Valor | War History

Following A Prior Insult, John Wayne Punished Darryl Zanuck While Filming ‘The Longest Day’

Rosemary Giles
Still from 'The Longest Day'

Filmed in the 1960s, The Longest Day is still considered one of the best war movies of all time. However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing…

Did the US Government’s Nuclear Testing Lead the Cast and Crew of ‘The Conqueror’ to Develop Cancer?

John Wayne and Susan Hayward as Genghis Khan and Bortai in 'The Conqueror'

John Wayne was one the most famous stars of Vintage Hollywood, but even he chose roles in movies that wound up being panned by critics.…

‘The Dam Busters’ Was Inspired By the Heroics and Heavy Losses of No. 617 Squadron RAF

Still from 'The Dam Busters'

While there are many good war films, few can be considered truly great. The Dam Busters (1955) is one of the few that falls into…

Black Sea Bumping Incident: When the Soviet Navy ‘Bumped’ the US Out of Its Territorial Waters

USS Yorktown (CG-48) being bumped by Bezzavetnyy

In the 1980s, the Soviet Union took several measures to get American warships out of its territorial waters – this including playing an old-fashioned game…

World’s Only Running Nashorn Tank Destroyer to Make UK Debut at TankFest 2023

Nashorn driving along a dirt road in the middle of a forest

The Tank Museum, in Bovington, has announced that the world’s only running Nashorn will be appearing at TankFest 2023, marking the first time the tank…

M28/M29 Davy Crockett Weapon System: The Tripod-Mounted Recoilless Rifle That Fired a Nuclear Warhead

Soldier standing with an M28/M29 Davy Crockett Weapon System outside

Throughout the Cold War, the United States was concerned about the Soviet nuclear threat. As such, the US military constantly came up with weapons designed…

Hero or Traitor? The Unsolved Disappearance of Leonid Khrushchev

Nikita Khrushchev holding papers + Military portrait of Leonid Khrushchev

Leonid Khrushchev, son of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, served during the Second World War as a fighter pilot for the Soviet Air Force. On March…

The McDonnell F3H Demon Was Doomed Before It Ever Entered Service

McDonnell F3H-2N Demon in flight

The US Navy has operated an array of aircraft throughout its history, but few had as short a service life as the McDonnell F3H Demon.…

Before Becoming a Big-Name Actor, Richard Todd was a Paratrooper Who Fought at Pegasus Bridge

Allied troops standing around Pegasus Bridge + Portrait of Richard Todd

A number of famed Vintage Hollywood actors served during the Second World War. While many enlisted prior to launching their careers, other opted to pause…

Cessna A-37 Dragonfly: The Forgotten Legend of Vietnam

Cessna A-37A Dragonfly in flight

The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly is an American light attack aircraft. Developed from the T-37 Tweet basic trainer, which earned it the nickname, “Super Tweet,” it…

Operation Copperhead Was Almost Compromised By A Drunk Bernard Montgomery Lookalike

Clifton James dressed as Bernard Montgomery + Portrait of Bernard Montgomery

Operation Overlord was, at that point, the largest amphibious invasion in the history of warfare. It was no easy feat to keep something of this…

William Hopper: The Actor Who Played Paul Drake on ‘Perry Mason’ Served in the Navy in WWII

US servicemen watching an explosion in the distance + Portrait of William Hopper

American actor William Hopper is best remembered for his decade-long portrayal of Paul Drake in the original television run of the popular courtroom drama, Perry…