National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM), as designated by Congress, provides a period encompassing both the history and recognition of our armed services with an in-depth look at the diversity of its individuals and achievements. It allows Americans to educate each generation on the historical impact of our military through the participation of the community with those who serve encouraging patriotism and love for America.
National Military Appreciation Month for May 2013 includes Loyalty Day (1st), VE Day(8th), Military Spouse Appreciation Day (10th), Armed Forces Day (18th), and Memorial Day (30th). This very important month honors, remembers, recognizes and appreciates all military personnel; those men and women who have served throughout our history and all who now serve in uniform and their families as well as those Americans who have given their lives in defense of our freedoms we all enjoy today.
It recognizes those on active duty in all branches of the services, the National Guard and Reserves plus retirees, veterans, and all of their families - well over 90 million Americans and more than 230 years of our nation's history. Let us celebrate them just as we celebrate the other important entities that make up this wonderful country of ours.
U.S. and S.C. Government Websites
- U.S. Department of Defense This web address has links to all military branches
- Office of Military History The office within the U.S. Department of Defense dedicated to recording and disseminating the history of the U.S. involvement in wars. Check the collection of Federal Documents at the South Carolina State Library to see the many volumes on the history of the army, navy, air force, marines, medical corp, corp of engineers, and chaplaincy through history.
- Center of Military History, U. S. Army
- South Carolina Military Websites
Military Bases in South Carolina
Air Force Bases
- Joint Base Charleston (North Charleston, South Carolina) Joint Base Charleston South Carolina is one of the 12 new bases in the US providing for the merge of the Charleston Air Force Base and the Naval Support Activity in Charleston. The base is now operated by the US Air Force and hosts over 20,000 individuals, counting active troops, reserve soldiers and civilians.
- Shaw AFB (Sumter, South Carolina) Shaw AFB is currently one of the largest military bases in the United States of America. It is operated by the Air Force -- more precisely, by the Air Combat Command. It is located in the central side of South Carolina, close to Sumter. Over the last years, Shaw AFB was responsible for supporting the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions. After the 9/11 attacks, it dealt with the defense of the USA.
Army Bases
- Fort Jackson (Columbia, South Carolina) Fort Jackson is a general training camp located in Columbia, South Carolina. It is run by the US Army and is among the most important bases spread throughout the country. Fort Jackson deals with more than 60% of the women joining the army and processes over 50% of the BCT (Basic Combat Training) load of the army. About 36,000 regular soldiers pass through Fort Jackson each year.
Marine Corps Bases
- Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort (Beaufort, South Carolina) Located only 5 kilometers away from the city with the same name in South Carolina, MCAS Beaufort is one of the multitude of military installations located around the city. Although this one is operated by the United States Marine Corps, most others are run by the United States Navy. It hosts around seven squadrons and more than 4,200 military troops.
- Marine Corp Recruit Depot, Parris Island (Port Royal, South Carolina) The primary mission of MCRD Parris Island is to deal with all the training missions of the Marine Corps. The installation is primarily used by the enlisted Marines. At the same time, it is also responsible for the aspirant Marines living in the eastern side of the Mississippi River.
Navy Bases
- Naval Hospital Beaufort(Beaufort, South Carolina) United States Naval Hospital Beaufort is a Navy hospital that manages two branch clinics at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island and at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, including the main hospital itself which is located in Port Royal, South Carolina. The hospital also services the Laurel Bay housing area. The hospital was commissioned on April 29, 1949.
- Naval Hospital Charleston (Charleston, South Carolina) The Naval Hospital in Charleston is among the wide variety of military hospitals operated by the United States Navy. The facility is established in Charleston. It is not the only medical facility run by the US Navy in this state. At the same time, it is among the oldest continuously running medical centers in the United States of America.
- Naval Weapons Station Charleston (Goose Creek, South Carolina) The initial objectives of NWS Charleston were to support the local submarine squadrons that were hosted on site, as well as providing enough room to store over 27 million tons conventional ordnance. Now, the facility is the only one on the continental part of the United States of America with fresh and unencumbered arcs for safety purposes.
Websites
General and Supportive
- National Military Appreciation Month
- Myrtle Beach Events
- Armed Services YMCA Making military life easier for families in the armed services.
Teaching Military History
- American Memory at the Library of Congress This site is the search page for the 30 collections on war and military. Collections include Ansel Adams photographs of Japanese-American internment, 1943, Civil War diaries, papers, and photos, Hotchkiss maps 1861-1893, recordings from World War I and the1920 Election, Stars and Stripes newspaper 1918-1919, and situation maps of World War II.
- "American Wars on the Web: Internet Resources for Teaching Military History" by Susan U. Bruce.
- "Elementary Military History Resources" National History Education Clearinghouse.
- "Military History" An EdTechTeacher Resource.
- Military History Resources at Georgia Technical University VERY comprehensive list of links on wars from Civil War through Vietnam War, including maps, dictionary items, basic military history resources, atlas, quotations, technology, politics of war, weapons, intelligence. Links have not been verified.
Books
Books on Military History (at the State Library).
- The Economic Impact of the Military Community in South Carolina /prepared by Lu Wang, Paul Carlsen, David Clayton. SC Department of Commerce, 2013.
- American Military History 1607-1953 / U.S. Department of Defense, 1956.
- Oxford Companion to Military History /edited by Richard Holmes. Oxford University Press, 2001.
- American Military History / Richard W. Stewart, general editor. Center of Military History, U.S. Army, 2009-2010.
- Centuries of Service: the U.S. Army, 1775-2005 /by David W. Hogan, Jr. U.S. Army, 2005.
- History of the U.S. Air Force / Bill Yenne.Exeter Books, 1984.
- Quantico, crossroads of the Marine Corps / by Charles A Fleming, Robin L. Austin, Charles A. Braley III. History and Museums Division, U.S. Marine Corps, 2008.
See also the multi-volume series in Federal Documents:
- U.S. Army in World War II / Office of the Chief of Military History, United States Army.
- U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II. / Air Force History and Museum Program.
- History of U. S. Marine Corp Operations in World War II /History and Museums Division, U.S. Marine Corps.
- Medical Department / U. S. Army. Office of the Surgeon General
- U. S. Marines in the Korean War / History and Museums Division, U.S. Marine Corps
- U.S. Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq / History and Museums Division, U.S. Marine Corps
- U.S. Marines in Vietnam / History and Museums Division, U.S. Marine Corps
- Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion / Surgeon General's Office 1870-1878.
Confederacy History
The South Carolina State Library has a wealth of resources on the Confederacy, on South Carolina regiments, individual biographies and battle sites. Use SCLENDS Advanced Search to limit your search to "South Carolina" and "Confederate army" to browse the many titles.
- Roll of the Dead; South Carolina troops, Confederate Service / William Rivers.South Carolina Department of Archives and History, 1994.
- South Carolina Confederate soldiers, 1861-1865 / Janet Hewett. Broadfoot Publishing Co., 1998.
- History of Kershaw's brigade / Augustus D. Dickert. Morningside, 1973
- Compendium of the Confederate Armies / Stewart Sifakis. Facts on File, 1995
- Supplement to the Official records of the Union and Confederate Armies / Edited by Janet B. Hewett. Broadfoot Publishing Co., 1994.
- South Carolina Regimentals Series. / J. J. Fox.
Articles
Full-text articles on Teaching Military History available through Discus
- "American Military History", Social Studies: 6416.15.. By: Moore, John A. 1971 52 pp. (ED073004) ERIC
- "American Wars on the Web: Internet Resources for Teaching Military History." By: Bruce, Susannah U. OAH Magazine of History. Oct2008, Vol. 22 Issue 4, p41-45. 5p. Professional Development Collection
- "The Modern American Military." Publishers Weekly. 4/1/2013, Vol. 260 Issue 13, p57-57. 1/5p. Professional Development Collection
- "Naval History Is Worth the Cost." By: Brilakis, Mark A. U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings. Feb2005, Vol. 131 Issue 2, p20-20. 2/3p. Military & Government Collection
- "Of Water Balloons and History: Using Wargames as Active Learning Tools to Teach the Historical Process." By: Browning, Judkin. History Teacher. May2009, Vol. 42 Issue 3, p297-313. 17p. Professional Development Collection
- "Reimagining Military History in the Classroom." / Part of the special issue, Military history By: Reardon, Carol. Organization of American Historians Magazine of History, October 2008, Vol. 22 Issue 4, p5-7, 3p Professional Development Collection
- "Teaching Military History in a Time of War. " By: Bellesiles, Michael A.. Chronicle of Higher Education, July 2 2010, Vol. 56 Issue 39, pB20-B20, 1p Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson)
- "View from the Ranks: Social and Cultural History of the American Armed Forces." / Part of the special issue, Military history By: Reardon, Carol. Organization of American Historians Magazine of History, October 2008, Vol. 22 Issue 4, p11-16, 6p Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson) Professional Development Collection
- "What Students Need To Know about America's Wars, Part I: 1622-1919".Footnotes. Volume 13, Number 21. By: Kuehner, Trudy. Foreign Policy Research Institute. 2008 7 pp. ERIC
- "Why Should I Study Military History?" By: Godfrey, James J. Army Sustainment. May/Jun2011, Vol. 43 Issue 3, p34-35.2p. 1 Black and White Photograph. Military & Government Collection
- "XII. Why Study Military History?" By: Gray, Peter W. Defence Studies. Spring2005, Vol. 5 Issue 1, p151-164. 14p. DOI: 10.1080/14702430500097408. Military & Government Collection