Valor | War History

Where Is Hacksaw Ridge, the Location Where Desmond Doss Rescued 75 US Soldiers?

Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss in 'Hacksaw Ridge'

Conscientious objector Desmond Doss staged one of the most daring rescues of the Second World War, risking life and limb to get 75 of his…

Two Aircraft Carriers Were Stationed In the Great Lakes During WWII

USS Sable (XI-81) sailing through Lake Michigan

If there’s one thing aircraft carriers were known for during the Second World War, it was their role in changing the face of aerial combat.…

Russia Loses 130 Armored Vehicles In Biggest Tank Battle of Russo-Ukrainian War

Clare Fitzgerald
Ukrainian tank driving through the snow and mud

For three weeks, Russian and Ukrainian ground forces have been embroiled in a costly tank battle on the outskirts of Vuhledar, in southern Ukraine. The…

‘Full Metal Jacket’ Facts Every Movie Fan Should Know

Still from 'Full Metal Jacket'

A number of Vietnam-era films were released in the decade or so after the conflict’s conclusion, and among the most popular was Full Metal Jacket…

Mayaguez Incident: The Post-Vietnam Rescue Operation That Left Over 40 Americans Dead

US Marines boarding the SS Mayaguez

Just weeks after the Vietnam War was declared to be over, a new conflict erupted, threatening the peace many US and South Vietnamese soldiers had…

Eddie Slovik: The Only US Soldier to Be Executed for Desertion Since the Civil War

Still from 'The Execution of Private Slovik' + Military portrait of Eddie Slovik

Throughout the Second World War, Allied and Axis militaries struggled with desertion. Among the American forces alone, most occurred in the European Theater – an…

The German Flammenwerfer Forever Changed Warfare – And Not for the Better

Australian soldier kneeling with a captured Wechselapparat

For centuries, militaries tried to harness the ability to command fire. There were various methods used, but the flammenwerfer models developed by the German Army…

The Owen Gun Was Favored By Australian Troops for Its Reliability In the Pacific Theater

Leon Ravet and Bernard Kentwell carrying Owen guns through the jungle

If there’s one thing Australia isn’t known for, it’s weapons development. That’s not to say some ingenious firearms haven’t come out of the country. During…

Stanley Kubrick Was the Mastermind Behind These War Movie Classics

Clare Fitzgerald
Still from 'Spartacus' + Adam Baldwin as Sgt. "Animal Mother" in 'Full Metal Jacket' + Portrait of Stanley Kubrick

Stanley Kubrick was a talented, yet controversial, Hollywood figure. Best known for directing such classics as The Shining (1980), A Clockwork Orange (1971) and 2001:…

The Ending of the Battle of Ia Drang Was Different Than How It’s Depicted In ‘We Were Soldiers’

Mel Gibson and Sam Elliott as Lt. Col. Hal Moore and Sgt. Maj. Basil Plumley in 'We Were Soldiers'

We Were Soldiers (2002) is considered by many to be one of the best Vietnam War films ever made. This praise is largely due to…

Val Kilmer Accidentally Landed Matthew Modine the Starring Role in ‘Full Metal Jacket’

Samantha Franco
Matthew Modine as Pvt. J.T. "Joker" Davis in 'Full Metal Jacket' + Val Kilmer posing on a red carpet

Full Metal Jacket (1987) was one of director Stanley Kubrick’s masterpieces. It follows a young Marine during the Vietnam War who experiences the struggles of…

British Actors Who Served In the Military

Sean Connery and Michael Caine as Maj. Gen. Roy Urquhart and Lt. Col. J.O.E. Vandeleur in 'A Bridge Too Far'

Actors are best-known for their work on-screen, with their pre-fame lives being, generally, forgotten. That being said, there are many whose pre-acting experiences influenced the…