Modern | War History

The Story Behind a Lockheed P-38G Lightning Wreck Off the Southern Coast of France

Wreck of a Lockheed P-38G Lightning on the seafloor

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a versatile and highly capable fighter used by the United States and other Allied countries in both the European and…

World War II-Era Hawker Hurricanes Found Buried In Ukraine

Member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine making notes near the rusty fuselage of a Hawker Hurricane

As the fighting continues to wage on in Ukraine as part of the Russo-Ukrainian War, several World War II-era relics have been unearthed. Not only…

US Navy Identifies Escort Carrier Sunk By Japanese Kamikaze In World War II

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) at sea

The Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) has confirmed the location of the wreck of the USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) in the Sulu Sea, off…

Before Starring Alongside Andy Griffith, Don Knotts Served In the US Army Special Services

Don Knotts as Barney Fife in 'The Andy Griffith Show'

Before Don Knotts became a household name for his roles on television and film, he scored some of his first comedy gigs serving in the…

Errol Flynn’s Son Disappeared While Serving As a Photojournalist In Vietnam

Sean Flynn holding up a weapon and sitting cross-legged in a hut

In 1970, Sean Flynn, son of Vintage Hollywood legend, Errol Flynn, disappeared in Cambodia while covering the Vietnam War. At 28 years old, he’d already…

Leonard Matlovich Was the First Serviceman to Out Himself in Protest of the US Military’s Homophobic Regulations

Portrait of Leonard Matlovich

Outside of his service during the Vietnam War, US Air Force Tech. Sgt. Leonard Matlovich fought a very different kind of battle, one against the…

Japan’s Secret Weapon for the Invasion of British Malaya Was… Bicycles?

Man riding a bicycle while holding an umbrella

During World War II, Japan employed a seemingly innocuous ally: the bicycle. As the empire faced logistical challenges and scarce resources, these manually-driven vehicles played…

Leslie ‘Bull’ Allen Single-Handedly Rescued 12 Wounded American Soldiers at Mount Tambu

Leslie "Bull" Allen carrying an injured American soldier through the jungle

During the chaos of World War II, countless heroes emerged. Among them was Australian stretcher bearer Leslie “Bull” Allen, an extraordinary individual whose courage and…

The World War II-Era British Covenanter Tank’s Issues Made It Immediately Obsolete

A13 Mk III Covenanter tank parked on rain-soaked cement

The Cruiser tank Mk V – or the A13 Mk III Covenanter – was a British tank that saw service during World War II. Manufactured…

Alan Turing’s Efforts to Decode German Enigma During World War II

Alan Turing sitting in a chair outside

Alan Turing was a British mathematician and cryptanalyst who worked tirelessly with a team of codebreakers during the Second World War. Together, they cracked encrypted…

Forget CGI! A B-17 Was Actually Crashed During the Filming of ‘Twelve O’Clock High’

Gary Merrill, Gregory Peck and Dean Jagger as Col. Keith Davenport, Gen. Frank Savage and Maj. Harvey Stovall in 'Twelve O'Clock High'

We live in a world where CGI is commonplace in movies. It’s actually become a selling point to say that flight sequences, such as those…

Battle of Khe Sanh: The Siege That Shook America

US Marines standing together in uniform

The Vietnam War, one of the most contentious conflicts of the 20th century, witnessed numerous fierce enagements that left a lasting impact. Among them was…