Valor | War History

Ahmet Ali Çelikten: Why Have We Forgotten History’s First Black Aviator?

Ahmet Ali Çelikten standing in his pilot's uniform

Exactly two years before World War I came to an end, Ahmet Ali Çelikten became one of the world’s first Black military aviators. Çelikten, who…

Ship That Took Part In Operation Overlord Can Be Yours for Just €40,000

Close-up of Light Vessel 72's light tower + Light Vessel 72 moored along the river Neath

Moored along the river Neath in Wales is Light Vessel 72 (LV72). Better known by the name Juno, the vessel might look like your average…

‘Almost Everything You See On That Big Screen We Flew’ – Former US Navy Pilot Talks ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

Clare Fitzgerald
Tom Cruise as Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Cmdr. Frank “Walleye” Weisser is a combat veteran who underwent three deployments with the US Navy. Throughout his career, he clocked thousands of in-flight hours,…

Former Russian Bomber Engineer Offering Military Secrets for Asylum In the US

Clare Fitzgerald
Tupelov Tu-160 in flight

A report from Yahoo! News has revealed that a former Russian military bomber engineer tried to seek asylum at the southwest border of the United…

Fritz X: The World’s First Precision-Guided Missile Took Out the Italian Navy’s Flagship

Fritz X on display

The Fritz X was a German radio-guided anti-ship missile that went by many names: Ruhrstahl SD 1400 X, PC 1400X, Kramer X-1 and FX 1400.…

The Allies Crafted the Largest Non-Nuclear Explosion to Win the Battle of Messines

Damaged German trench + British soldiers digging into the ground

The origin of mine warfare dates back all the way to the mid-19th century, during the American Civil War. In December 1861, Confederate officer Maj.…

The US Army Attempted to Cover Up the True Nature of Pat Tillman’s Death In Afghanistan

Clare Fitzgerald
Pat Tillman kneeling in his football uniform + Military portrait of Pat Tillman

Pat Tillman was a football player destined to reach the top of the NFL. He was a talented athlete, but opted to switch careers after…

The True Story Behind ’13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi’

Clare Fitzgerald
David Denman and Pablo Schreiber as Dave "Boon" Benton and Kris "Tanto" Paronto in '13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi'

The 2012 Benghazi attack occurred on the anniversary of September 11th. While the nation was commemorating one of its darkest days, militants launched an assault…

Academy Award-Winning Actor David Niven Had to Fight to Serve In WWII

British soldiers walking on a beach during D-Day + David Niven dressed as a soldier

A famous Hollywood star of the 1940s, through to the ’80s, David Niven featured in numerous popular films, even taking on the role of James…

The Second Battle of Fort Wagner Proved the 54th Infantry Regiment Had the Chops

Still from 'Glory'

The 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment proved their bravery and courage in fighting against Confederate forces at Fort Wagner.

Was Thomas Dobney the Youngest Bomber Pilot of World War II?

Pilot climbing into the cockpit of an aircraft

It’s no secret that, during the First World War, it was common for men to lie about their age when enlisting. While it was more…

Lost Cosmonauts: The Supposed Victims of the Soviet Union’s Space Endeavors

Samantha Franco
Space scene + Yuri Gagarin wearing a spacesuit

During the 1960s, rumors circulated that the Soviet Union had been sending people to space long before they announced their first successful launch. Experiments frequently…