A Sailor’s Life For Me – A day in the life of a Royal Navy Sailor from 1806
The life of a sailor has never been easy, and during wartime, it is doubly true. It was particularly so in the Royal Navy at the…
John D. Bulkeley’s Daring Evacuation of General Douglas Macarthur on a 77′ PT Boat
The US Navy is best known for its Admirals and battleships. Both are often the most prominent assets in the fleet, but in the Philippines,…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
Mighty WW2 Warships – KMS Admiral Graf Spee in the Battle of the River Plate
On September 1, 1939, while German troops were rolling across the border into Poland, their Navy was sent to raid Allied shipping lanes, much as…
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…
The Unknown History of US Coast Guard Intelligence Operations
History often overlooks the Coast Guard’s role as an intelligence gathering operation. This small service, with its unique combination of military, law enforcement, and humanitarian…
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…
USCGC Heriberto Hernandez, Named For A Coastguard Hero Who Was Killed In Vietnam
On October 16, 2015, the United States Coast Guard gained a new Cutter. The 154 foot Sentinel Class Fast Response Cutter was named after a…
Although Steel Ruled The Waves, Wooden Boats Still Found A Place In WWII
The Second World War saw the advent of modern warfare. Navy fleets began using steel and aluminum aircraft to strike at one another. Submarines patrolled…