On Christmas Eve 1944, American and German Soldiers Came Together for a Temporary Truce In the Hürtgen Forest
When you ask someone about a wartime Christmas truce, they’re more likely to bring up the one that occurred along the Western Front in 1914.…
Mel Brooks: The Famed Jewish Comedian Who Fought the Germans In Europe
Mel Brooks is arguably one of the most recognizable faces in the realm of comedy. With a career spanning decades, he’s the brains behind some…
Roddie Edmonds: The NCO Who Risked His Life to Save Hundreds of Jewish-American POWs
A number of Americans risked their lives to save those in trouble during the Second World War, but few were as brave as Master Sgt.…
Could Hans Tragarsky Be The Unknown German Soldier In This Famous Image?
The above photo is undoubtedly one of the best-known German images of World War II, showing a soldier carrying ammunition around his shoulders. It’s understandable…
The ‘Filthy Thirteen’ Were the Real-Life Paratroopers Who Inspired ‘The Dirty Dozen’
During the Second World War, a group of paratroopers earned a reputation for their unconventional behavior and combat tactics. Known as the ‘Filthy Thirteen,’ they…
George Patton Called Creighton Abrams a ‘World Champion’ Tank Commander
There are some military commanders who stand out among the rest, and Creighton Abrams is one of them. Serving during the Second World War, as…
Operation Bodenplatte: The New Year’s Day ‘Hangover Raid’ That Devastated the Luftwaffe
Launched as part of the Battle of the Bulge, Operation Bodenplatte was meant to devastate Allied airfields in the Low Countries. While Wehrmacht soldiers were fighting…
Movies That Best Show the Realities of Tank Warfare
Each year, a handful of new films take to the big screen to showcase the greatest warriors and innovations spawned in wartime. From Top Gun…
Bastogne Was a Defining Moment for the 101st Airborne Division
The “Screaming Eagles” of the 101st Airborne Division proved their strength, stamina and heroism by pushing themselves to the absolute limit while undermanned and lacking…
George Preddy Jr: The American Ace Shot Down By Friendly Fire During the Battle of the Bulge
George “Ratsy” Preddy Jr. was a US Army Air Forces officer and Air Ace credited with downing 32 1/2 enemy aircraft. This made him not…
Vincent Speranza: The American Soldier Who Went On An Epic Beer Run to Help a Comrade
Soldiers who’ve been injured in battle can often be comforted with items that remind them of home. During the Siege of Bastogne in World War…
Kurt Vonnegut’s Time as a Soldier During WWII Inspired His Popular Anti-War Novel, ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’
Written by Todd Neikirk and Clare Fitzgerald Kurt Vonnegut is one of the most beloved and influential authors of the 20th century. While he was…