Alabama
Military runway named after veteran and Alabama native
HOOVER, Ala. (WBRC) – A piece of World War II US military history is now rebuilt decades later on a Pacific island. It’s a World War II-era Japanese airfield on the Pacific island of Peleliu.
The US Marines named the rebuilt landing strip the “Sledge” runway in honor of Alabama native, veteran and hero of the Peleliu battle, PFC Eugene Sledge.
Peleliu is the site of one of the Marines’ bloodiest battles of World War II.
Henry Sledge is very proud of his father, Eugene Sledge – a Marine veteran who fought in World War II.
“The memoir that he wrote, With the Old Breed, is considered to be the finest combat infantryman’s account of, of fighting in World War II,” Henry Sledge said. “He has gained accolades through the years, but he was he was a guy who was extremely proud to have been a Marine; extremely proud to have served his country.”
His father carried a pocket Bible with him as he fought in World War II, chronicling the things he saw. Henry Sledge says he took notes on little pieces of paper, storing them within the pages of the Bible.
Henry Sledge believes the “Sledge” runway, now a possible US basing option in a strategy to counter China, could be important for US military strategy in the future.
“It is a little sobering when you think that a tiny island in the remote reaches of the western Pacific is of value now and we need it,” Henry Sledge said. “And when you begin to unpack why that is, it’s something to think about.”
In 1999, Henry visited the island where his father fought, seeing where the stories took place.
“It was one of the most emotionally powerful things I’ve ever experienced,” he said. “I mean, to walk across terrain that you knew your dad fought on.”
He says it’s an amazing honor for his father.
“The fact that the Marine Corps is memorializing him, or immortalizing him by naming an airfield after him is really special,” he said. “It’s an honor.”
The HBO miniseries “The Pacific” was based on Eugene Sledge’s memoir “With the Old Breed.”
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Alabama
From school supplies to clothing, back-to-school items go tax-free this weekend in Alabama
![From school supplies to clothing, back-to-school items go tax-free this weekend in Alabama](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2020/02/17/PMOY/02a3dace-1a5b-4606-aff5-ee5324934c56-Propane-Bus.jpg?auto=webp&crop=2999,1687,x0,y2&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Back-to-school shopping tips for parents
Conquer back-to-school shopping with these tech tips.
Problem Solved, USA TODAY
If you’re gearing up for school − or just looking for a break at the register − Alabama’s annual back-to-school tax-free weekend will be in effect from 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 19, through midnight Sunday, July 21.
Certain items will be free from state sales taxes, including pencils, paper, binders, calculators, rulers, computers, school uniforms, gym suits and other types of clothing. Check here for the full list. And, of course, those items will be tax-free for everyone, not just students or people with kids.
Many counties and municipalities across the state also shave off their local sales taxes on the same items during the weekend, including all of the River Region. Check here to see if your local government participates.
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Alex Gladden is the Montgomery Advertiser’s public safety reporter. She can be reached at agladden@gannett.com or on Twitter @gladlyalex.
Alabama
Kalen DeBoer Addresses Taking Over for the Legendary Nick Saban at Alabama
![Kalen DeBoer Addresses Taking Over for the Legendary Nick Saban at Alabama](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3027,h_1702,x_0,y_531/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/si/01j2w97rkc8vng12yvc5.jpg)
All eyes in college football this fall will be on newly appointed Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, who was hired in January to take over one of the greatest dynastic programs after Nick Saban announced his retirement.
DeBoer is coming off a 14–1 season and a national championship appearance with the Washington Huskies. As he enters his first season on the sidelines in Tuscaloosa, does DeBoer believe he knows how to follow in Saban’s footsteps and win wherever he goes?
“I do,” DeBoer said in an interview with Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt. “I just think that—hopefully that doesn’t come across in an arrogant way—you just know that if you poured everything you got into the right things, and the right people and you have the right support around you, that it can be done.”
✍️ @KalenDeBoer talks about taking over after Nick Saban pic.twitter.com/8cC5c9KJY0
— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) July 15, 2024
Saban was announced as Alabama’s new football coach in January 2007. At the time, he was a 55-year-old accomplished coach with a national title (LSU in 2003) already under his belt. Over the next 17 seasons, Saban won six national championships and nine SEC titles with the Crimson Tide.
“Coach Saban’s built it up to be something, just like many others before him, to where it’s greater than one person,” DeBoer said. “It’s bigger than one person. His face and the legacy he leaves and being the best of the best will certainly live on forever. Coming in, I’m very careful with that task, with that responsibility. I understand it.
“With my experiences … I feel confident that we aren’t going to be perfect—no one is—but we can take those experiences and continue to build here.”
DeBoer will make his official Alabama debut on Aug. 31 in a home game against Western Kentucky. The Crimson Tide then battle USF and Wisconsin the next two weeks before taking on SEC rival Georgia at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sept. 28.
Alabama
Southern Living says you should visit this ‘under-the-radar’ Alabama city
![Southern Living says you should visit this ‘under-the-radar’ Alabama city](https://www.al.com/resizer/v2/2G6I3JYO6VH65PPHEZEBLQGWUI.jpg?auth=cf62ef7c1ae265bb8e37a2bbac8af8b39e31eb28bed9357ed5aee0f856ada6e1&width=1280&quality=90)
An Alabama city recently made a Southern Living list of “under-the-radar” places to visit this summer thanks to its rich history, unique attractions and more.
Montgomery was among the eight Southern cities on Southern Living’s list of under-the-radar places worth a visit this summer and the only Alabama spot featured in the article.
Southern Living credited the Alabama capital’s one-of-a-kind historical attractions focusing on the state’s role in the Civil Rights movement and more, including the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum, for earning its place as a summer destination.
Read more: Equal Justice Initiative’s growing Montgomery footprint
Other attractions included in their itinerary were Montgomery Whitewater, which includes the world’s most advanced man-made whitewater course, The Hank Williams Museum, the F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum, the Montgomery Riverwalk and more. Montgomery’s food scene also gets a shout-out, with recommendations to dine at Ravello, Central, Martin’s Restaurant and Capitol Oyster Bar, among others.
Read more: Martin’s Restaurant: The queen of Alabama’s meat-and-threes
Other Southern cities to make the list include Jacksonville, Fla.; Macon, Ga.; Columbia, S.C.; Boone, N.C.; Winston-Salem, N.C.; and Charleston, W. Va.
For more information, you can read the full article on the Southern Living website.
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