Russell Hughes

Russell Hughes is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE

Articles by Russell Hughes:

A Battle That Changed The Course of the Vietnam War – Hamburger Hill

The Battle for Hamburger Hill left such a big mark on the American psyche that it has appeared in films, documentary series, video games and…

This American fighter pilot claimed 16 kills across two wars – and was also a college football star

The American aerial mission over battle-scarred Western Europe may have been short and sweet, but one pilot managed to stand out from the rest of…

Hans-Ulrich Rudel – The Flying Tank Buster Who Flew More Than 2,000 Missions And Killed Over 500 Tanks

Hans-Ulrich Rudel was shot down 30 times during his 2,530 missions. He destroyed one battleship, one cruiser, one destroyer, 70 landing craft, 800 vehicles, 150…

A Fatal Failing Of Intelligent Leadership in the Vietnam War – The Battle Of Lima Site 85

There is a remote mountaintop in north-eastern Laos called Phou Phathi, and the locals said it was a place where phi, or spirits, lived. By…

The American Fighter Pilot Who Served in Two Wars and Shot Down 16 Enemy Planes

The American aerial mission over battle-scarred Western Europe may have been short and sweet, but one pilot managed to stand out from the rest of…

Sergeant York – Captured 132 German Soldiers Pretty Much Single Handed In WWI – Battle Scene

Sergeant Alvin York was seemingly born to a hardscrabble existence and anonymity in death, but World War One changed that forever. The story of York is…

The Mysterious Disappearance Of The French WW2 Submarine Surcouf

The mystery of how the record-breaking French submarine Surcouf sunk has been debated since the day it disappeared in the Pacific, near Tahiti. Were she…

The Flaming Coffin, The German Heavy Dive Bomber The Luftwaffe Hated

The Heinkel He 177 Greif (Griffin) was an aircraft doomed from the start of its inception. Its design was intrinsically flawed, its engines frequently caught…

The Battle of Crete Was The Reason Hitler Abandoned Parachute Assaults For Good

Crete might be an idyllic tourist island now, but during a 12-day period in May 1941 a mixed force of British, Australian, New Zealand and…

The Night Fighter Ace Who Shot Down 7 Lancaster Bombers In 19 Minutes

Once you know the story of Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, it’s pretty hard to forget. Schnaufer was an incredibly skilled pilot. He was arguably the best night…

Korean War: Chipyong-Ni – One Of The Greatest Regimental Defense Actions In Military History

The Battle of Chipyong-ni has been labeled as ‘the Gettysburg of the Korean War’ and has been singled out as one of the greatest regimental…

The Flying Tank Buster – Hans-Ulrich Rudel 2,000 targets destroyed including 519 tanks

Hans-Ulrich Rudel was shot down 30 times during his 2,530 missions. He destroyed one battleship, one cruiser, one destroyer, 70 landing craft, 800 vehicles, 150…