Jesse Beckett

Jesse Beckett is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE

Articles by Jesse Beckett:

Lost 52 Project: Navy Honors Explorer Who Discovered 7 Sunken Subs

Ocean explorer Tim Taylor has been awarded the Navy’s highest possible award for a civilian, the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, for his work with…

These Large Military Aircraft Make Us Wonder How They Ever Got Off the Ground

MD-160 on a beach + Convair B-36 Peacemaker in flight

As with every list about extreme machinery, equipment designed for the military typically ranks high in comparison to its civilian counterparts, which often have far…

Soldiers Lost On Flying Tiger Line Flight Are Finally Memorialized

Over 20 families gathered in May to witness the unveiling of a new memorial in Columbia Falls, Maine, dedicated to the victims of Flying Tiger…

The CIA Probably Wishes These Facts About the Agency Remained Classified

Men standing in the CIA's headquarters

With secrecy being one of the CIA’s primary objectives, it’s not exactly surprising that us everyday citizens know rather little about the agency’s activities, even…

Lyndhurst Antiques Centre Apologizes For Displaying Axis Memorabilia

Lyndhurst Antiques Centre

Lyndhurst Antiques Centre, an antique shop in Hampshire, England, has issued an apology for the sale of Axis memorabilia, following complaints made by visitors. Father…

The Jewish Commando Who Rode a Bicycle Through Normandy to Defeat the Germans

Canadian Troops with the 3rd Division disembarking from a ship with bicycles

When you think of the D-Day landings, you likely don’t envision bicycle-riding commandos taking the lead and scouting the area ahead of the other units…

Everyday Slang We Didn’t Know Originated In the Navy

Close-up of a ship's wheel

Over the centuries, sailors have created a language all their own to describe objects, people, actions and places. Much of this slang has found itself…

Barnes Wallis: The ‘Mad Scientist’ Who Tried To Emulate Earthquakes

English aeronautical engineer and inventor Barnes Wallis (left) designer of the 'bouncing bomb', with British actor Michael Redgrave who plays Wallis in the film 'The Dam Busters'.

When it comes to weird, creative, and sometimes downright ridiculous weapons during WWII, the British were in a league of their own. Leading the charge…

Babrak Karmal: From Exile To President

Files from the Czechoslovakian secret police the StB (Štátna bezpečnosť) reveal how the country helped hide and protect Afghan ambassador Babrak Karmal before putting him…

Man Revealed As War Hero When His Medals Are Discovered

US Navy pilots sitting in front of an aircraft

We often hear about stories of valor, bravery and medal ceremonies for members of the armed forces. It’s an accepted fact that bravery must be…

Color Photos of the War Effort During the 1940s Bring History to Life

Three women watching men with the Eighth Air Force perform maintenance on a Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Photography during the Second World War is often thought of as only in black and white, which is an easy association to make, as the…

Oops! Metal Detectorist Attempted to Sell Live WWII-Era Incendiary Bomb on eBay

British soldier walking by a bomb disposal truck

British metal detector hobbyist Mark Williams, 51, discovered a live World War II-era German incendiary bomb with his metal detector in Southampton, England, and later…