A Touch of Christmas

Christmas postcard, ca. 1917 JAG Collection

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.

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

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

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 Heren, 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.

MTVR of HQ Co., Combat Logistics Regiment 37, decorated for the holidays.

Soldiers of 1st Battalion The Scots Guards are pictured delivering Christmas mail in style on a quad bike at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Oulette, Afghanistan, Dec. 7, 2012. Photo by Corporal Dek Traylor

Real photo postcard shows two Austrian soldiers posed with a tabletop Christmas tree. The message on the reverse sends good wishes for 1916. The postcard was postmarked on December 27, 1915, by the Austrian Landwehr Infantry Regiment “Neusandez” No. 32. JAG Collection

An American soldier dressed as Santa handing out candy to Vietnamese children. Patrick Powers photo via Andy Albatys

1950 photo of the 29th Infantry Division’s Thanksgiving cake Note the little turkeys all over it! Courtesy of The Virginia National Guard

Marine Corps cemetery at Cape Torokina, Bougainville, December 25, 1943. Photographed by Sergeant V.M. Hanks, USMC.

Christmas Military Military Trader Magzine

John Adams-GrafAuthor

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.

A Touch of Christmas

Christmas is hard away from home. It is especially hard for soldiers. This is a small glimpse of Christmas in the military through the eyes of soldiers.

John Adams-Graf