“Baddest Man in the 761st” He Went Full On Berserker Destroying Everything In His Path
Warren Gamaliel Harding Crecy was born in Corpus Christi, Texas on January 4, 1923. Those who knew him called him “Harding.” He and his wife…
The Fierce Australian Juggernaut: The firing was so intense the jungle was stripped of vegetation in minutes, the Japanese were decimated
In August 1942 the Japanese were hell-bent on taking the city of Port Moresby in New Guinea. Trying to stop their inexorable advance along the…
The Gurkha Stood up in Open Sight, Shot a Sniper Pinning Down his Men Before Going on to Clear 5 Bunkers, Single-Handedly
Bhanbhagta Gurung was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC), Great Britain’s highest military award for gallantry, in 1945 for singlehandedly clearing five Japanese positions and inspiring…
‘Star Trek’ Star James Doohan Survived Six Bullet Wounds During the Allied Landings on D-Day
James Doohan saw action during World War II and in outer space. His exploits inspired many to become an engineer, and one individual even followed…
The Rose – SOE Agent Eileen Nearne Survived the Gestapo & Helped Expose V-1 Rockets
On September 2, 2010, an 89-year-old woman’s body was discovered in a modest apartment in the British town of Torquay, Devon. She appeared to have…
The Real Rambo, America’s Neglected Warrior, Driving With One Hand & Shooting With The Other – 200 Lay Dead
Llewellyn Morris “Al” Chilson was born on April Fools’ Day, 1 April 1920, in Dayton, Ohio to a World War I veteran. The Chilson family later…
The Battle of Long Tan: 1500 Strong VC and NVA Force Ambushed 108 Australians – And Lost
During the Vietnam War, 108 Australian soldiers stood against some 1,500 to 2,500 Vietnamese forces near the village of Long Tan. When the battle was…
WW1: German Spies Blew Up 100,000 Pounds of TNT in New Jersey And Damaged The Statue Of Liberty
The first terrorist attack on US soil happened when Germany attacked New Jersey in 1916 – an event which became known as the Black Tom…
Retreat Does Not Always Mean Defeat – Epic Retreats From Military History
In war, retreats aren’t always about defeat. Sometimes, they’re a deliberate tactic to gain more defensible ground, consolidate forces, encircle an enemy, or lead them…
How Vietnam War POW Doug Hegdahl Tricked His Captors by Playing The Fool
Imagine that it’s the 1960s. You’re an American POW in a North Vietnamese camp, so you have two options: If you want to live, you…
It May Be Surprising To Learn That These Countries Are Still At War
North & South Korea When WWII ended, Korea was divided. The Soviets controlled the area north of the 38th parallel, while the US controlled south…
The Japanese Tried A Second Raid On Pearl Harbor – It Was Not A Success
Everyone knows about the first bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Less well known, however, was the second attack. And there was almost a third……
After North Korea Captured Their Spy Ship, The Crew Invented The ‘Hawaiian Good Luck Sign’ In Defiance
In 1968, North Korea seized a US Navy ship, held its crew for almost a year, and tortured them. To free themselves, the captives had…
He Was The Last Japanese WWII Soldier To Surrender – in 1974
World War II ended in Europe on May 8, 1945. As for Southeast Asia and Oceania, peace only came several months later on September 2,…
Neutral Switzerland Has Invaded Liechtenstein 3 times in 30 years – by Mistake
Most people associate Switzerland with mountains, chocolates, watches, and Swiss Army knives. They also think of a peaceful and neutral country that’s fanatic about avoiding…
The Slave Who Stole A Confederate Ship, Met President Lincoln & Bought His Master’s House
In 1862, Robert Smalls stole a Confederate ship, gave it to the Union Army, freed slaves, and met President Abraham Lincoln. After the war, he…
Even in The USA, There Are Still Many Things Folks Don’t Know Too Much About The American Civil War
The American Civil War was fought from April 12, 1861, to May 9, 1865, between the Confederate States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina,…
Agent Garbo: The Brilliant, Eccentric Chicken Farmer Spy Who Tricked Hitler & Saved D-Day
During WWII Juan Pujol Garcia played an important role in deceiving Nazi Germany about where the D-Day landings would occur. In gratitude, the Nazi’s awarded him an…
Britain’s Plan to Kill Hitler By Having a Sniper Shoot Him During His Daily Walk To The Tea House
In 1944, the British hatched a plan to assassinate Hitler – a project known as Operation Foxley. It could have shortened the war, saved millions…
When Iran Air Flight 655 Was Shot Down By A US Navy Guided Missile Cruiser
In 1988, a US warship shot down an Iranian commercial plane, killing all onboard. The American captain and his crew were hailed as heroes, Scotland…
It Took A Media Storm To Get This WW2 Hero Gurkha VC Recipient Entry To The UK
Tul Bahadur Pun was a Gurkha who won many awards for his heroism in WWII. He even received the highest honor that the British could…
The Female Allied Spy Was Condemned To Death By The Germans – In The End They Gave Her The Iron Cross
During WWI, the German government condemned a woman to death for spying on them. Fortunately for her, they commuted her sentence when they realized they…
America’s Secret Weapon – used only once in WWII
It is not always superior weapons, numbers, or tactics that win battles. In this case, of all things, it was potatoes! After the Japanese had…
The Fearless Young Belgian Woman Who Rescued Downed Allied Pilots From Behind Enemy Lines In WW2
In WWII a beautiful, young woman is caught red-handed. Her crime? Helping downed Allied pilots escape Nazi-occupied Europe. How does she get away with it?…
Hipster Before His Time: General Burnside – The Swashbuckling Union General Who Pioneered Sideburn
What do a rifle, various railroads, the American Civil War, the Franco-Prussian War, the National Rifle Association, and sideburns have in common? Here is the…
Canadian Fighter Pilot in WWI Ordered to Go Back to Flight School. He didn’t. Instead, He Went on To Shoot Down 72 Enemy Aircraft
Air Marshal William Avery “Billy” Bishop was a Canadian fighter pilot in WWI who crashed his plane during a practice run and was ordered to…
John Reginald Gorman – The Amazing Irish Kamikaze Tank Buster
In WWII, the Germans had a reputation for their formidable technology. What they did not consider, however, was the formidable Irish reputation for bullishness. John…
In 1943, Several US Airmen Went On A Suicide Mission. Two Men Were Awarded A Medal Of Honor For Separate Acts Of Heroism In One Cursed Bomber
In 1943, several US airmen went on a suicide mission. Two men were awarded a Medal of Honor – the only time in WWII that…
Unsolved Mysteries of WWI
The Lost Treasure of the Tsars Tsar Nicholas II was Russia’s last emperor who was forced to abdicate in March 1917. Facing civil unrest and…
This Russian Refused To Launch Nuclear Missiles During The Cuban Missile Crisis – He Saved The World
The fact that you can read this is because of a man who said “no” due to an accident. In doing so, he literally saved the world.…
Total Hypocrisy: Awarded the Medal of Honor For Bravery Whilst His Country Locked up His Family in an Interment Camp
George “Joe” Taro Sakato is a second-generation-born American of Japanese descent, which was why his family had to relocate during WWII. Despite this, he joined…
“Mr Immortal” Jacklyn H. Lucas was Awarded the MoH age 17 – Used His Body To Shield His Squad From Two Grenades
When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, many Americans were understandably enraged. One person was so enraged, in fact, he fought the US military for the right…
The Most Decorated Pacifist Of WWI: Stormed German Machine Gun Nests, Taking 35 Machine Guns, Silencing 25 German Troops & Captured 132
He was a deeply religious man who abhorred violence and warfare. Despite that, he went on to become the most decorated veteran of WWI. Alvin…
Joseph Rochefort, American Code-Breaker, Predicted The Second Japanese Attack On The US In WWII
On June 4, 1942, Japan again attacked the Hawaii Archipelago; this time the Midway Atoll. However, due to a code-breaker who deciphered the Japanese plans,…
José Arturo Castellanos Contreras: The Latino Schindler
During WWII, many did what they could to save Jews – including the Latino Schindler. José Arturo Castellanos Contreras was born on December 23, 1893,…
The British POW Who Was Given Permission To Visit His Dying Mother – He Returned To Camp Voluntarily Only To Dig A Tunnel And Escape
In WWI the German Empire was on the rampage. Europe has always existed through a complex network of alliances. When Germany united in 1871, it…
Hans Joachim Marseille, Anti Nazi & One Of The Most Amazing Fighter Pilots Of WWII
He was among Germany’s most accomplished flying Aces during WWII – though he hated killing. His success was valuable propaganda for the Nazis – yet…
Vietnam: Ignored Heavy Damage To His Aircraft & Repeatedly Attacked Enemy FLAK With Bombs & Cannon Fire
In 1967, the US Air Force attacked an industrial facility in North Vietnam. One of the American planes was severely damaged by intense flak, both…
Putten: The Wehrmacht Carted Off 601 Dutch Men To Concentration Camps, Only 48 Returned
It is a matter of historical fact that Nazi Germany committed truly horrific crimes against humanity during WWII. Germany and 14 other countries have even…
Albert Göring, Despised the Nazi Regime – Saved Countless Jews & Dissidents, Unlike His Brother
Hermann Wilhelm Göring was one of Adolph Hitler’s earliest supporters and the second most powerful man in Nazi Germany. Founder of the Gestapo (the secret…
U-570 – The Only Ship To Be Captured By An Aircraft
There were many extraordinary events in the Battle of the Atlantic, the contest between the Germans and the Allies for control of the sea lanes,…
After A Mid Air Collision – One Pilot Lands Both Planes
In 1940, two planes collided in mid-air over Australia. Remarkably, there were no fatalities. Even more remarkably, the pilot responsible for saving the planes was…
Crazy French Count Blew Up German Factory With Baguettes Filled With Explosives
In 1938, 15-year-old Count Robert Jean-Marie de La Rochefoucauld went to pay Hitler a visit in Bavaria. The German Chancellor gave Rochefoucauld a friendly pat…
The 1941 Siege of Tobruk, Birth Of The Rats of Tobruk
From the moment Germany invaded Poland and started WWII on 1 September 1939, they were unstoppable. Their blitzkrieg tactics (concentrating their tanks, planes, and mechanized…
Jack Hinson: A Civil War Sniper Hell Bent on Revenge
John W. “Jack” Hinson, better known as “Old Jack” to his family, was a prosperous farmer in Stewart County, Tennessee. A non-political man, he opposed…
British Army’s Greatest Humiliation – The Fall of Singapore
During WWII, the Japanese took a calculated risk by invading Singapore with far fewer numbers than the defenders. They adopted devious tactics to secure the city. Singapore…
VC: A Gurkha Calmly Stood Up In Open Sight & Killed A Sniper Pinning Down His Company Before Going On To Clear 5 Enemy Bunkers, Single-Handedly, All Whilst Under Heavy Fire
Bhanbhagta Gurung was awarded the Victoria Cross or VC, Britain’s highest military award although he had been demoted due to the incompetence of a senior…
VC Who Turned The Tide At The Battle Of Isurava – The Japanese Were Caught Off Guard As The Fierce Australian Juggernaut Fired At Them From His Hip
In August 1942 the Japanese were hell-bent on taking the (then Australian) city of Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. Trying to stop them were…
When Pirates Kidnapped Julius Caesar He Laughed at Their Ransom Demands & Told Them To Ask for More
Long ago a 25-year-old Roman author, poet, priest, and aristocrat was kidnapped by pirates. Rather than plead for his release, however, he ordered them to…
Ira Hayes – Iwo Jima Flag Raiser & Very Reluctant Hero
Ira Hamilton Hayes was one of five men who helped raise the American flag over Mt. Suribachi on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima on…
Over There: US Army World War One Footage in Color
During the First and Second World Wars, the defining factions in both conflicts were the Allies and their opponents; the Kaiser and his forces in…
The Wacko Story of Jumpin’ Joe Beyrle – The US Paratrooper who Served in a Soviet Tank Battalion a Hero of Two Nations
War sometimes creates strange circumstances. The following story is about a soldier who became a hero of two nations. Joseph Robert Beyrle was born on…
The Commando Raids On The Norwegian Coast That Tied Up 30,000 German Soldiers
In 1941, Britain raided Nazi-occupied Norway, making use of a new and still untested force – British Commandos. The aim was to boost British morale and…
Vietnam Green Beret Had 37 Separate Bullet, Bayonet, & Shrapnel Wounds & Still He Carried On Fighting
Master Sergeant Raul “Roy” Perez Benavidez was shot several times, suffered two grenade blasts, and got bayonetted while saving the lives of eight men. Despite…
Hanns Scharff – Nazi Germany’s POW “Master Interrogator” Who Used Kindness Not Brutality
The Nazis had a “Master Interrogator” who was so good at getting information out of prisoners that he became a legend. His methods were so…
In WW2, This USAAF pilot defected, he flew his P-38 to Milan & joined the SS
During WWII, an American pilot defected to Nazi Germany. Despite this, he was allowed to reenlist in the US military. Martin James Monti was born…
Japanese Schindler Helped 5,580 Jews Escape The Holocaust Ended Up Selling Lightbulbs To Survive
Although Japan was one of the Axis Powers during WWII, one Japanese diplomat did his best to mitigate the horrors of his country’s ally, Nazi…
The US Special Forces Major Who Fought in the SS
Some men choose sides, others choose battles, and others fight regardless of the side or battle. One such man not only fought for three different…
When He Was Awarded the Medal of Honor For Bravery, The US Locked His Japanese Parents Up In An Internment Camp
George “Joe” Taro Sakato is a second-generation-born American of Japanese descent, which was why his family had to relocate during WWII. Despite this, he joined…
The Man who Lead the Last American Bayonet Charge
The grizzled-looking redhead, complete with a handlebar mustache, charged with his men. Their enemy did not stand a chance as they had very sophisticated weapons…
Oi Give it Back: How the Soviets Stole an American F-86 Sabre Jet in 1951
During the Korean War (1950 to 1953) America and her allies sided with South Korea, while Russia and China sided with North Korea. Among their…
On Fire This Heroic Airman Picked Up A Burning 1,100° Phosphorus Bomb To Save His Crew Certain Death
The Medal of Honor is America’s highest military award given to those for acts of valor that in some cases border on insanity. In WWII,…
Gabrielle Petit: The WWI Spy Who Refused to Crack Under Interrogation and Threat of Death
Some individuals get no breaks in life. What’s more, they sometimes have to die before they receive the recognition they deserve. Take the case of…
Japanese-American Soldiers, The Nisei: The Purple Heart Battalion
When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, Japanese-Americans became enemy aliens and were sent to internment camps. One responded in a most spectacular way. Daniel…
The One-Armed Warrior Who Was Awarded The Victoria Cross
Some soldiers are so pig-headedly persistent that they go down in legend; including one who did so with only one arm. George Albert Cairns was…
How Vietnam War POW Doug Hegdahl Convinced His Captors That he Was Hopelessly Stupid
Imagine that it’s the 1960s. You’re an American POW in a North Vietnamese camp, so you have two options: If you want to live, you…
Japanese Battleship Musashi – Part 2: The Rediscovery
The biggest ship to sail the seas during WWII, she was Japan’s pride and joy (and the bane of captains) till she was lost. It…
How Climate Change Helped the Swedes March Across A Frozen Sea And Defeat The Danes
It all started in 1655 during the Second Northern War. Sweden was fighting against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Russia, Brandenburg-Prussia, the Habsburg Monarchy, Denmark-Norway, and sometimes,…
Hans von Luck: The Gentlemanly Nazi Commander
War has always been brutal. Sometimes, however, generals try to be civilized. In the midst of battle, they stop, chat with the enemy, and enjoy…
Becoming a Nazi as an agent of Christ. He claimed he joined the Nazi regime to save Jews
A devout Christian, he joined the Nazi regime and then later tried to oppose it. When that did not work, he hatched a new plan…
How A Japanese Sub Sank Three Ships With One Salvo In WW2
Japan entered WWII with the most diverse submarine fleet of any nation. Some subs were capable of the fastest underwater speeds and were armed with…
The Mysterious Death Of Rasputin, The Siberian Monk Who Brought Down The Tsar Of Russia
Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin was born in 1869 in a remote Siberian village but died in a Russian palace on 30 December 1916. Despite his alleged…
The Mighty Japanese Battleship Musashi – The Launch that Flooded Nagasaki
It was one of the biggest ships to ever ply the seas and ensure Japan’s conquest of the Asia-Pacific region during WWII. It was so…
The Vietnam War: Eleven Major Battles
The Vietnam War lasted from 1 November 1955 to 30 April 1975, officially between North Vietnam (North Vietnam) and South Vietnam (South Vietnam). In reality, it…
The Cádiz Expedition, A Disastrous Invasion Of Spain
The Cádiz Expedition of 1625 involved a king’s boyfriend and an invasion of Spain. It had disastrous consequences for Britain and left the Spaniards extremely…
The Battle of Stoney Creek – A Minor Fight That Changed History
In the early 1800s, two US generals tried to invade Canada. They might have succeeded, too, except for a peculiar handicap – their inability to…
The Battle of San Jacinto – Where Santa Anna Lost Texas By Falling Asleep
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (Santa Anna, for short) thought very highly of himself – and with…
Libya Bombed A German Disco in 1986, So The US Bombed Italy
In 1986, Libya bombed a discotheque in Germany… so the US retaliated by bombing Italy. Not all of Italy, of course. Just a small portion…
This Fighter Pilot Saved a Bomber Squadron From German Fighter Attacks For over Half an Hour – Alone
During WWII, he single-handedly protected a bomber squadron against German planes… even when he ran out of ammo. They called him the “One Man Airforce”…
Frankly, I enjoyed the war. Totally crazy story of Victoria Cross hero who tore off his own fingers, lost an eye, was shot in the head & still went back for more
“We’re going to have to ditch, sir, prepare for a landing on water!” was the last thing that the “Unkillable Soldier” Major-General Adrian Carton de…
The Curious Tale of an Extremely Jinxed Ship – The USS William D. Porter (DD-579)
During WWII, the Allies had a ship so jinxed, it destroyed itself by nearly destroying something else. And yes, you read that correctly. The USS William…
The Dutch Terrorized the Philippines in 1600 Before Circumnavigating the World
In 1600, two Dutch ships terrorized the Philippines. They then went on to become the fourth group of Europeans to circumnavigate the world. This is…
After The USS Indianapolis Was Sunk, The Sailors Had To Survive The Worst Shark Attack in History
On July 30th, 1945, a Japanese submarine sank a Portland-class cruiser of the US Navy, resulting in the single greatest casualty rate in American naval…
Church of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard’s War Against the Sea… And Mexico
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (often referred to as “L. Ron Hubbard” or simply as “LRH”) was the controversial founder of an even more controversial religion –…
When The Serbs Shot Down An F-117 Nighthawk, Achieving the Impossible
The Serbs didn’t know that, however, which is why they were able to shoot one down in 1999 – reputedly the only time such a…
In 1937, A Toilet Break Led to War Between China and Japan
Wars have been waged over the stupidest things, but in 1937, Japan took it a step further. That was the year that a minor incident…
When A Bloody Medieval War Was Fought Because Of A Bucket Full of Treasure
In 1325, two armies clashed near what is today the Italian town of Castello di Serravalle in the region of Emilia-Romagna. It was a huge…
U-570 In the WW2 Battle of the Atlantic – The Only Submarine To Ever Be Captured By An Aircraft
There were many extraordinary events in the Battle of the Atlantic, the contest between the Germans and the Allies for control of the sea lanes,…
The Tragic Tale of Hajime Fujii – A Kamikaze Fighter Who Crashed Into And Sunk The USS Drexler
This is an odd story that involves a flight instructor, his family, and a single-minded request. The whole thing was so strange, in fact, that…
This Gigantic Submarine Factory Couldn’t Even Be Destroyed By The 22,000 lb Grand Slam Bomb
Erich Friedrich Michael Lackner is considered to be one of the most influential engineers of the last century. He developed a revolutionary type of concrete…
In 1956, An Obsolete WW2 Drone Took on Two State-of-the-Art Manned Jet Fighters Over the US – And Won
In August 1956, a drone went rogue over Southern California, threatening cities, including Los Angeles. In its aftermath, over 1,000 acres were destroyed, forests and…
Jesse Owens & the Berlin Olympics – In 1951, Owens returned to Berlin & met Long’s surviving son – the ten-year-old Kai-Heinrich
The grandson of slaves, he got a college degree and became an international legend. Despite being sickly, he set athletic records that took decades to…
How Extraterrestrials Got Japanese-Americans Interned in 1942
Many believe that the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII was the direct result of Pearl Harbor. While true, there were two other factors involved –…
William Hitler, Nephew of Adolf, Joined the US Navy to Fight The Nazis in WW2
Conspiracy theorists claim that a certain Hitler survived WWII, fled to Argentina or Brazil, and lived to a ripe old age. What utter nonsense. He…
The Strange And Cold Day The French Cavalry Captured a Dutch Fleet at Sea
The Hussars were a type of light cavalry that originated in medieval Hungary and were adopted by other European countries. Their bravery, cunning, and daredevil…
Charity Edna Adams – the Highest Ranking African-American Woman During WWII
During WWII, the US did its best to maintain the flow of mail to its troops in Europe. Unfortunately, most able-bodied workers were either fighting…
Japan Tried To Set The U.S. West Coast Ablaze in WWII- It Nearly Worked
Most believe that those at Pearl Harbor were the only casualties on American soil during WWII. Not true. There were more in Oregon. The Japanese…
Giorgio Perlasca – The Heroic Italian Businessman Who Saved Thousands Of Jewish People By Posing As A Diplomat
Everyone knows what happened to the Jews in Europe in WWII. They are also aware of the fact some people risked life and limb to…
Woodrow Wilson, America’s 28th president – A Man Of Many Contradictions
Thomas Woodrow Wilson, America’s 28th president, was a man of many contradictions. He wanted to keep America neutral during WWI, yet he also declared war…
The German Officer Who Sacrificed His Life In A Minefield To Save An American Soldier
October 7, 1994, saw a strange sight over the Hürtgen War Cemetery in Hürtgen, Germany. The cemetery is the final home of 3001 bodies –…