MSN | War History

Lt. Col. Justin Constantine Dedicated His Life to Helping Fellow Veterans

Justin Constantine speaking at a press conference

On May 5, 2022, Lt. Col. Justin Constantine passed away after a brave and courageous battle with cancer. As Americans continue to mourn the loss…

Why the F-15 Eagle is the Best Fighter Aircraft of All Time

F-15 Eagle in flight

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine fighter aircraft that has served the US Air Force for decades. Entering service in 1976, the F-15…

USS Arizona Medal of Freedom Aims to Commemorate Battleship’s Crew and Legacy

USS Arizona shrouded in smoke + Lauren Bruner

The sinking of the USS Arizona (BB-39) during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, saw the deaths of 1,177 sailors and…

Tom Cruise Created Intense Flight Training Program for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Co-Stars

Jay Ellis, Monica Barbaro and Danny Ramirez in 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Top Gun: Maverick has only just been released in movie theaters, but that doesn’t mean reviews haven’t begun to role in. The sequel to the…

How the Baneberry Test Disaster Changed Underground Nuclear Testing

Sign warning of radiation in a desert area

In the early morning of December 18, 1970, a nuclear bomb was lowered 900 feet underground at the US military’s Nevada Test Site. The bomb…

US Navy, Air Force Trying to Recruit Public At ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Screenings

Clare Fitzgerald
Tom Cruise as Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Those old enough to remember the premiere of the original Top Gun film in 1986 likely recall seeing US Navy-run recruitment booths outside of theater…

The M1 Helmet Both Protected and Posed a Risk to Soldiers on the Front

Soldier charging forward with his weapon

Helmets were first introduced to American soldiers in 1917, as a way of protecting servicemen from suffering head trauma while fighting in Europe. One of the…

Bastogne Was a Defining Moment for the 101st Airborne Division

101st Airborne soldier aiming his weapon in the snow

The “Screaming Eagles” of the 101st Airborne Division proved their strength, stamina and heroism by pushing themselves to the absolute limit while undermanned and lacking…

Lt. Gen. Larry Jordan on His Military Career and the Service of African-Americans in WWI

Military portrait of Lt. Gen. Larry Jordan

The US military has a long and complicated history when it comes to the treatment of minorities within its ranks. While things have certainly improved,…

Sparrow Force Commandos Fought Against Unprecedented Odds During the Battle of Timor

Todd Neikirk
Australian soldier walking outside

When Japan entered the Second World War, the island nation of Timor was a big target. A small group of Australian, Dutch and British soldiers…

Battle for Hill 3234: The True Story Behind the ‘9th Company’ Movie

Elisabeth Edwards
Still from '9th Company'

On January 7, 1988, 39 men from 9th Company, 345th Independent Guards Airborne Regiment, Soviet Airborne Troops landed on the peak of Hill 3234, along…

Why Were Pigeons Onboard America’s First Aircraft Carrier?

USS Langley (CV-1) at sea + Pigeon sitting in someone's hand

The first American aircraft carrier was commissioned 100 years ago and onboard was a crew of small, winged comrades who proved their service was invaluable…