VFW Post 3656 Wake Island Memorial

10/12/2026

Come out to VFW Post 3656 at 9 a.m. this Saturday, the 17th of October for a Christmas and Winter Bazaar. There will be a lot of Christmas decorations.

We are located at 37033 Veterans Memorial Drive, Bristow, OK. The sale will go frome 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

10/07/2026

During World War II, one small Army unit could make the enemy believe an entire division was moving into position.

Known as the Ghost Army, the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops used inflatable tanks and vehicles, powerful sound recordings, fake radio traffic, camouflage, and carefully planted rumors to create convincing battlefield illusions. Many of its soldiers brought experience from art, design, architecture, advertising, and radio.

Operating close to the front lines in Europe, the unit carried out more than 20 deception missions. Its work diverted attention from real troop movements, protected other units, and demonstrated that imagination could be as valuable as firepower.

The Ghost Army’s activities remained classified for decades. Its story reminds us that military service has always depended on artists, technicians, communicators, and unconventional thinkers as well as those carrying ri**es.

09/22/2026

On this day in 1862, five days after the Battle of Antietam, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.

It warned states still in rebellion that enslaved people there would be declared free on January 1, 1863. The measure did not immediately end slavery and did not apply to loyal border states. Yet it fundamentally changed the war: preserving the Union was now explicitly linked to freedom.

The final proclamation also authorized Black Americans to serve in the Union military. By the war’s end, nearly 200,000 Black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and their own freedom.

It was not a complete victory over slavery, but it was a decisive military and moral turning point that helped reshape both the war and the nation.

09/15/2026

On this day in 1950, U.S. Marines went ashore at Inchon, South Korea, opening Operation Chromite during the Korean War.

Inchon was an exceptionally difficult landing site: narrow channels, broad mudflats, high seawalls, and tides that permitted only brief landing windows. Marines secured Wolmi-do in the morning, then waited for the tide before assaulting the main waterfront that afternoon. Supported by Navy ships and aircraft, the landing placed United Nations forces behind North Korean lines and opened the advance toward Seoul.

Inchon demonstrated what careful joint planning, precise timing, and adaptability could accomplish under severe conditions.

09/12/2026

On this day in 1918, the World War I Battle of Saint-Mihiel began. Nearly half a million American soldiers waited along a 65-kilometer stretch of the Western Front before the offensive opened at 5 a.m.

It was the first major operation planned and executed by the newly formed U.S. First Army under General John J. Pershing. The offensive coordinated infantry with more than 3,000 artillery pieces, 400 French tanks, and nearly 1,500 aircraft—the war’s largest single air operation.

Within days, the Saint-Mihiel salient had been eliminated, improving vital Allied transportation routes and helping prepare American forces for the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

09/10/2026

On this day in 1813, Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry led nine American vessels against six British warships in the Battle of Lake Erie.
After his flagship, Lawrence, was battered into a defenseless wreck, Perry transferred his command to Niagara and renewed the attack. The British squadron ultimately surrendered, giving the United States control of Lake Erie.
That victory reopened an essential supply route, forced British troops to abandon Detroit, and helped set the stage for the American victory at the Battle of the Thames.
The battle remains a remarkable example of determination and leadership under pressure.

09/08/2026

On this day in 1943, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower announced Italy’s armistice with the Allies.

The agreement had been signed secretly five days earlier, but its public announcement came only hours before Allied forces landed at Salerno. Italy’s departure from the Axis changed the Mediterranean war—but it did not end the fighting. German forces occupied much of the country, and the difficult Italian campaign continued until May 1945.

It’s a powerful reminder that a decision made at the highest level can change military strategy overnight, while those serving on the ground continue to carry the burden.

What chapter of military history would you like us to explore next?

08/30/2026

Come on out Tuesday night and get information about your benefits and veterans programs available to you.

This Tuesday, Sept 1st at 6:30 at VFW Post 3656! All are welcome!