US Air Force Pilot Richard Ritchie Shot Down Five Enemy Aircraft in Vietnam
On August 28, 1972, US Air Force Capt. Richard Stephen “Steve” Ritchie and Weapons System Officer Capt. Charles Barbin DeBellevue successfully shot down a North…
US Army Ranger ‘The Reaper’ Reacts to 11 Sniping Scenes from Popular War Movies – and It’s Rough!
With 33 confirmed kills over a span of just four months – and upwards of 100 unofficial kills – Nicholas Irving, AKA “the Reaper,” is…
Five-Star Generals: The Nine Men Who Earned the US Military’s Highest Rank
Following the death of Gen. Omar Bradley in 1981, the elite rank of five-star general feels more like a legend than reality. Since Congress allowed…
Convair B-58 Hustler: The First Operational Bomber to Reach Mach 2
When it comes to awards and accolades, the Convair B-58 Hustler is truly unrivaled. The first bomber to ever reach Mach 2, its speed is…
Spetsnaz: How Russia’s Special Forces Became So Deadly
Russia’s Spetsnaz forces were shaped by the Cold War to be stealthy, efficient and, above all, lethal. Geared toward “political warfare,” the group has been…
The History of Drop Tanks: From Improvised Bombs to Vietnamese Canoes
Since the end of the Vietnam War, Vietnamese civilians have been making the most of US military waste. Reduce, reuse, recycle has taken on a…
An F-15 Eagle Scored an Air-to-Air Kill By Dropping a Bomb on an Enemy Helicopter
The Gulf War saw its fair share of intense aerial combat between the Coalition and Iraqi forces, with the Coalition’s air campaign alone dropping 88,500…
M1919 Browning: An Innovative and Revolutionary Firearm
The M1919 Browning machine gun is one of the most prolific firearms used by the US military, having seen use during the Second World War,…
The Story of the Original US Navy I-Bar Featured in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’
The famous I-Bar, a favorite spot for US Navy aviators at Naval Air Station North Island, is making history, thanks to the release of Top…
Did the US Try to Give France Nuclear Weapons to Use in Vietnam?
Vietnam has been a desirable target for many of the world’s most powerful countries since the French conquest in 1858. China, Japan and the United…
How the Sophisticated B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Stays Invisible
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is one of the rarest aircraft in the world. Born out of Cold War innovation, only 21 were…
Winged Hussars: The Rise and Fall of Europe’s ‘Angels of Death’
For two centuries, the elaborate winged uniforms and menacing battle tactics of the Polish hussars dominated the battlefield. Coming across the winged hussars must have…