Valor | War History

Mk 47 Striker: The US Military’s Modern Automatic Grenade Launcher

Ryan McLachlan
Three US Army Special Forces members manning an Mk 47 Striker

The Mk 47 or Striker 40 – often called the Mk 47 Striker – is an American 40 mm advanced automatic grenade launcher. It was…

American Liberator Welcomed with Kisses from Elderly French Couple

American liberator being kissed on the cheek by an elderly couple

During the Second World War, the US involvement in the liberation of France stands as a remarkable chapter in history, serving as a turning point…

How An American GI Grieving During the Korean War Became Known Worldwide

Grieving American GI being comforted by another during the Korean War

Above is a photo of a grieving American GI whose friend was killed in action (KIA) while fighting the Korean War. He was a radio…

Clergyman Prays for Fallen GIs During the Battle of Ie-Shima

Clergyman praying while American servicemen watch from behind

The Battle of Ie-Shima from April 16-21, 1945 was a crucial engagement in the Pacific Theater during the latter stages of World War II. Fought…

The Tragically Short Career of NASA Test Pilot Joe Walker

Joe Walker standing beside the Bell X-1E 'Little Joe'

Joe Walker is a name that resonates with the pioneering spirit of aerospace exploration. He was a celebrated NASA test pilot whose contributions to spaceflight…

Ryan FR-1 Fireball: The US Navy’s First Jet-Engine Fighter Was Also the Worst Aircraft of World War II

Ryan FR-1 Fireball in flight

The Ryan FR-1 Fireball was an American fighter designed by Ryan Aeronautical for the US Navy during the Second World War. It was a mixed-power…

Germany Used Circus Elephants to Clean Up Following the Allied Bombings of Hamburg

Circus elephants Mary and Kieri moving a damaged vehicle from a ruined building in Hamburg

The image above features Mary from Burma and Kieri from Ceylon, elephants who were brought to the Hamburg Zoo to train for the circus. At…

Ray Stevenson, Star of ‘Rome’ and ‘Punisher: War Zone,’ Dead at 58

Clare Fitzgerald
Ray Stevenson posing for a photo

Ray Stevenson has passed away at the age of 58. The Northern Irish actor, known for starring in HBO/BBC’s Rome (2005-07), Punisher: War Zone (2008),…

Sturmpistole: The German Handheld Grenade Launcher That Failed to Match More Powerful Anti-Tank Weaponry

German soldier aiming a Sturmpistole

The Sturmpistole was a multi-purpose weapon developed for the German Army during World War II. A modified flare gun, it was capable of firing a…

Before Becoming Hollywood’s Leading Man, Kirk Douglas was Chasing Japanese Submarines In the Pacific

Kirk Douglas as Col. Dax in 'Paths of Glory'

Kirk Douglas is arguably one of the most famous names to emerge during Hollywood’s heyday in the 1950s and ’60s. Known for taking on particularly…

The M18 Recoilless Rifle Obliterated Enemy Machine Gun Nests In Korea

Group of men standing near an M18 recoilless rifle in the snow

The M18 is a 57 mm shoulder-fired, anti-tank recoilless rifle the US Army equipped troops with during the Second World War and in Korea. The…

USS Recruit (1917): The Wooden Dreadnought In Manhattan’s Union Square

USS Recruit (1917) in Manhattan's Union Square

Amid the bustling streets of Manhattan’s Union Square in World War I, an extraordinary sight met passersby. The USS Recruit (1917), a wooden landship constructed…