Samantha Franco

Samantha Franco is a content writer with a BA and MA in history, focusing on Victorian, medical, and epidemiological history. She has written content for multiple sites covering an array of historical topics.

Articles by Samantha Franco:

The Iron Maiden Device Has a Questionable (and Possibly Fake) History

Woman standing in an iron maiden device

The iron maiden device is an invention that fuels nightmares. Forced inside its coffin-like shape, victims were greeted with sharpened spikes that, once the doors…

Abu Tahsin al-Salhi: The “Sheikh of Snipers” Who Killed 384 ISIS Fighters

Abu Tahsin al-Salhi resting his rifle on his shoulder

There was once an Iraqi soldier who was an inspiration to his comrades for his endurance and dedication to defending his country. He killed a…

Northrop F-89 Scorpions Once Carried Nuclear Weapons to Combat Soviet Bombers

Three Northrop F-89D Scorpions in flight

During the Cold War, the US Air Force was in need of a new interceptor aircraft to combat Soviet bombers. The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was…

The Remarkable North American P-82 Twin Mustang Was Two Aircraft In One

North American P-82C Twin Mustang in flight

The North American P-82 Twin Mustang may be one of the strangest and most remarkable piston-engine aircraft ever produced. Its connected wing and double fuselages…

Downing of Extortion 17: The Single Deadliest Incident of the US War in Afghanistan

Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter in flight

On August 6, 2011, the final flight of Extortion 17 resulted in the single deadliest incident for the US military during the War in Afghanistan.…

The F-117 Nighthawk Had a Relatively Short Service Life with the US Air Force

Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk parked on a runway

The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was the first ever operational US Air Force stealth aircraft. It proved to be highly successful and effective, operating in a…

Luck of Kokura: The Japanese City That Avoided Atomic Bombing – Twice

Sketch of Kokura

Kokura is located on the northern tip of Japan’s Kyushu island. Housing one of the country’s largest military arsenals, it was a key target in…

Robert Howard: The Decorated Green Beret Who was Nominated for the MoH Three Times

Robert Howard wearing his Medal of Honor

Robert L. Howard was a dedicated US Army Special Forces soldier who received 14 wounds during his 54 months in Vietnam. His service afforded him…

M270 MLRS: The Incredible Rocket Launch System That Continues to See Combat

M270 MLRS launching a rocket

The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) is an armored multiple rocket launcher that has been used by the US Army for decades. Jointly developed…

The M320 Grenade Launcher is a Serious Step-Up From the M203

Soldier aiming an M320 grenade launcher

The M320 grenade launcher is one of the newest in the US military’s arsenal. It was created with the intention of having an equally effective…

William Speakman Held Back 6,000 Enemy Troops with Beer Bottles in Korea

William Speakman in uniform

24-year-old William Speakman volunteered to serve in the Korean War in 1951. He’d joined the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), attached to the 1st Battalion…

Veterans Saved the USS Batfish (SS-310) By Moving It to a Soybean Field

USS Batfish (SS-310) in a field

The USS Batfish (SS-310) is a Balao-class submarine that holds the US Navy record for sinking three enemy ships in three days. After serving the military,…