Ships | War History

Higgins Boat: The Landing Craft That Helped the Allies Win World War II

American personnel approaching Omaha Beach aboard a Higgins boat

The landing craft, vehicle, personnel (LCVP) – or Higgins boat – was used by the Allies to conduct amphibious operations during the Second World War.…

USS Bennington (CV-20) Paying Respect At the USS Arizona Memorial

USS Bennington (CV-20) transiting past the wreckage of the USS Arizona (BB-39) with the word "ARIZONA" written on her flight deck

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor launched the United States into the Second World War. The assault on December 7, 1941 resulted in the loss…

The Most Impactful Military Vehicles of World War II

Still from 'Battle of Britain'

In the shadowy chapters of history, battles are often viewed through the prism of generals and troops – their tactics, their bravery and their sacrifices.…

The Kursk Submarine Disaster Claimed the Lives of 118 Russian Sailors

K-141 Kursk surfacing at sea

K-141 Kursk was an Oscar II-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine operated by the Russian Navy. Commissioned in December 1994, she represented the peak of the…

The USS Utah (BB-31/AG-16) Was Sunk By the Japanese During the Attack on Pearl Harbor

Aerial view of the USS Utah (BB-31) Memorial

The USS Utah (BB-31), the second ship in the Florida-class of dreadnoughts, served with the US Navy in various engagements during the first half of…

HMS Sussex (96): The British Heavy Cruiser That Survived a Kamikaze Strike

Kamikaze strike on the side of the HMS Sussex (96)

The British heavy cruiser HMS Sussex (96) was a London sub-class vessel within the Royal Navy’s County-class. Operated by the service between 1929-50, she participated…

The Soviet ‘Hiroshima’ Submarine That Inspired Harrison Ford’s ‘K-19: The Widowmaker’

Harrison Ford as Capt. Alexei Vostrikov in 'K-19: The Widowmaker'

K-19 was the first submarine of the Soviet Union’s Project 658, the first generation of Soviet nuclear submersibles that carried an armament of nuclear ballistic…

The USS Oriskany Was Purposefully Sunk In the Gulf of Mexico to Form An Artificial Reef

USS Oriskany (CV/CVA-34) sinking into the Gulf of Mexico

Laid down in the middle of World War II, the Essex-class aircraft carrier USS Oriskany (CV/CVA-34) didn’t see action until after the conflict. She was…

Can You Spot the Finnish Coastal Defense Ship Väinämöinen In This Image?

Väinämöinen anchored while covered in natural camouflage

Camouflage and optical illusions have long been a key part of conflict. Such tactics were heavily used throughout World War II, with examples being the…

Typhoon-Class: The Last of the Famous Soviet Ballistic Missile Submarines Retired In 2023

Illustration of a Typhoon-class submarine next to a ship

The Typhoon-class – also known as Project 941 Akula – were six Soviet nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. The largest ever constructed, they served with the…

Sunken Remains of German U-boat U-166 In the Depths of the Gulf of Mexico

U-166's deck gun covered in algae on the ocean floor

A total of 23 U-boats were stationed in the Gulf of Mexico during World War II. Over the course of the conflict, they took out…

Malaysia Accuses Chinese Barge of Looting World War II-Era Shipwrecks

Chinese barge Chuan Hong 68 anchored in the water

The Malaysian Maritime Agency has detained a Chinese barge it accuses of looting two British shipwrecks in the South China Sea. The accusations come after…