Elaine Smith

Elaine Smith is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE

Articles by Elaine Smith:

The Arizona Balloon Buster – Epic Tale of Courage, Friendship and Sacrifice

In only nine days of flying in World War I combat, just ten missions and thirty hours of time in a Spad XIII aircraft, Lieutenant…

From Texas to Japan aboard a LST – Putting The Men Ashore To Win The War

The United States Navy didn’t closely scrutinized the paperwork for some of its recruits during World War II. Indeed, it wasn’t unheard of for date…

The Totally Inept Nazi Saboteurs Sent To Terror Bomb the USA & Failed

Although most people know Japanese soldiers invaded Alaska during World War II, most do not know that Germany sent two groups of saboteurs to wreak havoc…

When His Navigator Ejected Halfway Out The Plane, The Heroic Pilot Just Managed To Land And Save His Buddy’s Life

Being launched off the flight deck of an aircraft carrier is a normal routine, but adrenaline junkie pilots love the radical feel of about 4…

The Oldest Commando Of WWII – 73 Year Old Walter Cowan Of Course, Oh, He Was Also In WWI

When fifteen-year-old Walter Henry Cowan became a Royal Navy trainee in 1884, Great Britain was the dominant naval force in the world. The boy had…

After A Collision The Navigator Saw The Top Of The Pilot’s Helmet & Realized He Was Sitting On Top Of A06 Flying At Over 200 Knots

Being launched off the flight deck of an aircraft carrier is a normal routine, but adrenaline junkie pilots love the radical feel of about 4…

Cornfield “Bomber” – The F-106 Delta Dart that Landed Itself After Pilot Ejected

The Convair F-106 Delta Dart is a delta wing interceptor aircraft, not a medium range bomber. Yet when a unique event involving this airplane occurred…

Battle of Wake Island – All Those Who Surrendered Were Tortured, 98 Were Machine-Gunned

Before the threat of war in the Pacific and the outbreak of World War II, Wake Island was a stopping off point for vacationers aboard…

5 GI’s Took Cover For What Was To Become A Night From Hell

Only starlight and a sliver of a moon lit the way for the fragmented platoon of the 14th Armored Division “Liberators” Infantry. It was another…

The Arizona Balloon Buster – Epic Tale of Courage, Friendship and Sacrifice

In only nine days of flying in World War I combat, just ten missions and thirty hours of time in a Spad XIII aircraft, Lieutenant…

The Totally Inept Nazi Saboteurs Sent To Terror Bomb the USA & Failed

Although most people know Japanese soldiers invaded Alaska during World War II, most do not know that Germany sent two groups of saboteurs to wreak havoc…

When His Navigator Ejected Halfway Out The Plane, The Heroic Pilot Just Managed To Land And Save His Buddy’s Life

Being launched off the flight deck of an aircraft carrier is a normal routine, but adrenaline junkie pilots love the radical feel of about 4…