Not home for Christmas: Military tradition celebrating the holidays

Throughout history, soldiers have had to celebrate Christmas away from home. We recently asked readers to share images of soldiers taken during the holidays. These are some of the selections they sent.

Christmas postcard, ca. 1917. JAG Collection

A Navy Christmas dinner, circa 1942-1943. The menu is signed by Commander E.P. Moore, Commanding. USN photo

84th Training Command. Two GIs of 84th Training Command decorate a Christmas tree in cellar of a home in Geilenkirchen, Heinsberg, Germany. December 1944. Army Signal Corps photo

“A Touch of Christmas.” A Navy corpsman displays a replica of a Christmas tree six weeks after Christmas ended and six days after the war in the Gulf started. Watercolor on paper by Chip Beck, 1991. Naval History and Heritage Command

Santa and elves arrive by special helicopter for a children’s Christmas party at Naval Air Station Oakland, 23 December 1956.

Private Robert Frick and Pvt Robert Engelman, both of Philadelphia, decorate a Christmas tree with trimmings from German homes in the captured town of Herne, December 21, 1944. Army Signal Corps photo

Lowell May wrote, “Someone had to pull KP duty on Christmas Day.”

WAVES play Santa WAVES of the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts help wrap Christmas presents for Navy and Marine Corps convalescents at the Bethesda Naval Hospital, Maryland, circa 1944. Admiring a package is Yeoman 2nd Class Ann G. Fee. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Not all made it home for Christmas. Sergeant V.M. Hanks photographed the Marine Corps cemetery at Cape Torokina, Bougainville, December 25, 1943. *M Photographed by Sergeant V.M. Hanks, USMC.

John Adams-Graf ("JAG" to most) is the editor of Military Trader and Military Vehicles Magazine. He has been a military collector for his entire life. The son of a WWII veteran, his writings carry many lessons from the Greatest Generation. JAG has authored several books, including multiple editions of Warman's WWII Collectibles, Civil War Collectibles, and the Standard Catalog of Civil War Firearms. He is a passionate shooter, wood-splitter, kayaker, and WWI AEF Tank Corps collector.

Not home for Christmas: Vintage views of military personnel celebrating the holidays

Historic images of soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen enjoying Christmas

John Adams-Graf

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