Valor | War History

Ian Fortune Kept Flying After Being Shot In the Head By Enemy Machine Gun Fire

British Royal Marines running from a Boeing CH-47 Chinook

Whether it be in peacetime or war, being shot is never pleasant. Taking a bullet once in the body is often enough to maim or…

Royal Navy Slang That’s Found Its Way Into Everyday Life

British Royal Navy sailors firing a cannon

In Britain, it’s said you’re never more than 70 miles from the sea. Given this, the country’s most important means of defense has, historically, been…

Everyday Slang That Originated In the Trenches of World War I

Canadian soldiers going over the top of a trench

The English language is constantly evolving, with new words being added all the time. This isn’t a new phenomenon, with terms and expressions from across…

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt: The Most Produced American Fighter of World War II

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt in flight

The “Juggernaut,” the “Jug” – whatever you want to call it, the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was an absolute beast in the skies over Europe and…

John Chapman: Mistaken for Dead, He Fought a Heroic Last Stand Against the Enemy

Jeff Edwards
John Chapman standing with his rifle + Military portrait of John Chapman

There have been many who performed distinct acts of valor and bravery during combat. While the majority are awarded for these actions not long after…

The BBC’s Coded Messages to the French Resistance During World War II

French Resistance member sitting in front of a radio

One of the best-known films about the Second World War is The Longest Day (1962), which centers around D-Day. In a number of scenes, members…

Did German Americans Actually Leave the US to Fight for Germany During WWII?

German soldiers marching together in uniform

In the acclaimed HBO miniseries, Band of Brothers (2001), Tech. Sgt. Donald Malarkey, played by Scott Grimes, asks a German prisoner of war (POW) where…

Bob Crisp: The Cricket Player and Tank Buster Who Took Out German Panzers In North Africa

Soldiers standing around damaged Panzer III tanks + Portrait of Bob Crisp

The majority of us lead lives that are fairly ordinary. There may be flurries of interest, even brief moments of heart-stopping excitement, but, most of…

‘Star Trek’ Star James Doohan Survived Six Bullet Wounds During the Allied Landings on D-Day

James Doohan as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in 'Star Trek'

James Doohan saw action during World War II and in outer space. His exploits inspired many to become an engineer, and one individual even followed…

John Ripley Faced Enemy Fire for Three Hours to Stop the North Vietnamese Advance

South Vietnamese Marines wading through mud toward a US Navy Patrol Craft, Fast (PCF) + Military portrait of John Ripley

Đông Hà, the northernmost city in South Vietnam, was once bustling with military activity. Home of the 4th Marine Division and a major helicopter base,…

Remembering Easy Company In Photos

Still from 'Band of Brothers'

The accomplishments of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division during the Second World War are perhaps most famously portrayed in…

Easy Company Facts Even Hardcore Fans of ‘Band of Brothers’ Don’t Know

'Band of Brothers' still.

HBO’s 2001 miniseries, Band of Brothers, has continued to gain popularity in the decades since its release. This is partly due to later generations having…