“The M.S. Wilhelm Gustloff” – Book Review by Mark Barnes
It’s good to see another volume on the life and death of the MS Wilhelm Gustloff from our friend Edward Petruskevich. This time round he…
The Only Enlisted Submariner Ever To Be Awarded The Medal Of Honor Locked Himself Inside A Sinking Submarine
For those who sail beneath the surface of the sea, there are few greater fears than permanently descending to the depths alive. The movies would…
A Massive Operation – Raising A U-Boat To Recover Her Precious Cargo
In 1958, a German submarine was hoisted from the depths of the Kattegat Bay between the North and Baltic Seas off the coast of Sweden.…
The Fateful Last Mission Of Jack Rittichier, Coast Guard Rescue Pilot In Vietnam
The United States Coast Guard is world renowned for its excellence in helicopter rescue operations. Few people realize how effectively this was used during the…
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…
John Reginald Gorman – The Amazing Irish Kamikaze, Busting Tanks In WW2
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…
Four Combat Monsters – The Super-Heavy Tanks Of WWI
In a time when bigger was considered better, an unofficial term was coined to describe a category beyond the heavy tank. The super heavy tanks…
Leonardo’s War Machines – The Italian Genius May Have Deliberately Sabotaged His Own Designs
Born in the Tuscan town of Vinci on the 15th of April, 1452, Leonardo Da Vinci is perhaps best known as the painter of the…
The Ambitious Scotsman Who Used A Tiny, War-Scarred Brig To Capture A Huge 32-Gun Frigate
On March 28th, 1800, a Scottish aristocrat took command of the small Brig-Sloop HMS Speedy, based at Port Mahon. The Scotsman, Thomas Cochrane, was an…
The Beautiful American Ship USS Constitution Was Built In 1797 And Is Still Afloat Today
“Old Ironsides”, the USS Constitution, has been through it all and lived to tell about it – as her nickname suggests. Built of a study oak,…
When The Nuclear Submarine USS San Francisco Crashed Into An Undersea Mountain
Launched in 1979, the USS San Francisco is the third American ship, boat or submarine to carry a title featuring San Francisco in the name. In…
These Were The Last Two German U-boats To Surrender In WW2
Throughout the Second World War, U-boats played a critical role in Germany’s warfare strategy. This was especially so during the Battle of the Atlantic, which lasted…