Walt Shumate’s exploits as a Green Beret in Vietnam, then as an original member of “The Unit,” earned him (and his mustache) a lasting place in the pantheon of special operations heroes.
The Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington immortalizes the raising of the American flag over Iwo Jima, but not all of the men who were actually there.
In 1983, a blizzard sank the SS Marine Electric, drowning almost all of its crew. The tragedy revealed the need for a human element in the Coast Guard’s rescue process.
Charles “Chuck” Mawhinney killed more than 100 enemy combatants during his time in Vietnam, becoming the deadliest scout sniper in Marine Corps history.
This is the first article in a series dedicated to spotlighting the last major engagements of American conflicts. In the American Revolution, it was the Siege of Yorktown.
