U.S. Forces held their ground against Syrian and Russian fighters during the Battle of Khasham
At the start of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), U.S. coalition forces found themselves under attack by Syrian pro-government fighters and Russian private military contractors near…
Henry Johnson was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Medal of Honor for his brave actions during WWI
Many heroic acts receive medals and public praise, but some are overlooked because of discrimination, politics, or issues of nationality. One striking example is William…
Americans and Germans set aside their differences during a Christmas Truce that took place during the Battle of the Bulge
When most people hear about a Christmas truce during wartime, they think of the famous one from 1914 that occurred along the Western Front. But…
Snakes, tigers, and booby traps: All the dangers American soldiers encountered in the jungles of Vietnam
The conditions on the battlefield played a huge role in how the Vietnam War was fought. U.S. troops didn’t just face enemy fire—they had to…
The IJN Shinano, a massive Japanese aircraft carrier, met its end when it was hit by four American torpedoes
During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) built some of the most powerful warships ever made, and one of the most unusual was…
The Japanese Kongō was the only battleship to be sunk by an American submarine during World War II
The Japanese battleship Kongō earned a legendary reputation and several powerful nicknames—“Indestructible Diamond,” “Indra’s Spear,” and “Divine Thunder.” These names reflected her feared status and…
Medal of Honor recipient Van Barfoot single-handedly disabled a Tiger tank using a bazooka
During World War II, Van Barfoot demonstrated remarkable courage and heroism on the battlefield, earning deep respect from his fellow soldiers. When faced with a…
The solemn reason why Paul Tibbets, pilot of the Enola Gay, refused a funeral and a headstone when he passed away
Brigadier General Paul Tibbets, despite becoming a household name for piloting the Enola Gay during the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, made a very deliberate decision…
Locals in Papua New Guinea nicknamed a downed WWII-era plane the “Swamp Ghost” after it was abandoned in the jungle for decades
In 1972, while flying over the swamps of Papua New Guinea, members of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) spotted something unusual below. The strange…
Military leaders were expecting a high number of casualties from Operation Downfall, but they never had to go through with the attack
At the end of World War II, the United States was getting ready for Operation Downfall—a massive, two-part invasion plan meant to force Japan to…
Why is a German U-boat from WWI at the bottom of Lake Michigan?
Resting at the bottom of Lake Michigan is a 185-foot German U-boat—an unlikely discovery, especially since no German submarines ever patrolled the Great Lakes during…
The USS Arizona (BB-39) sank during the attack on Pearl Harbor, but years later, survivors were able to reunite with the lost vessel and crew
The USS Arizona (BB-39) was a Pennsylvania-class battleship built for the U.S. Navy in the mid-1910s and named after the 48th state to join the…