Modern | War History

The Seven US Presidents Who Served During WWII

George H.W. Bush sitting in the cockpit of an aircraft + Military portrait of John F. Kennedy + Dwight D. Eisenhower standing with his hands on his hips

Future US Presidents have fought in nearly every conflict in the country’s history, but WWII was different. Seven were members of the military during the…

The Type B Bus ‘Pigeon Loft’ Was A Strange Sight on the Western Front

British soldier standing atop a Type-B Bus "Pigeon Loft"

Over time, there have been some odd vehicles seen on battlefields, but few were as eye-catching as the Type B Bus “Pigeon Loft.” The Allied…

Facts About the Guadalcanal Campaign That Show It Was a Pivotal Point In the Pacific Theater

US Marines landing ashore on Guadalcanal

The battles of Iwo Jima and Midway are well remembered as two of the most important engagements in the Pacific Theater of the Second World…

Sidney Shachnow: The Holocaust Survivor Who Became a Green Beret

Prisoners making saddles + Military portrait of Sidney Shachnow

Sidney Shachnow was a Lithuanian Jew who experienced – and survived – the Holocaust. Imprisoned in the Kovno Ghetto during World War II, he suffered…

Quentin Roosevelt is the Only Child of a US President to Be Killed in Combat

Quentin Roosevelt's grave marker + Quentin Roosevelt in his military uniform

Many US presidents served in the military before taking office – in fact, 31 have had some experience in the armed forces. There’s long been…

Why Did Flying Boats Experience a Dip in Popularity Following WWII?

Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina patrol bomber taking off on water

Starting from as soon as man conquered flight to the end of the Second World War, flying boats were an extremely popular type of aircraft.…

Charles Bronson: Hollywood Actor and Aerial Gunner

Portrait of Charles Bronson + Boeing B-29 Superfortress in the air

Charles Bronson was known for playing the tough guy on the big screen, but he was also one in real life. Following a life of…

This Greek Priest Saved 27,000 Greek Jews from Deportation

Archbishop Damaskinos Papandreou

Damaskinos Papandreou was the Archbishop of Athens from 1941 to 1949. This position made him the highest-ranking priest in Greece, which was under German occupation…

The Sinking of the MV Wilhelm Gustloff Is The Single Largest Maritime Disaster In History

MV Wilhelm Gustloff

In January 1945 a German transport ship carrying thousands of civilian refugees from northern Europe was sunk in the Baltic Sea. She was torpedoed by…

Jackie Robinson Fought Segregation In the US Army Before Taking On the MLB

Jackie Robinson writing at a desk

Jackie Robinson is remembered as the first African-American baseball player to break the color barrier and play Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era.…

The Jewish Red Army Major Who Led the Liberation of Auschwitz

Entrance to Auschwitz + Anatoly Shapiro

The German Army committed unspeakable atrocities against Europe’s Jewish population during World War II, including imprisoning them in concentration camps. They tried to destroy any…

John Singlaub: Special Operations Legend and Anti-Communist Crusader

There are few US military generals who have as storied and controversial a career as Major General John Singlaub. He fought in three wars before…