Vietnam War | War History

Staff Sergeant Gail Kerns Was Held As a POW By the North Vietnamese for Four Years

Two nurses standing around Gail Kerns as he kisses the tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland

As with all conflicts, prisoners of war (POW) were commonplace during the Vietnam War. It’s estimated that around 2,500 Americans were either missing in action…

5,000 War Dogs Served in Vietnam and Almost All of Them Were Left Behind

Frank Spano kneeling alongside his German Shepherd, Lobo

Among the many valiant actors of the Vietnam War were war dogs, courageous canines who played an indispensable role in the conflict. Trained as sentry,…

USS Ticonderoga (CV-14): The Aircraft Carrier That Served In Two Wars and Aided In the Apollo Missions

USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14) at sea

The USS Ticonderoga (CV/CVA/CVS-14) was an Essex-class aircraft carrier built by the US Navy during the Second World War. She was the fourth ship to…

Errol Flynn’s Son Disappeared While Serving As a Photojournalist In Vietnam

Sean Flynn holding up a weapon and sitting cross-legged in a hut

In 1970, Sean Flynn, son of Vintage Hollywood legend, Errol Flynn, disappeared in Cambodia while covering the Vietnam War. At 28 years old, he’d already…

Leonard Matlovich Was the First Serviceman to Out Himself in Protest of the US Military’s Homophobic Regulations

Portrait of Leonard Matlovich

Outside of his service during the Vietnam War, US Air Force Tech. Sgt. Leonard Matlovich fought a very different kind of battle, one against the…

Battle of Khe Sanh: The Siege That Shook America

US Marines standing together in uniform

The Vietnam War, one of the most contentious conflicts of the 20th century, witnessed numerous fierce enagements that left a lasting impact. Among them was…

Why American Soldiers Had Human Skulls Watching Over Them In Vietnam

American soldier sitting behind a human skull while camped out in Vietnam

Above is an American soldier encamped during a tour of Vietnam, sitting with his rifle in-hand while a human skull keeps watch. Award-winning British photojournalist…

The Freelance Photographer With the Amazing Mustache Who Survived Enemy Fire In Vietnam

Kurt Rolfes holding his damaged camera

Photographers played an incredibly crucial role in documenting the Vietnam War, capturing the harsh realities and human side of the conflict. These brave individuals, such…

The USS Oriskany Was Purposefully Sunk In the Gulf of Mexico to Form An Artificial Reef

USS Oriskany (CV/CVA-34) sinking into the Gulf of Mexico

Laid down in the middle of World War II, the Essex-class aircraft carrier USS Oriskany (CV/CVA-34) didn’t see action until after the conflict. She was…

The Controversial Phoenix Program Was Created to Obliterate the Viet Cong

US Army Special Forces members and South Vietnamese soldiers crouching in the jungle

The Vietnam War was arguably the most controversial conflict of the 20th century. One of the most contentious aspects of the war was the Phoenix…

After Defecting to North Korea, Charles Robert Jenkins Was Held Prisoner for Over 39 Years

Charles Robert Jenkins sat in front of a US Army officer at a table

Charles Robert Jenkins was an American soldier who defected to North Korea in 1965. Contrary to what it may seem, his plan was never to…

Robert Downey Jr. Tackles Several Roles In Trailer for HBO’s ‘The Sympathizer’

Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey Jr. in 'The Sympathizer'

The trailer for HBO’s upcoming Vietnam-era miniseries The Sympathizer has been released. Based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen,…