John D. Bulkeley, Commander of the USS Endicott – A daring attack in WWII
On August 17, 1944, the USS Endicott, captained by Lieutenant Commander John D. Bulkeley, blew up two German ships, using only a single 5” gun.…
By Sacrificing Himself Coastguard Douglas Munro Saved 500 Marines From Being Slaughtered
The United States Coast Guard was founded on a tradition of taking small boats into dangerous conditions to save lives. This skill made Coast Guard…
The Coast Guard Commandant Who Fought His Way Through Vietnam In Swift Boats
When Paul A. Yost Jr. assumed the position of Commandant of the United States Coast Guard in 1986 he approached the role with a powerful…
U-Boat 96, and the film Das Boot
In 1981, a film was released which is still cited as one of Germany’s greatest cinematic triumphs. It followed the exploits of U-96, a German…
Mighty WW2 Warships – KMS Admiral Graf Spee in the Battle of the River Plate
On September 1, 1939, while German troops were rolling across the border into Poland, their Navy was sent to raid Allied shipping lanes, much as…
A Sailor’s Life For Me – A day in the life of a Royal Navy Sailor from 1806
The life of a sailor has never been easy, and during wartime, it is doubly true. It was particularly so in the Royal Navy at the…
Thaman Gurung, V.C. – grabbing a Bren gun, and as much ammunition as he could carry, he charged up the hill alone
Since their first interactions with the British East India Company in 1814, the Gurkhas are renowned for their bravery and skill in combat. These Nepalese…
John D. Bulkeley’s Daring Evacuation of General Douglas MacArthur on a 77′ PT Boat
The US Navy is best known for its Admirals and battleships. Both are often the most prominent assets in the fleet, but in the Philippines,…
Battle of WWI merchant raiders: HMS Alcantara v SMS Greif
On February 27, 1916, the Norwegian cargo ship Rena steamed out of Cuxhaven on Germany’s North Sea coast. In peacetime, this would not have been…
The First Yale Unit: College Students Form a Flying Squadron in 1916 an amazing group of guys
In the Spring of 1916, as WWI was raging in Europe, the students at Yale University’s class of 1918 were preparing themselves for a summer of…
“Hell Roaring Mike”: A Highly Respected American Commander At Sea
Michael Augustine Healy was the first African-American man to command a US ship. He was well known and well respected for his actions off the…
Capture of the Privateer Jeune Richard, 1807 – When 28 men defeated 92
On October 1, 1807, a lone British packet was sailing 110 miles off the Northeast Coast of Barbados. The crew of 28, both men and…