Modern | War History

The Tragic Crash that Took Out the B-24 “Hot Stuff” and Its Crew

B-24 Liberator In Action

Over three months before the B-17 Memphis Belle completed 25 missions, the B-24 Liberator “Hot Stuff” had already returned home from its 25th mission. The…

The Second World War Helped Launch Dick Van Dyke’s Acting Career

Dick Van Dyke as Mr. Dawes Sr. in 'Mary Poppins'

Is the fountain of youth real? A lot of movie fans seem to think it is. Actors like Paul Rudd, Jenifer Aniston and, of course,…

Did Joseph Stalin Really Send KGB Agents to Assassinate John Wayne?

Clare Fitzgerald
John Chisum in his cowboy attire + Portrait of Joseph Stalin

Everyone loves a good American Western, including Joseph Stalin. The Soviet dictator was a fan of the genre, but wasn’t too fond of its biggest…

Here’s Why the US Didn’t Attempt To Match Russia’s Titanium Submarines

Alfa Class Submarine

In 1968 the Soviet Union produced a revolutionary new class of submarines; the Alfa-class. These vessels incorporated a number of advanced and innovative features that…

Betty White Put Her Acting Career on Hold to Volunteer for the War Effort

Betty White might be a television icon, but did you know she once put her acting career on hold to devote her time to the…

200 Unexploded WWII Shells Uncovered in Staffordshire, UK

Bomb squad member walking beside a truck

The bomb squad was called to the small Staffordshire town of Cold Meece after receiving a report that hundreds of World War II-era shells were…

These 4 Weapons Created For Combat Were Cheap But Ingenious Game Changers

Sometimes, no matter how tactically adept a military force may be, if an opponent suddenly shows up with a particularly advanced or capable weapon, it…

Polish Scouts Risked Their Lives for the Resistance During World War II

Polish Scouts sitting atop a tank

Poland was one of the earliest casualties of the Second World War. After being invaded by Germany, the country’s government fled and went into exile…

Stanley Hollis: The Only British Soldier to Earn the Victoria Cross for his Actions on D-Day

Sergeant Hollis

Since it was introduced only 1,358 Victoria Crosses have been awarded. One of these was to Stanley Hollis, a soldier in the British Army who…

Grumman F-11 Tiger: The US Navy’s Second Supersonic Aircraft has a Weird History

F11F-1

The Grumman F-11 Tiger was an interesting fighter from an era that saw rapid and continuous advances in aircraft design. It was the US Navy’s…

William T. Perkins Jr: The Only Photographer to Receive the Medal of Honor

Marines walking through the jungle + Military portrait of William T. Perkins Jr.

There are few service members who have been awarded the Medal of Honor, and even fewer who have done so as a photographer. In fact,…

5 ‘Old Hollywood’ Celebrities Who Worked With The OSS To Fight Our Enemies

Julia Child

The Office of Strategic Services, better known as the OSS, was the United States intelligence agency during WWII. It was shut down promptly after the…