From a rise of land known as Chin Ridge, the men of the 75th Ohio saw a sight that must have made their blood run cold. They were part of Union General John Pope’s Army of Virginia (not to be confused with the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia), which had in the Summer of 1862 been proceeding south in an attempt to capture Richmond and end the war. However, … [Read more...] about “If They Get the Flag, They’ll Get Old Mike”
Col. William O’Brien’s Last Stand on Saipan
As the dark clouds of war gathered over America in the fall of 1940, the 105th Infantry Regiment of the N.Y. National Guard was called to active service. The regiment, recruited from Troy, NY and the surrounding area, had been sent to Fort McClellan to begin the rigorous training that would transform them from part-time to full-time soldiers. They were conducting … [Read more...] about Col. William O’Brien’s Last Stand on Saipan
CHRISTI SIMUS NON NOSTRI*
On July 17, 1950, darkness beyond that of the evening fell on the parish of Sanjeong Dong, which served as a parish and headquarters of the Columban missionaries in Chollanamdo province, Korea. Earlier in the day, the American consulate had informed Monsignor Patrick Brennan that U.N. forces could not hold the city from the advancing Communists; they advised him that all of the … [Read more...] about CHRISTI SIMUS NON NOSTRI*
Tomás MacCurtain
Tomás MacCurtain was born Ballyknockane, Mourne Abbey, County Cork, on 20 March 1884, the son of Patrick Curtin, a farmer, and Julia Sheehan. He attended The North Monastery school where Tomás fell in love with the Irish Language in addition to interests in Irish music, poetry, and history. MacCurtain became an active member of the Gaelic revival and joined the Blackpool, … [Read more...] about Tomás MacCurtain
“Uncommon Virtue is a Common Irish American Value”
It has been said of those that fought at the battle of Iwo Jima that “Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue.” It could also be said of many Irish American families that “Uncommon Virtue is a Common Value”. Both are illustrated in the story of William G. Walsh. William G. Walsh was born on April 7, 1922, in Maine to a young mother who gave the child to her grandmother to … [Read more...] about “Uncommon Virtue is a Common Irish American Value”