US Navy Sinks Houthi Boats

View as Webpage

Become a Member

Donate

Become a Sponsor

ZOOM: Monday, January 8 at

7 pm ET

Open Conversation on VBC Happy Hour

We begin the New Year on January 8 at 7 pm with Open Conversation. We get caught up, talk a bit about our recent trip to Vietnam, preview our 2024 schedule, and share stories of service. Join us!...

Masters of the Air: Preview of the Stephen Spielberg and Tom Hanks Series with Glenn Flickinger

In conjunction with the release of the highly-anticipated Apple TV+ series, Masters of the Air, VBC historian host Glenn Flickinger has created a 10-part livestream series beginning Thursday, January 18 at 7:00pm that will preview, recap, and provide history discussion around each episode. Each week, Glenn will cover the action and background of the series in conversation with show producers and creators, air war historians, and family members of the real-life characters depicted in the series. Read More>>>

The New Year’s Deck Log Poem, a Navy Tradition You Probably Don’t Know

As the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, the Navy Officer of the Deck on a given vessel can write the year’s first log entry in poetic form. This tradition dates back to at least 1929. And once again this year, the Naval History and Heritage Command is looking for the best New Year’s deck log poems for its annual contest. The winner gets a no-fooling real piece of copper sheathing from the one and only USS Constitution. Read in Navy Times>>>

The Korean War in a One-Minute Animated Map

A professor mine once said statistics are useful not as answers to questions but as starting points for inquiry. Mary Klepper shared with me a wonderful animated map that serves as a great starting point for study of the Korean War. It’s replete with statistics and moving representations of troops and frontlines. Here it is, from #mapsinanutshell on YouTube, a firehose of information packed in one short minute. Read more on VBC Blog>>>

Navy SEAL Veteran Rick Kaiser Talks Frogman Stories and the Navy SEAL Museum

Born and raised in Milwaukee Wisconsin, Rick Kaiser joined the U.S. Navy at age 17. He attended Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL (BUD/S) training Class 109 in Coronado, CA. Rick was assigned to SEAL Team TWO in Little Creek, VA in 1980. He served at SEAL Team TWO from 1980 until 1985, specializing in winter warfare, combat diving, and sniping until he was selected for duty at SEAL Team SIX in 1985. In 1993, Rick received the Silver Star Medal for Valor during the Battle of Mogadishu (Black Hawk Down).

Rick talks about his service, his book FROGMAN STORIES, what challenged him in BUD/S, the leaders he looked up to, the missions he was assigned, and when the history of the SEALs started to mean something to him. Hint: It’s not when you think! Watch here>>>

What Is the Oldest Military Equipment Still in Use Today?

As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The U.S. military occasionally takes that idea to an extreme, using some equipment every day that has been around for decades. Task & Purpose asked the services to name some of the oldest pieces of equipment they still use to this day. Here’s what they found:

Read on Task & Purpose>>>

The Last Living Merrill’s Marauder Dies in Pittsburgh

The reputed last member of the famed American jungle fighting unit in World War II nicknamed the Merrill’s Marauders has died. Russell Hamler, 99, died late last month in his native Pittsburgh. The soldiers spent months behind enemy lines, marching hundreds of miles through the tangled jungles and steep mountains of Burma to capture a Japanese-held airfield and...Read in the Military Times>>>

Looking Back at “Operation Just Cause,” The US Invasion of Panama, 1989-1991

Thirty-four years ago, in the twilight of the Cold War, the United States launched a large-scale and controversial invasion of Panama, known as Operation Just Cause. If you served in Panama, please contact Todd (todd@veteransbreakfastclub.org) and plan to join us at 7pm on January 22 for a conversation about the operation in 1989-1990. Read More>>>

US Navy Sea Hawks Sink Houthi Boats in the Red Sea

The U.S. Central Command announced last week that Navy MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopters have sunk Iran-backed Houthi boats in the Red Sea. According to the Command, on December 31 at 6:30 am Sanaa time, the container ship MAERSK HANGZHOU issued a distress call, reporting a brazen attack by four Iranian-backed Houthi small boats. U.S. Navy helicopters hailing from the USS EISENHOWER (CVN 69) and GRAVELY (DDG 107) swiftly arrived at the scene upon the distress call. Despite issuing...Read more on Defence Blog>>>

Visit VeteranBargains.com for all kinds of discounts, deals, and information!

Our Platinum Sponsors

Click to See All of Our Sponsors

Check Out Our Past Events!

Hear Vets Tell Their Own Stories

We’re putting our past VBC Happy Hours and Greatest Generation Lives on our website. So far, we’ve archived over 100 programs reaching back to the beginning of 2022. You can search by subject or browse chronologically. Go to our website and click the dropdown menu under “Events” to get to “Past Live Events”. Read More >>>

BECOME A MEMBER

For $36/year, you can become a member of the Veterans Breakfast Club and help support our mission of sharing veterans’ stories. Check out membership benefits and sign up on our website!

LEARN MORE →

JOIN THE VETERANS HISTORY PROJECT

We’re proud to announce a new VBC Veterans History Project that pairs volunteer interviewers with military veterans for one-on-one oral history interviews over Zoom. There’s no charge for an interview, and the recording is the veteran’s to keep. Sign up to interview or be interviewed!

SPONSOR A VBC PROGRAM

Show your support for our veterans by sponsoring a virtual program, an in-person event, or our podcast, the Scuttlebutt! Virtual event sponsors receive program branding, speaking time, and more. Check out in-person and Scuttlebutt sponsorship details on our website.

SPONSORSHIP INFO →

We're always looking for guests, program ideas, and sponsors. Email us if you have any ideas to share!

Not Getting Our Bulletin in Your Inbox? Sign Up for Our List.