The real-life TOPGUN instructor who inspired the character Viper in “Top Gun” worked as a technical advisor on the movie
When Top Gun hit theaters in May 1986, it instantly captured audiences with adrenaline-fueled aerial dogfights and a vivid portrayal of life as a Navy…
After he was executed, Benito Mussolini’s death was seen as the end of fascism in Italy
When World War II erupted, Benito Mussolini stood as one of Europe’s most dominant political figures. After taking power in 1922, he pursued an aggressive…
Battle of Okinawa was fought for 82 days, and was one of the bloodiest campaigns of World War II for both sides
Fought only weeks before the war in Europe came to an end, the Battle of Okinawa became the final and most brutal major confrontation of…
The Führer stepped in and personally made sure that an American woman was executed for her work with the Red Orchestra in Germany
As World War II consumed Europe and the regime of the Führer tightened its hold, a small number of individuals chose resistance over compliance. Among…
These notorious American camps held German POWs after World War II
In the closing months of World War II, the protections established under the Geneva Conventions were not always applied uniformly. In some areas of occupied…
After being nominated for the Medal of Honor three times for his service in Vietnam, Robert L. Howard was the most decorated soldier of the war
Robert L. Howard’s life reads like the plot of a war epic, yet every moment of it is real. Serving as a U.S. Army Green…
Japan’s plan to attack the United States with kamikaze frogmen during the Second World War was a huge failure
As World War II neared its conclusion, military planners on both sides began weighing increasingly ambitious strategies in an effort to secure a decisive final victory. For the…
General Graves Erskine: The US marine served in both World Wars and escorted the body of the Unknown Soldier back to America
Before production began on Sands of Iwo Jima, John Wayne and Republic Pictures enlisted Graves B. Erskine as a military advisor to help bring realism…
Chesty Puller is known as one of the most decorated Marines in the history of the US Marine Corps and served in three major wars
Lewis “Chesty” Puller is widely regarded as one of the most iconic figures in the history of the U.S. Marine Corps. Often cited as the…
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr and 9 other famous figures and celebrities who were held as POWs during the Second World War
While countless individuals played vital roles in the Allied war effort—across land, sea, and air—less widely known is the fact that several future celebrities also…
‘Star Trek’ star James Doohan survived six bullet wounds during the Allied landings on D-Day
James Doohan, a World War II veteran, used his bravery and service as a stepping stone to a successful acting career that would go on…
Veterans tried to buy the decommissioned supercarrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) but she was sold to scrap dealers instead
In May 2022, USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) arrived in Brownsville for the final time, marking the end of a remarkable naval career that spanned nearly…