Panzerbüchse 39: The German ‘Tank Hunting Rifle’ That Saw Action In Poland and the USSR
The Panzerbüchse 39 (PzB 39) was an anti-tank rifle operated by Wehrmacht during the Second World War. The PzB 39 saw use during the invasion…
The USS Oriskany Was Purposefully Sunk In the Gulf of Mexico to Form An Artificial Reef
Laid down in the middle of World War II, the Essex-class aircraft carrier USS Oriskany (CV/CVA-34) didn’t see action until after the conflict. She was…
Exercise Tiger: The D-Day Live-Fire Rehearsal That Resulted In Over 700 Allied Deaths
An immense amount of preparation was involved in ensuring the success of D-Day. The Allies had to make sure they’d achieve the desired outcome, meaning…
RAF Members Preparing to Bomb German Industry Targets During the Battle of the Ruhr
Throughout World War II, the Allied forces – in particular, the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the US Army Air Forces (USAAF) – conducted several…
Can You Spot the Finnish Coastal Defense Ship Väinämöinen In This Image?
Camouflage and optical illusions have long been a key part of conflict. Such tactics were heavily used throughout World War II, with examples being the…
Typhoon-Class: The Last of the Famous Soviet Ballistic Missile Submarines Retired In 2023
The Typhoon-class – also known as Project 941 Akula – were six Soviet nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. The largest ever constructed, they served with the…
Sunken Remains of German U-boat U-166 In the Depths of the Gulf of Mexico
A total of 23 U-boats were stationed in the Gulf of Mexico during World War II. Over the course of the conflict, they took out…
Archaeologists Uncover Hoard of Coins Belonging to Fearsome Ancient Roman Legion
A team of Polish and Georgian archaeologists have unearthed a trove of ancient Roman coins in what was once the ancient city of Colchis, now…
Malaysia Accuses Chinese Barge of Looting World War II-Era Shipwrecks
The Malaysian Maritime Agency has detained a Chinese barge it accuses of looting two British shipwrecks in the South China Sea. The accusations come after…
A Gloster Meteor Once Deflected A V-1 Flying Bomb With Its Wing
The V-1 flying bomb was an early cruise missile developed by Germany as part of its V-weapons (Vergeltungswaffen) program. Starting on June 13, 1944, V-1s…
HMS Centurion (1911): The British Dreadnought That Saw Action At Jutland and Was Purposefully Sunk After D-Day
The HMS Centurion (1911) was the second of four King George V-class dreadnought battleships. She served with the Royal Navy between 1913-44, seeing action throughout…
Grieving Mother Searches for Son Among Returning Austrian POWs
Following World War II, each nation began the intensive process of returning each other’s prisoners of war (POWs) home to their worried and grieving mothers,…