Featured | War History

Matthew Modine Turned Down ‘Top Gun’ for ‘Full Metal Jacket’

Matthew Modine's head superimposed on the body of Tom Cruise

Top Gun (1986) was among the most popular films of the 1980s, and it’s just one of the few box office hits Matthew Modine didn’t…

Jason Everman: The Nirvana and Soundgarden Member Who Became a US Army Ranger and Green Beret

Rosemary Giles
Jason Everman standing atop a snowy ridge while holding a weapon

Jason Everman, with his long curly hair and piercings, looked the epitome of a rockstar – because he was. As a young man, he played…

Frank Fiegel: The Real-Life Popeye Wasn’t a Sailor Man (or in the Military)

Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall as Popeye the Sailor Man and Olive Oyl in 'Popeye'

When E.C. Segar began his career as a cartoonist, he took inspiration from those around him. His most popular character, Popeye the Sailor Man, was…

‘Full Metal Jacket’ Facts Every Movie Fan Should Know

Still from 'Full Metal Jacket'

A number of Vietnam-era films were released in the decade or so after the conflict’s conclusion, and among the most popular was Full Metal Jacket…

Stanley Kubrick Was the Mastermind Behind These War Movie Classics

Clare Fitzgerald
Still from 'Spartacus' + Adam Baldwin as Sgt. "Animal Mother" in 'Full Metal Jacket' + Portrait of Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick was a talented, yet controversial, Hollywood figure. Best known for directing such classics as The Shining (1980), A Clockwork Orange (1971) and 2001:…

Val Kilmer Accidentally Landed Matthew Modine the Starring Role in ‘Full Metal Jacket’

Samantha Franco
Matthew Modine as Pvt. J.T. "Joker" Davis in 'Full Metal Jacket' + Val Kilmer posing on a red carpet

Full Metal Jacket (1987) was one of director Stanley Kubrick’s masterpieces. It follows a young Marine during the Vietnam War who experiences the struggles of…

Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine – Where Do We Stand One Year Later?

Ukrainian Special Forces members loading fire mortar shells

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022 – exactly one year ago. Western countries had anticipated the military action for months as Russia began mobilizing…

Samurai Sword Master Kaito Suiju Rates Japanese Sword Movie Scenes

Uma Thurman as Beatrix "The Bride" Kiddo in 'Kill Bill: Vol. 1' + Tom Cruise as Nathan Algren in 'The Last Samurai' + Keanu Reeves as John Wick in 'John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum'

Movies about samurai who’ve mastered the elements of ancient Japanese sword fighting have captivated audiences since the early days of cinema; the adventure, honor, sacrifice…

Is ‘The Guns of Navarone’ One of the Most Underrated War Films of All Time?

Clare Fitzgerald
Cast of 'The Guns of Navarone'

A slew of World War II films have been released in the decades since the conflict, so it’s understandable that some never wound up receiving…

First Battle of Fallujah: America’s Hard-Learned Lesson On Urban Warfare

US service members walking down a dirt road

Located along the Euphrates is Fallujah, Iraq, a densely-populated industrial city with ties to the ancient Silk Road. In 2004, its over 250,000 residents became…

Andrew Bundermann’s Expert Leadership Saved the Lives of Many Stationed at COP Keating

Samantha Franco
Aerial view of Combat Outpost (COP) Keating + Andrew Bundermann wearing a suit

Andrew Bundermann had to tap into everything he knew about battle when the Taliban led a 400-man attack against his position at COP Keating in…

The US Air Force Lost a Mark 15 Nuclear Bomb Off the Coast of Tybee Island

Samantha Franco
Aircraft flying over Tybee Island + Mark 15 nuclear bomb on a dolly

Somewhere in the waters off Tybee Island, near the population hub of Savannah, Georgia, lies a Mark 15 nuclear bomb that was dropped by US…