When Soldiers, Sailors, And Civilians Celebrated Victory in Europe with a Riot in Halifax
May 8th, 1945, was greeted with elation, parades, and revelry around the world. On this day, Victory in Europe was officially achieved, and the Second…
A 20th-Century Siege in 1809: The Second Siege of Zaragoza
Many consider bitter house to house fighting to be a 20th-century invention, and a 21st-century norm. But in 1809 one Spanish city, Zaragoza, resisted French…
Against All Odds – When United States Revenue Cutter Eagle Defended Itself For Three Days
On October 11, 1814, the town of Riverhead, on Long Island, erupted with the sound of cannon fire. Iron balls whistled over the cliffs on…
CSS Alabama and USS Kearsarge: Duel off the Coast of France
In June 1864, the American Civil War had been raging for three years, and merchant ships were increasingly becoming targets. For the previous two years,…
The Tragedy of the Destroyer USS Leopold
Convoy escort during WWII could be both a terrifying or dull affair. Sailors spent hours peering into gray seas, searching for and dreading the prospect…
Capture of the Privateer Jeune Richard, 1807 – When 28 men defeated 92
On October 1, 1807, a lone British packet was sailing 110 miles off the Northeast Coast of Barbados. The crew of 28, both men and…
A Desperate Fight to the Death: RMS Carmania Vs. SMS Cap Trafalgar 1914
In September 1914, WWI had only just begun. Europe was plunged headlong into the greatest conflict yet seen, but a victory for either side was…
When One Man Attacked The USA With His Militia at His Back – Pancho Villa
In 1916 WWI was ravaging Europe. Neutral countries were on edge, striving to stay out of the conflict. Then the southern border of the United…
When A British Destroyer Rammed a German Cruiser In World War Two
April 8, 1940, two ships found each other off the coast of Norway. One a German heavy cruiser the Admiral Hipper, the other, a British…
“Hell Roaring Mike”: A Highly Respected American Commander At Sea
Michael Augustine Healy was the first African-American man to command a US ship. He was well known and well respected for his actions off the…
The E.A. Stevens: A Ship Ahead of its Time
The 19th century saw an incredible advance in ship designs, from full-rigged wooden ships to enormous iron and steam liners. Progress was achieved through experimentation,…
The First Yale Unit: College Students Form a Flying Squadron in 1916
In the Spring of 1916, as WWI was raging in Europe, the students at Yale University’s class of 1918 were preparing themselves for a summer of…