History was never my strong suite, nor something I was passionate about until I joined the military.

It is hard not to study and debate history when you are living it day-to-day.

While visiting a friend in Mississippi, we went to Vicksburg and toured the battle ground.

From a military standpoint, and to understand it without modern weapons and technology, makes the victory that much more impressive.

I appreciated walking the footsteps of the militia, looking at the terrain and imagining fighting in that heat and humidity.

 It must have taken the kind of motivation and dedication that cannot be taught; a belief in the cause for which you fight. It was inspirin

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U.S.S. Cairo