Shahan Russell

Shahan Russell is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE

Articles by Shahan Russell:

Jacklyn Lucas: The 17-Year-Old MoH Recipient Who Threw Himself on Two Grenades to Save His Comrades on Iwo Jima

US Marines charging up a beach on Iwo Jima + Jacklyn Lucas wearing his US military uniform

When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, many Americans were understandably enraged. One person was so incensed, in fact, that he fought the…

“Baddest Man in the 761st” He Went Full On Berserker Destroying Everything In His Path

Warren Gamaliel Harding Crecy was born in Corpus Christi, Texas on January 4, 1923. Those who knew him called him “Harding.” He and his wife…

The Fierce Australian Juggernaut: The firing was so intense the jungle was stripped of vegetation in minutes, the Japanese were decimated

In August 1942 the Japanese were hell-bent on taking the city of Port Moresby in New Guinea. Trying to stop their inexorable advance along the…

The Gurkha Stood up in Open Sight, Shot a Sniper Pinning Down his Men Before Going on to Clear 5 Bunkers, Single-Handedly

Bhanbhagta Gurung was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC), Great Britain’s highest military award for gallantry, in 1945 for singlehandedly clearing five Japanese positions and inspiring…

‘Star Trek’ Star James Doohan Survived Six Bullet Wounds During the Allied Landings on D-Day

James Doohan as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in 'Star Trek'

James Doohan saw action during World War II and in outer space. His exploits inspired many to become an engineer, and one individual even followed…

The Rose – SOE Agent Eileen Nearne Survived the Gestapo & Helped Expose V-1 Rockets

On September 2, 2010, an 89-year-old woman’s body was discovered in a modest apartment in the British town of Torquay, Devon. She appeared to have…

The Real Rambo, America’s Neglected Warrior, Driving With One Hand & Shooting With The Other – 200 Lay Dead

Llewellyn Morris “Al” Chilson was born on April Fools’ Day, 1 April 1920, in Dayton, Ohio to a World War I veteran. The Chilson family later…

The Battle of Long Tan: 1500 Strong VC and NVA Force Ambushed 108 Australians – And Lost

During the Vietnam War, 108 Australian soldiers stood against some 1,500 to 2,500 Vietnamese forces near the village of Long Tan. When the battle was…

WW1: German Spies Blew Up 100,000 Pounds of TNT in New Jersey And Damaged The Statue Of Liberty

The first terrorist attack on US soil happened when Germany attacked New Jersey in 1916 – an event which became known as the Black Tom…

Retreat Does Not Always Mean Defeat – Epic Retreats From Military History

In war, retreats aren’t always about defeat. Sometimes, they’re a deliberate tactic to gain more defensible ground, consolidate forces, encircle an enemy, or lead them…

How Vietnam War POW Doug Hegdahl Tricked His Captors by Playing The Fool

Imagine that it’s the 1960s. You’re an American POW in a North Vietnamese camp, so you have two options: If you want to live, you…

It May Be Surprising To Learn That These Countries Are Still At War

North & South Korea When WWII ended, Korea was divided. The Soviets controlled the area north of the 38th parallel, while the US controlled south…