Valor | War History

The Real-Life Battle Behind the Brutal Vietnam War Movie, ‘Hamburger Hill’

Still from 'Hamburger Hill'

Some of the best war movies are based on real-life events – stories that are so fantastical that they’re almost unbelievable, such as Hacksaw Ridge…

The Degtyaryov Light Machine Gun’s Pan Magazine Made It Immediately Recognizable On the Battlefield

Degtyaryov DP-27 light machine gun on display

The Degtyaryov became the standard Soviet infantry light machine gun shortly after being introduced to the Red Army during the interwar period. While it had…

Retired Navy Adm. Jamie Foggo Rates Warship Battle Scenes from Popular Movies

Samantha Franco
Still from 'Battleship' + Still from 'Dunkirk'

American warships are often portrayed in film, due to their epic size and effectiveness in battle. In an interview with Insider, retired US Navy Adm.…

The USS Lexington Wreck Was Discovered Over 75 Years After the Battle of the Coral Sea

USS Lexington (CV-2) at sea

The sinking of the USS Lexington (CV-2) was one of many to occur during the Second World War, and her wreck has remained on the seafloor…

Esmond Knight: The British Actor Who Was Injured During a Battle with the German Battleship Bismarck

Still from 'Sink the Bismarck!' + Portrait of Esmond Knight

A number of British actors served during the Second World War, but few could claim they came face to face with the German battleship Bismarck…

Iraq War Timeline: Looking Back At the Conflict 20 Years Later

Rosemary Giles
Six soldiers walking at sunset

For many, it might feel like the Iraq War happened just yesterday, with the nightly news reporting updates on American troops overthrowing Saddam Hussein’s government…

RPD Machine Gun: The Soviet-Era Weapon That’s Seen Nearly 80 Years of Action

Australian soldier firing an RPD Machine Gun

The Soviet Union developed a number of effective machine guns during World War II and the Cold War. Some were only used for a short…

Operation Long Jump: The Alleged German Plan to Assassinate the ‘Big Three’

Joseph Stalin, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill sitting amongst military officials

A number of plans never came to fruition during the Second World War; one involved the use of bombs guided by pigeons, while another called…

Michael Alexander: The British Commando Who Escaped Death By Faking His Family Tree

Two British Commandos ducking in tall grass with their weapons

Not all those who were captured in combat were taken as prisoners of war (POWs) during the Second World War. Some were shot on-site, particularly…

MoH Recipient Richard O’Kane Was the US Navy’s Most Successful Submarine Commander

USS Tang (SS-306) leaving port + Military portrait of Richard O'Kane

Richard O’Kane is the most successful submarine commander in the history of the US Navy. He served during the Second World War, and sank a…

Battlefield Cross: A Powerful Symbol to Memorialize the Sacrifices of Fallen Soldiers

Samantha Franco
Battlefield Cross in a room + Battlefield Cross in the middle of a debris-strewn field

The Battlefield Cross has gone from having a functional purpose to providing symbolic meaning for those mourning the loss of their comrades. Its imagery is…

Charles Brown Never Received His MoH Because He Deserted Before It Was Presented

Samantha Franco
Charles Brown, Hugh Purvis and McLane Tilton standing in front of a captured Korean flag

During the 19th century, Korea was extremely isolationist. Before agreeing to the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1876, it didn’t have an interest in developing trade agreements…