Todd Neikirk

Todd Neikirk is a New Jersey-based politics, entertainment and history writer. His work has been featured in psfk.com, foxsports.com, politicususa.com and hillreporter.com. He enjoys sports, politics, comic books, and anything that has to do with history.

When he is not sitting in front of a laptop, Todd enjoys soaking up everything the Jersey Shore has to offer with his wife, two sons and American Foxhound, Wally.

Articles by Todd Neikirk:

Friedrich von Steuben: The Openly Gay War Hero Who Whipped the Continental Army Into Shape

Portrait of Friedrich von Steuben

Throughout American history, homosexual soldiers have been discriminated against in the military. It was only in 2011 that the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was…

Here’s The Way German Commandos Rescued An Imprisoned Benito Mussolini

Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler have a conversation at a train station in 1937

In the 1940s, Adolf Hitler didn’t have all that many friends. He did, however, consider Benito Mussolini of Italy to be among those in his…

Marie Marvingtf: The WWI and WWII Pilot And Nurse Who Lived An Incredible Life

A drawing of Marie Marvingt's air ambulance

Marie Marvingt was so renowned for her courage that in 1903, she was nicknamed “the fiancee of danger.’ She was many other things as well.…

The USS Houston: The Galloping Ghost of World War II

The USS Houston sails in San Diego in 1935

During World War II, with so many far-flung combatants, there were many battles fought on the sea. The USS Houston was one of the Allies’…

Classic Hollywood Actors Who Served During World War I

Humphrey Bogart dressed in his US Navy uniform + Military portrait of Spencer Tracy

While it was still a relatively new phenomenon, Hollywood studios were cranking out film after film during the 1920s and ’30s. As a result, many…

The Manhattan Project Resulted in the Creation of Another Bomb: Thin Man

An atomic bomb explodes during the Trinity test in 1945

To hasten the end of the Second World War, the United States dropped atomic bombs on two Japanese cities; Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Warfare was changed…

Vincent Speranza: The American Soldier Who Went On An Epic Beer Run to Help a Comrade

Military portrait of Vincent Speranza + Portrait of Vincent Speranza

Soldiers who’ve been injured in battle can often be comforted with items that remind them of home. During the Siege of Bastogne in World War…

The Gewehr 98 Was A Favorite During WWI And For Good Reason

The Gewehr 98 was one in a series of guns designed by Mauser during the 19th century. Like many of their rifles, the weapon was…

Turning Personal Experiences Into Song: Six Musicians Who Served in the US Military

Tony Bennett + Elvis Presley

The very best songwriters in the world call on their life experiences to help inform their music – and serving in the US military is…

Clark Gable’s Service with the US Army Air Forces During WWII

Clark Gable sitting before a microphone

A number of famous actors have served in the US military. While the majority of them went off to war prior to finding fame, Clark…

Operation Lam Son 719 Obliterated America’s Helicopter Force in Vietnam

Soldiers jumping off a helicopter

American warfare in the 20th century featured big technological advances during each respective conflict. The Vietnam War, for example, featured thousands of helicopters, which were…

The Controversial History of Napalm and Its Use in War

Napalm bomb explosion

The use of fire in warfare is horrific and terrifying. It’s also nothing new. The ancient Greeks used petroleum-based fire weapons, referred to as “sticky…