MSN | War History

Kildin Island Incident: When a Russian Submarine Surfaced Right Under an American Spy Sub

Although the Cold War ‘ended’ with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the tensions built up over the previous 45 years did not…

Taking K-129: Howard Hughes, the CIA, and the Most Expensive Secret Plot of the Cold War

K-129

The Cold War was infamous as a time of bizarre weapons, vehicles, and projects. Because the US and the Soviet Union were not fighting a…

The “Great Impostor” — Fred Demara Pretended To Be A Ship’s Surgeon And Didn’t Lose A Soul

Ferdinand Waldo Demara (left) referred to in the past as the "Great Imposter" is shown with Deputy D.A. Manley Bowler May 8 after he surrendered himself upon learning he had been charged with grand theft auto.

Ferdinand “Fred” Waldo Demara Jr. was a monk, a surgeon, and a lawyer. Well, kind of. He was a very skilled American impostor who was…

The Saint-Chamond: The WWI Tank That’s No Longer Considered A Tank

Saint-Chamond driving down the street + the tank on the battlefield

Tank warfare was introduced during the First World War. The British began development in 1915, and when the war broke out, more countries began to…

The Final Countdown Failed To Find Its Plot But Helped The US Navy Recruit

The Final Countdown Still

The 1980 naval action flick The Final Countdown received only average reviews at best upon its release. On the surface, it looks like a standard…

Rejected Prototype Aircraft That Were Given A Second Act

Grumman F4F Wildcat

Not every aircraft that sounds great on paper actually proves to be great in practice. There are far more proposed aircraft designs than there are…

The B-52 Stratofortress Will Be In Service For A Century

A Field of B-52 Aircraft, Davis Montham Air Force Base, Tucson, Arizona

It’s 1952: the P-51 Mustang is still in service, the majority of American homes did not yet have a television, and Elvis Presley was still…

The Sherman Tank – Beast or Bust?

View of a pair of M4 Sherman tanks as they manouver through smoke during a training exercise, July 1942.

The Sherman tank is one of the most well-known tanks involved in WWII, alongside the German Tiger and Soviet T-34. In the decades after the…

Konstanz: The German City That Tricked the Allies Into Thinking It Was Part of Switzerland

View of Konstanz from the water + Rubble strewn across a city

Air raids were a common occurrence during World War II. Cities across Europe were subjected to nighttime bombings aimed at throwing their military forces off…

The Only MoH Awarded For Actions During The Battle Of Midway

The Battle of Midway is regarded as one of the finest and most influential naval victories in history. The battle took place in June 1942…

Cordelia Cook Was The First Woman To Earn Both A Bronze Star And A Purple Heart

Cordelia E. Cook was a woman who was in the U.S. Army at a time when women could not serve in frontline duties and were…

The Douglas A-20 Havoc — One Of The US’ Most Versatile Medium Bombers

Converted A-20G and operated by 46th Bombardment Group from 8th April 1944 to August 1945.

During WWII, every aircraft in America’s roster of medium bombers was excellent. These were the B-26 Marauder, the B-25 Mitchell, and the A-20 Havoc. The…