Valor | War History

Jason Everman: The Nirvana and Soundgarden Member Who Became a US Army Ranger and Green Beret

Rosemary Giles
Jason Everman standing atop a snowy ridge while holding a weapon

Jason Everman, with his long curly hair and piercings, looked the epitome of a rockstar – because he was. As a young man, he played…

The Polish 1st Armoured Division Served As the ‘Cork’ of the Falaise Pocket

Tanks driving across a field + Polish 1st Armoured Division insignia

Nicknamed the “Black Devils” by the German military, the Polish 1st Armoured Division was created in the middle of the Second World War. Working with…

Frank Fiegel: The Real-Life Popeye Wasn’t a Sailor Man (or in the Military)

Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall as Popeye the Sailor Man and Olive Oyl in 'Popeye'

When E.C. Segar began his career as a cartoonist, he took inspiration from those around him. His most popular character, Popeye the Sailor Man, was…

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:…