Romanian‚ Russian and Italian units in World War I. An avid reader of all things military history—his extensive‚ personally-annotated military history library was donated to the West Point Library—the real Patton probably did read Infanterie greift an‚ published by then-Lt. Col. Erwin Rommel in Germany in 1937‚ two years before World War II began and four years before Rommel earned his nickname‚ “The Desert Fox”. But the first English language edition—heavily abridged and edited by (understandably) anti-German wartime military censors only initially appeared in 1943. What is certain‚ however‚ is that Patton never read this excellent‚ insightful‚ and revealing new English translation—which is much truer and exceedingly more faithful to Rommel’s highly nuanced‚ original German account than the extremely poor‚ indifferently translated wartime 1943 and 1944 English editions. Comparing Zita Steele’s (pen name of award-winning writer-historian-editor‚ Zita Ballinger Fletcher) brilliant new translation of Rommel’s classic book is akin to comparing Shakespeare’s Hamlet to a fourth-grade “Dick and Jane” grammar book. Steele’s deft translation finally does justice to Rommel’s original German text. Bringing the Original Text To Life Rommel’s original text comes vividly alive through Steele’s superb German-to-English translation and his account of how he reacted to and developed his innovative small-unit tactics to consistently defeat the forces arrayed against his own unit is exceptionally well-revealed in her new book. Usually outnumbered and outgunned‚ German mountain ranger assault troops under the young Rommel‚ time and time again overcame their enemies’ superior numbers and greater firepower to achieve their often daunting objectives. Steele consistently‚ and much more correctly‚ translates “German alpine troops” as “mountain rangers‚” thereby better capturing the true nature of these‚ in effect‚ early versions of what would eventually be known as “special operations forces”. this article first appeared in military history quarterly See more stories subscribe now!   Rommel describes how and why he developed the tactics he used to prevail in each engagement‚ revealing his constant development as an innovative troop leader. This excellent new translation traces the gradual but proceeding development during combat in France and in the mountains of the Eastern Front of the young Rommel whose later operational genius would suddenly burst forth upon the Belgian‚ French and North African battlefields of World War II. This translation demonstrates the roots of Rommel’s operational genius‚ showing “how Rommel became Rommel.”  Rommel As A Person Steele also reveals Erwin Rommel as a person‚ with the all-too-human flaws he possessed. Although the enduring image of Rommel was that of a homebody “family” man‚ a devoted‚ doting husband to his wife Lucie (they married in 1916)‚ his relationship with another woman produced an illegitimate daughter‚ Gertrud‚ in 1913‚ whom he manfully acknowledged and for whom he provided financial support. Additionally‚ Steele presents a convincing argument—based on Rommel’s admitted life-long insomnia and recurrent nightmares—that he suffered from PTSD‚ post traumatic stress disorder. Given his WWI wounds‚ the nightmarish combat he endured in that war‚ and the loss of many close friends‚ that diagnosis seems completely credible. Coincidentally‚ Patton’s best biographer‚ Carlo D’Este‚ concludes—very convincingly—that Patton also suffered from PTSD. This reviewer strongly concurs with both authors’ “diagnoses.” Was Rommel A Nazi? Steele also delves into THE question involving Rommel: Was he or was he not a “Nazi?” Although it is a historical fact that Erwin Rommel was never a member of the Nazi Party‚ his promotions by Adolf Hitler always beg the question of was Rommel a “secret” Nazi‚ whether an official member of the Party or not? Steele concludes—correctly in this reviewer’s opinion—that Rommel was definitely not a Nazi. Clearly‚ Rommel personally benefited from Hitler’s support and indulgences‚ but so did other non-Nazis if they served Hitler’s interests when that service was beneficial to the Nazi dictator. Rommel was enough of a non-Nazi that he paid the ultimate price—Hitler’s toadies forced the field marshal to commit suicide on Oct. 14‚ 1944 in the wake of the July 20‚ 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler of which Rommel knew but of which he was not an integral part. Zita Steele’s new book which is based on her new‚ insightful‚ nuanced and authoritative English translation of Erwin Rommel’s classic of military history 1937 book‚ Infantry Attacks‚ is a hands’-down‚ “must-have” book in any military history enthusiast’s library. It not only makes earlier English translations of Rommel’s book obsolete‚ it’s a “classic” account of World War I combat. Above all‚ it’s an insightful preview of one of the most famous commanders of World War II—and how he learned his trade! Buy it! Read it! Enjoy it! ERwin Rommel: First War A New Look At Infantry AttacksBy Zita Steele get it on amazon This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through our site‚ we might earn a commission.

In 1964‚ the Republic of Korea (ROK) dispatched soldiers to assist the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) in its fight against communism. Recovering from its own terrifying and bloody brush with communist aggression just a decade prior‚ ROK President Park Chung-Hee offered to help his ally‚ the United States‚ prevent another Asian country from turning “Red.” That first brigade of engineers‚ doctors‚ and military police grew to two Army infantry divisions and a Marine brigade within two years‚ fighting in some of the nastiest campaigns of the war.   By the time ROK forces withdrew from Vietnam in 1973‚ over 320‚000 Korean troops had rotated through the war zone—the second largest foreign contingent in the war after the U.S. Korean troops in Vietnam left behind over 5‚000 dead‚ 11‚000 wounded‚ and a hard-earned reputation as ferocious and stubborn fighters that continues to characterize the ROK armed forces today. Although born in the crucible of the Korean War‚ the ROK Army and Marine Corps were forged by their experiences in Vietnam into a modern and effective fighting force.   South Korean Support For America It is always the case that a long trail of logistics and support personnel makes it possible for brave men at the front to do brave things. This was no less true in Vietnam and proved just as necessary for the ROK during its first-ever combat deployment overseas. Without a global base structure of its own‚ the ROK relied on allies and partners to assist with the logistical support necessary to keep two infantry divisions and a Marine brigade in the fight. Clark Field in the Philippines and Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taiwan provided such assistance to South Korea and were integral to the 1972-73 Vietnam experiences of now retired ROK Air Force Col. Han Jin-Hwan.   Col. Han Jin-Hwan. Han Jin-Hwan joined the ROK Air Force in 1959 and volunteered to go to Vietnam in 1972. Col. Han joined the ROK Air Force in 1959 after graduating from Chung-ang University in Seoul. Trained as a weapons controller‚ his stellar service record and exceptional proficiency with the English language led to his selection to attend the Defense Language Institute at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas from 1964-65. Then he went to Weapons Controller School at Tyndall Air Force Base and the Air-Ground Operations School at Hurlburt Field—both in Florida—through 1966. Col. Han retired from the military in 1983 after a distinguished career and remains a civic leader in his community today.   In autumn 2023‚ he agreed to sit down for an interview with Vietnam magazine—the first interview of its kind this magazine has featured—to share his experiences with readers in the United States.     Col. Han‚ where are you from in Korea? I was born and raised in Seoul‚ the capital of the Republic of Korea.   What did your parents do and what was it like growing up? My father [Han Sang-Jik] was a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Public Affairs. In 1950‚ when North Korea invaded‚ we couldn’t evacuate to the south and so were forced into hiding. A friend of my father’s talked him into coming out into the open where he was then captured by the North Koreans. That “friend” turned out to be a communist sympathizer.   My father was taken North with many other public officials and we never saw him again. I was 12 years old at the time.   I always remembered three things my father taught me: “If you start something‚ never give up until the very end‚” “Always be diligent‚” and‚ “Always be a good person.”   Han Sang-Jik. During the war‚ Col. Han’s father Han Sang-Jik was taken prisoner by communist forces. Were you drafted or did you volunteer to go to Vietnam? I volunteered‚ though not in the way you Americans did. I’d joined the ROK Air Force in 1959‚ and so in 1972 I was a major working directly for the Chief of Staff of the ROK Air Force. He asked me at the time where I wanted to serve next and I told him Vietnam.   It was hard for Air Force officers to go there at the time as there were few of our personnel in Vietnam‚ so competition for the few slots was high. Since I asked the Chief of Staff directly‚ he agreed and made the arrangements.   U.S. Marines pass through a village during the Korean War. What inspired you to volunteer? I felt strongly ever since 1950‚ when the United States came to our aid and helped our country beat back the communist North‚ that Korea owed a debt to the U.S. We were poor then with few modern weapons and little ammunition.   A lot of equipment was shared with us and many U.S. soldiers died on our behalf. President Park decided the ROK would dispatch troops to Vietnam and I wanted to do my part to help repay that national debt.   Did you receive any special training before deploying to Vietnam? Due to the nature of my mission the only training I received took place at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul.   What unit did you serve in? I served in the Air Force Support Group‚ with its headquarters located at Tan Son Nhut Air Base near Saigon. As it turned out‚ I only stayed there for three months before being dispatched to Clark Field in the Philippines as ROK Liaison Officer.   When did you first arrive in country and what was it like? Late May 1972‚ on a ROKAF C-54.Saigon wasn’t exactly the frontier. We stayed at a small hotel. The soldiers and airmen stationed at Tan Son Nhut didn’t really feel the war like the men did out in the jungle. Our infantry were at the front and fighting‚ but would come back to Saigon for rest and recovery. My wartime duty station was a recovery site for others!   What was your mission there? I handled all coordination for ROK personnel—military and civilian—moving between Korea and Vietnam. I managed a small village full of trailers for our people to overnight in when necessary. My NCO and I also provided escort duty to the medevac flights taking our wounded and dead from Vietnam back to Korea. These missions were all-day flights for us‚ on ROKAF C-54 and C-9 aircraft specially adapted to transport litter and ambulatory patients. The medevac flights routed from Vietnam to Taiwan and then on to Daegu‚ Gimpo‚ or Gwangju Air Bases in Korea.   During the layover in Taiwan I arranged for meals—regular or soft food—and handled all financial transactions required as well as making whatever arrangements were necessary with the nursing staff. After landing in Korea and unloading both our wounded and deceased members‚ we had four hours before the return flight to Clark. Those missions took all day starting with a 3 a.m. briefing at Clark and not returning till late at night.   My duties required me to have dealings with the U.S. military hospital at Clark. That facility was very large and a lot of wounded and deceased U.S. soldiers came through there. I remember seeing so many coffins.   Did anything surprise you about Vietnam? You couldn’t tell friend from foe. You couldn’t look at someone and see whether or not they were communists. Because of this‚ the Support Group commander‚ Lt. Gen. Lee‚ instituted a curfew and so we weren’t allowed into the city at night.   An ROK Marine (right) takes two Viet Cong insurgents prisoner as they emerge from an underground hiding place. The Republic of Korea had the second largest troop presence in Vietnam after the U.S.‚ with 320‚000 troops passing through the war zone. Did you interact with local Vietnamese and‚ if so‚ what did you think about them? We used to visit “Chollum” [sic] market. At the time I bought a set of 10 ceramic plates decorated in a French style for my wife. I still have three or four. People in the market smiled at us and treated us nicely but we always wondered if they weren’t really communist at heart. That said‚ unit regulations prevented us from any significant interaction with the locals.   How hard was it to do your mission‚ and how long did it last? At times it was very difficult—especially the medevac flights—but I felt then that it was a job worth doing and I was honored to do it. I was very patriotic at that age and since I couldn’t go to the forward areas and fight‚ I really wanted to help those who’d been wounded doing so. There was a lot of job satisfaction for me there. Still‚ it was very hard for me to see our soldiers that way.   It was a one-year tour for me‚ 1972 to 1973. Three months at Tan Son Nhut and then nine more at Clark.   Do you recall any particularly memorable experiences while performing that mission? So many. Some of our wounded had been blinded or lost limbs. It was pitiful to see them so badly injured. They were all so young‚ so full of life‚ but dedicated to the mission there and ready to sacrifice. I felt…it was just very pitiful to see them that way.   Did you work with American troops in Vietnam? If so‚ what was your experience with them? I didn’t really work with Americans in Vietnam‚ but of course I worked with so many stationed at Clark Field. I thought they were generally very good soldiers and very patriotic.   How many trips did you make to Vietnam? The medevac flights took place roughly once every three weeks or so. My NCO and I took turns escorting the medevac flights and so I made three or four trips back into Vietnam. He was a medical Technical Sergeant.   Besides soldiers‚ what kind of people passed through Clark from Korea? Lots of entertainers‚ assemblymen‚ even Miss Korea‚ but not many so late in the war.   Col. Han’s wife‚ daughter‚ and son are shown in a photo taken circa 1974. Han’s daughter—born in 1973‚ halfway through his Vietnam deployment—could well be wearing baby clothes that Han bought for his family at Clark Field. Was your family concerned for your welfare? They were concerned‚ but I received combat pay while deployed to Vietnam and so that was good news. It was a lot of money for us back then and my wife saved up the excess pay to buy an apartment in Seoul. I remember my daughter was born halfway through my tour of duty‚ in 1973. Because I had access to the U.S. Air Force Base Exchange on Clark‚ I bought a bunch of baby clothes and sent them home to my wife. These things helped them and took their minds off the fact that I might be in a dangerous situation. How did you feel when the U.S. withdrew from Vietnam? It all kind of felt like a waste of time‚ and I hated the thought that the communists had won after all. It made me think that no matter how much help might be given‚ we could never change peoples’ ideology. It was the same with North Korea. The experience left me‚ if anything‚ even more anti-communist‚ more dedicated to protecting our freedoms than before.   When you returned to Korea from your deployment‚ did you face any negativity because of your experience in Vietnam? No‚ none at all. The government thanked us for our service in Vietnam and gifted us our first color television and a new refrigerator. You laugh‚ but there weren’t many color TVs in Korea in 1973‚ so we felt special. The military handed us coupons upon our return and we just went into a store and walked away with the new appliances. Our going to the war really wasn’t a political or social issue back then‚ though you must remember we had a military government at the time so protests were difficult.   Still‚ our participation in the Vietnam War didn’t become an issue at all until later‚ when left-leaning politicians used it for political gain. At the time‚ we were welcomed back home and those who returned with me just felt lucky to be alive.   Have you been back to Vietnam since the war ended? No…and don’t really have any desire to do so. That was a long time ago.   ROK Marines travel to the combat zone on a U.S. resupply transport in late 1967. South Korea sustained over 5‚000 dead and 11‚000 wounded during the Vietnam War. Col. Han escorted medevac flights transporting wounded and deceased ROK soldiers from Vietnam back to Korea. Is there anything you would like to say to Vietnam veterans in the U.S. reading this story? The U.S. veterans of that war were heroes for standing up to the spread of communism overseas. I think it was a very difficult experience for them and I appreciate it so much.   What would you like young people to know about the Vietnam War? War is a very cruel and difficult thing. My generation knew war and poverty‚ precisely because of communist aggression from North Korea and later North Vietnam. Our young must be thankful to their elders for all our sacrifices‚ but they know nothing of war or difficulty.   They can’t understand enduring poverty‚ death‚ and destruction because of the communists up north. It’s all ancient history to them—almost like a fairy tale. This is why they lean toward leftist ideas. They just don’t understand what happened the last time those ideas marched south.   Is there anything you would like to add? It seems rich countries always feel the need to help poorer countries.   And yet the ROK was quite a poor country when it decided to help South Vietnam. Yes‚ and in a strange way‚ it ended up being our nation’s pathway to material success and the prosperity you see in Korea today. Our sacrifice served our nation well. This interview appeared in the 2024 Winter issue of Vietnam magazine. this article first appeared in vietnam magazine See more stories SubscriBE NOW!  

One of the finest‚ most revealing and genuinely authentic accounts of the French Army of Napoleon Bonaparte (from May 18‚ 1804‚ Emperor Napoleon I) are the memoirs written by an officer who served in it as an infantry captain through numerous campaigns. Entering the French Army as a velite (elite infantryman named after those of ancient Rome) in Napoleon’s Imperial Guard‚ Blaze gained an officer’s commission and then served mainly as a line infantry captain. He participated in the French Emperor’s series of wars waged upon France by a succession of coalitions formed by Europe’s kings and princes who were determined to stamp out the forces of change and reform unleashed by the 1789 French Revolution and spread by Napoleon’s conquests that threatened their regimes.  Blaze participated in numerous campaigns‚ from those in Poland (1807) through Napoleon’s defeat in March 1814 in the War of the Sixth Coalition leading to the Emperor’s first exile (to Elba). Particularly revealing to Napoleonic War scholars are Blaze’s recollections in his memoir of the Peninsular War (1807-1814)‚ the brutal struggle fought on the Iberian Peninsula that pitted the occupying power‚ France‚ against Spain‚ Portugal and Britain in fierce combat featuring both conventional and guerrilla warfare (the name itself of the unconventional warfare by which the latter is known originating in the Peninsular War).  A keen observer with the literary skill to capture his observations in captivating prose‚ Blaze’s descriptions of bloody combat and its inevitably grim aftereffects seem generations ahead of his time. This excerpt from Blaze’s memoir pulls no punches.  Marching With Napoleon People‚ after having read history‚ generally think that a battle is like a review at the Champ de Mars‚ and that one hundred thousand men placed opposite one hundred thousand men amuse themselves in shooting down each other at their ease to the accompaniment of cannon to produce the effect of the double-bass in an orchestra. I am going to explain to them how a battle is fought. Our army is on the march preceded by its advance guard‚ composed of light troops. The hussars go like very devils; they trot‚ they gallop‚ the enemy flees before them; but soon they stop‚ our hussars stop also. A village defended by a few hundred men is in front of us‚ it is ordered attacked by sharpshooters. At the moment that our men enter the gardens‚ a battalion of the enemy appears which makes them lose ground. We send a regiment to support them‚ the others send two; we order forward ten‚ the enemy shows us twenty; each side makes the artillery advance‚ the cannon growl‚ soon everyone takes part in the merry-making‚ fighting goes on‚ they slaughter one another; one cries for his leg‚ another for his nose‚ others cry for nothing‚ and there is food for the crows and for the makers of official reports. The Science of A General The science of a general-in-chief amounts to this: to have on a set day‚ at a given point‚ as many men as possible. Napoleon said it‚ and Napoleon was a judge. A general must know which point of the map will be most seriously disputed. It is there that the battle will be fought‚ it is consequently there that he must bring all his troops by twenty different roads. An order badly given‚ badly understood‚ often causes the failure of the finest strategic combinations‚ to-wit: [Marshal Emmanuel de] Grouchy’s corps which did not reach Waterloo [leading to Napoleon’s final defeat‚ June 18‚ 1815]. The First Consul‚ before leaving Paris‚ had marked with a pin on the map the plain of Marengo for the scene of a new triumph; the result justified his prevision. The science of a general consists also in knowing the strength of the enemy at such a point‚ his weakness at such another. To succeed in this‚ the service of spies is indispensable. Good ones must be had and they must be well paid. Napoleon gave gold by the handfuls; it was a good investment. We have had generals put to rout because they haggled on the subject of secret funds. Napoleon’s troops are shown fighting at the Nov. 30‚ 1808 battle of Somosierra. Blaze claims he could “write ten volumes simply on the truly fabulous acts of bravery of our warriors‚” reflecting that glory kept troops motivated. When one approaches a battlefield where the fighting is on‚ nothing is so discouraging for the young soldiers as the remarks of the wounded who are going back. “Do not go so fast‚ do not hurry‚” they say‚ to be killed‚ it is not necessary to run so quickly.’ “The enemy is ten times more numerous than we.”…In vain are they told to be silent; an arm in a sling‚ a gash across the face guarantee impunity‚ give the right of insolence‚ and the jeremiads continue so long as they find someone to listen to them. Pleasure and Pain One of these poor devils was passing before us with his head split open and his arm broken. Everyone was moved to pity at sight of him. “How sad!” the men said: “two wounds! what a long road to go to be bandaged!” “You are all fools‚” exclaimed the wounded man: “you’ll have more than that presently: I know my fate‚ but you do not know yours.” You should have seen the faces of the recruits on hearing these remarks‚ and specially on seeing the first bodies they came across. They went twenty feet out of their way for fear of touching them‚ soon they came nearer‚ later they marched over them without ceremony. Man becomes accustomed to everything‚ to pleasure and to pain. How often have you experienced that a great grief‚ a great joy‚ after two weeks becomes dull sensation‚ a very ordinary thing? Remember this at your next sorrow‚ and say: “This will pass as other sorrows have passed.” To prove the truth of my reasoning‚ I am going to tell you a little story. You know that after the siege of Toulon [August-December 1793]‚ the Republic caused all those who at that time were opposed to it to be shot down. After the guns had thrown down entire lines‚ a voice called out: “Let all those who are not dead rise! The Republic pardons them!” A few wretched wounded‚ others whom the grape-shot had spared‚ deluded by this promise‚ raised their heads: at that moment‚ a squadron of butchers (history says a squadron of dragoons; history must be mistaken) rushes on them‚ sword in hand‚ completing what the guns had commenced; soon the sun set over this atrocious slaughter.  On a beautiful night‚ one of these wretches awakes in the middle of this ocean of bodies; he is wounded in ten places‚ in the head‚ in the legs‚ in the arms‚ in the chest‚ everywhere. He rolls over‚ he drags himself along. “Who goes there?” cries the sentry…”Finish me‚ you will do me a service; you will perform an act of humanity.’ “I am not an executioner‚ I tell you.” “Finish me‚ I beg of you‚ all my members are broken‚ my head is split open‚ it is impossible for me to recover; you will spare me horrible suffering‚ finish me.” Fear and Honor The sentry drew near‚ verified the condition of the wounded man; believing in the impossibility of a cure‚ compassion determined him; had he fired his gun‚ the post would have taken up arms‚ he thought it best to use his bayonet‚ which he thrust into the body of the wretched man. Would you believe it? This man did not die. The next day‚ while burying all these corpses‚ a grave-digger saw that he was still alive; he carried him to his home‚ nursed him‚ and life returned. All the wounds were cured. That man was M. de Launoy‚ a naval officer under Louis XVI; he might well have spared himself that last bayonet thrust… It must not be believed that in the army everyone is brave; I have seen some who could never become accustomed to the sound of the cannon. At Wagram [1809]‚ a soldier of my company had a violent attack of epilepsy which was ended by the whizzing of the first shot. An officer of my regiment‚ with thirty years of service‚ had never been on the fighting line; the sight of a sword made him pale‚ and he confessed it frankly. “I should very much like to go on the battlefield‚ but it is not possible‚ I should fall back at the first gunshot‚ and it would be a very bad example.” He was usually left behind at the garrison where‚ however‚ he made himself very useful by drilling the recruits.   If everyone was not brave in the army‚ there were some to be found whose courage was not to be compared to anything; and this in all ranks‚ in all degrees‚ from King [Joachim‚ King of Naples‚ French Marshal] Murat to the common fusilier‚ from General [Jean-Marie] Dorsenne to the drummer. I could write ten volumes simply on the truly fabulous acts of bravery of our warriors. I shall mention but one which the entire third army corps witnessed in Spain. General [later Marshal‚ Louis-Gabriel] Suchet had just taken Mount Olivo [May 1811] in spite of the predictions of the Spaniards. “The trenches of Mount Olivo‚” they said‚ “will bury all the troops of Suchet‚ and the trenches of Tarragona all the troops of Bonaparte.” He meets a wounded soldier whom his comrades were carrying to the ambulance: “Victory‚ victory‚ Mount Olivo is taken!” “Are you gravely wounded?” “No‚ general‚ but unfortunately wounded seriously enough to be obliged to leave the ranks.”                   “Well answered‚ friend. What do you wish as a reward for your services?” “To be allowed to lead the attack when you take Tarragona.…You promise me this?”   “Yes.” On the 30th of June‚ 1811‚ that is to say one month after‚ the general-in-chief was about to storm the place. The troops were forming their columns of attack when a footsoldier in dress uniform‚ as resplendent as on a parade day‚ approached Suchet. “I came to remind you of your promise: I wish to lead the attack.” “Ah! it’s you‚ my brave fellow‚ very good; but soldiers of your kind are too rare that I should be wasteful of their blood. Remain in your company; by imparting your noble courage to all‚ you will render greater service than by having yourself killed alone.”… “General‚ I have your word‚ and I wish to be the first to attack.” “So much the worse‚ my brave fellow‚ so much the worse for us‚ do as you please.” The columns start and my foot soldier passes them by twenty paces; he rushes forward in the midst of the grape shot‚ he is the first to climb the breach‚ and there‚ falls riddled with bullets. Picked up by order of Suchet‚ this brave soldier was carried to the hospital: a breath of life permitted him to see on that same day the entire corps of officers‚ with the general at their head‚ who came to visit him. Suchet took off his cross to decorate the breast of the footsoldier who died admired by the whole army. That hero’s name was Bianchelli. [Politician‚ diplomat‚ historian François-René] Chateaubriand has said: “Glory must be something very real‚ since it causes the heart of the one who is only its witness to beat.” this article first appeared in military history quarterly See more stories subscribe now!  

Roger Donlon‚ the first American to receive a Medal of Honor for heroism during the Vietnam War‚ died Thursday in Leavenworth‚ Kansas‚ according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. He was 89. Donlon’s bravery in Vietnam during the summer of 1964 earned him the decoration‚ which President Lyndon B. Johnson presented him at the White House in December of that year. The Special Forces soldier’s passing followed a 12-year battle with Parkinson’s disease‚ according to an obituary shared online. Donlon was just five days short of his 90th birthday. President Lyndon B. Johnson presented Roger Donlon with the Medal of Honor in the East Room of the White House on Dec. 5‚ 1964‚ for his actions in Vietnam on July 6‚ 1964. “In my situation and every other situation that leads to the Medal of Honor‚ there is absolutely no input from the recipient. It’s all done by observers‚” Donlon previously shared‚ according to the announcement of his passing. “Heroism is a product of what other people see.” On July 6‚ 1964‚ then-Capt. Donlon was serving as the commanding officer of the Army Special Forces Detachment A-726 at Camp Nam Dong‚ Vietnam‚ about 15 miles from the border with Laos‚ when a Viet Cong battalion launched an early morning ambush that led to his distinguishing actions. In a five-hour fight‚ Donlon directed defense operations against the assault‚ exposing himself to mortar shells‚ grenades and heavy gunfire‚ according to his citation. He endured multiple injuries while leading the valiant response‚ administering first aid and encouragement to his fellow troops‚ which ended with the successful defense of the camp. Born in Saugerties‚ New York‚ Donlon enlisted in the Air Force and served from December 1953 to July 1955‚ according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. He then attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point‚ but left in 1957 to enlist in the Army the next year. Donlon commissioned as a second lieutenant after graduating from Officer Candidate School at then-Fort Benning‚ Georgia‚ and later went on to earn the “Green Beret” by completing the U.S. Army Special Warfare School at then-Fort Bragg‚ North Carolina. Rest in peace‚ Soldier.We are saddened to hear of the passing of retired Army Col. Roger H. C. Donlon. He was the first recipient of the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War. We send our deepest condolences to his family‚ friends‚ and the Special Forces community. pic.twitter.com/xLqCTUtBMG— U.S. Army (@USArmy) January 25‚ 2024 The Special Forces officer retired at the rank of colonel in 1988. He donated his Medal of Honor to the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) during a ceremony in 2018. There are currently 64 Medal of Honor Recipients alive today‚ according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Originally published by Military Times‚ our sister publication.