The Heroic US Coast Guard Cutter Crew Who Battled U-Boats In The First World War
The Navy Cross is awarded for valor and heroism while in service with the United States Naval Forces. Since its creation in 1919, there have…
A WW2 US Coast Guard Hero – Securing the Ports Which Were Essential To D-Day’s Success
The northern French coast, from Brittany to Pas-de-Calais has a plethora of ports of all sizes. Today, it is easy to overlook their importance, but…
Thaman Gurung, V.C. – A Brave Gurkha gives his Life to save his Comrades in WW2
Since their first interactions with the British East India Company in 1814, the Gurkhas are renowned for their bravery and skill in combat. These Nepalese…
A German and an American Meet at the end of WWII
War is full of brief encounters. A sudden glimpse of the face of an enemy; the brief sighting of an enemy submarine; or seeing a wounded…
The Tragic Loss of Nathan Bruckenthal, The Only US Coast Guard Casualty of the Iraq War
The Iraq War is most often remembered for its ground combat. The insurgency which gripped the country after the fall of Saddam Hussein focused its…
An Australian Navy Ship Sent This WW1 Crew On An Epic Journey Home
The Keeling Islands are little more than overgrown coral reefs, but in 1914 they saw the beginning of one the most epic adventure stories of…
John D. Bulkeley, Commander of the USS Endicott – A daring attack in WWII
On August 17, 1944, the USS Endicott, captained by Lieutenant Commander John D. Bulkeley, blew up two German ships, using only a single 5” gun.…
How A Small Group Of Canadian Paratroopers Saved Denmark From Soviet Occupation
By May 1945 the war in Europe had finally started to wind down. Yet for the men of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, there was…
U-Boat 96, and the film Das Boot
In 1981, a film was released which is still cited as one of Germany’s greatest cinematic triumphs. It followed the exploits of U-96, a German…
Thaman Gurung, V.C. – A Brave Gurkha gives his Life to save his Comrades in WW2
Since their first interactions with the British East India Company in 1814, the Gurkhas are renowned for their bravery and skill in combat. These Nepalese…
The Dawn of the Submarine: U-21 sinks HMS Pathfinder
In 1914 submarines were still a novel idea. Many nations had not utilized them until 1900, Germany not until 1906. Soon their worth would be…
Battle of WWI merchant raiders: HMS Alcantara v SMS Greif
On February 27, 1916, the Norwegian cargo ship Rena steamed out of Cuxhaven on Germany’s North Sea coast. In peacetime, this would not have been…