Operation Wikinger: The Kriegsmarine’s Disastrous Mission in the North Sea
The Luftwaffe was the main arm and, arguably, the most dangerous aspect of the German military. Another branch intended to be just as strong was…
Bob Roop was a Special Forces Medic Prior to Becoming a World-Famous Wrestler
Professional wrestlers come from all kinds of backgrounds. Few, however, have the backstory of Bob Roop. The Michigan native wrestled in high school, but went…
Lee Van Cleef was a World War II Hero Prior to Being a Famed Western Actor
Lee Van Cleef was a regular fixture during the boom-time of Western films in American cinema. His sharp features and stoicism made him the ideal…
Fact or Fiction: Did Christopher Lee Embellish His World War II Service?
Written by Todd Neikirk and Clare Fitzgerald. Christoper Lee had an incredibly long acting career that began in the late 1940s. He gained notoriety for…
The Lee-Enfield Repeating Rifle Has the World’s Second-Longest Service History
The first version of the Lee-Enfield repeating rifle entered into service in 1895. Since then, 17 million units and a number of variants have been…
What Made the Polish No. 303 Squadron the Most Effective Pilots During the Battle of Britain?
At the outset of World War II, the Germans decided to treat Poland like a prize for the taking. What they didn’t realize, however, was…
Why the Battle of Ortona Was Nicknamed the ‘Italian Stalingrad’
While initially intended to be a super power on the Axis side during World War II, Italy wound up playing a smaller role in the…
The Battle of Castle Itter Saw Germans Team Up with the American Forces
The Allies fought fiercely against the Germans in both World War I and II. By the end of the Second World War, some Germans were…
Aníbal Augusto Milhais: The Portuguese Soldier ‘Worth a Million Men’
The story of Aníbal Augustus Milhais, also known by the nickname Soldado Milhões (“Soldier Millions”), reads like something out of Star Wars. A simple farmer…
Most Countries Fail To Spend 2% GDP For Defense Plus More Facts About NATO
If a NATO country is attacked, the entire organization responds. And for this reason, a lot of countries that aren’t members would like to be.…
Medal of Honor Recipient Gary Wetzel Has Never Stopped Serving
Upbringing and military service Gary Wetzel was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He joined the United States Army in 1965 at the age of…