Operation Bodenplatte, the German air force’s last chance to make a meaningful strike on the Allies, failed miserably because of inexperienced pilot and poor strategic planning
At the height of the Battle of the Bulge, Germany set Operation Bodenplatte into motion—an ambitious strike designed to cripple Allied control of the skies…
On their way home for Christmas after a peacekeeping mission in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, 236 members of the Screaming Eagles lost their lives in an aviation disaster
On December 12, 1985, tragedy struck the 101st Airborne Division when Arrow Air Flight 1285 crashed moments after takeoff from Gander International Airport in Newfoundland.…
The U.S. Air Force raised suspicion when a highly advanced jet crash-landed in Sequoia National Forest during the Cold War
In July 1986, an F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter crashed in California’s Sequoia National Forest, prompting a rapid and highly classified recovery effort by the U.S.…
The USS Northampton (CC-1) and USS Wright (CC-2) were converted into emergency floating command stations, or ‘Doomsday Ships’, during the Cold War
Amid the rising Cold War tensions of the 1960s, U.S. officials grew increasingly concerned that a surprise nuclear strike could wipe out national leadership and…
Despite 200-300 enemy casualties, zero American casualties were reported following the Battle of Khasham, the first confrontation between U.S. and Russian forces since the Cold War era
At the beginning of Operation Inherent Resolve, coalition troops were thrust into a fierce and unforeseen clash near the Syrian town of Khasham. A sizeable…
While they were battling the enemy in Vietnam, soldiers were also up against snakes, aggressive insects, and even tigers
Vietnam’s unforgiving landscape proved every bit as formidable as the enemy. American troops contended not only with ambushes and constant gunfire but with an environment…
The world’s abandoned military bases that are slowly fading into obscurity
Once bustling hubs of defense and strategy, many military bases eventually fade into obscurity as wars end and new technologies render their missions obsolete. These…
During the Vietnam War, Operation Ranch Hand had an equally devastating effect on American soldiers and the enemy
From 1962 to 1971, the U.S. military carried out Operation Ranch Hand under directives first approved by President John F. Kennedy. The campaign was designed…
War dogs were essential to the Vietnam War effort by alerting soldiers to hidden traps and scouting enemy positions
In the dense jungles of Vietnam, some of the U.S. military’s most reliable partners weren’t human—they were dogs. These canine soldiers carried out critical missions:…
Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyers will be the first in the U.S. Navy outfitted with hypersonic weapons
The U.S. Navy is pushing forward with its hypersonic weapons program, targeting missiles capable of traveling at more than five times the speed of sound.…
Common sayings and phrases we had no idea originated in the Navy
Throughout history, sailors forged their own language at sea—shaped by storms, shipboard routines, far-flung ports, and the tight-knit world of life afloat. Over time, many…
The crew of the USS Pueblo was held captive by North Korea for a year where they were subjected to beatings and starvation
In 1968, the seizure of the USS Pueblo by North Korea ignited a tense international standoff at the height of the Vietnam War. Washington insisted…