Commemorating 80 years in the Pacific

On May 14, 1945, Stars and Stripes published its first newspaper in the Pacific. To commemorate 80 years serving the military community in the theater, we're taking a look back at Stripes history through the writing and photography of a dedicated staff spanning generations. Stars and Stripes has proudly supported the Pacific military community since the beginning and will continue to serve the troops and families at the heart of our work.

Photo of the day

Illumination rounds fill the sky over Landing Zone Ross, a staging area for U.S. operations in South Vietnam's Que Son Valley.

'Mad minute,' 1968

South Vietnam, January, 1968: Illumination rounds fill the sky over Landing Zone Ross, a staging area for U.S. operations in South Vietnam's Que Son Valley. The rounds were fired during a "mad minute," in which the area outside the perimeter was lit up in anticipation of an enemy attack.

John Olson ©Stars and Stripes | BUY THIS PHOTO

TOP STORIES

From left to right: Ray Shepherd, Defense Media Activity director; Brig. Gen. Tammy Smith, 8th Army deputy commanding general for sustainment; Maj. Gen. James Walton, U.S. Forces Korea director of transformation and restationing; and Col. Joseph Holland, Camp Humphreys garrison commander; take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016, to mark the grand opening of American Forces Network Pacific Korea's new headquarters at Humphreys.

From the Archives

AFN makes historic move of Korea HQ to Camp Humphreys

Palmer Payne was a 19-year-old soldier in Japan when he volunteered to go to Korea to help set up a mobile American Forces radio unit at the start…Read More

Memories with stars and stripes

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This week in Pacific history

African American Marines on Peleliu Island
Department of Defense. Department of the Navy. U.S. Marine Corps. (09/18/1947)

September 13th - September 19th


September 13th, 1942World War II: U.S. Marines successfully thwart attacks by the Japanese on the second day of the Battle of Edson's Ridge in the Guadalcanal Campaign.
September 15th, 1944World War II: Battle of Peleliu begins as the United States lands on White and Orange beaches under heavy fire from the Japanese.
Setptember 15th, 1947 – Typhoon Kathleen strikes the Kantō region of Japan, killing 1,077.
September 16th, 1945World War II: The Japanese occupation of Hong Kong ends.
September 19th, 2006 –  the Royal Thai Army stages a coup d'état against the elected caretaker government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

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