World War 2 | War History

POW James Risner: Attempted to destroy his voice by injuring his own throat. When that failed, he drank a paste made from soap

James Robinson Risner was a remarkable pilot and a man whose tenacity of spirit was only matched by his bravery. Risner ended his career in…

The wounded Arkansas NFL Legend who saved his Battalion’s Position

Jeff Edwards

The world of sports is often said to serve as but a shadow or reflection of war.  There are physical rigors, stressful scenarios, and often…

Retired Marine reunited with his M1 Garand after 56 years

Ian Harvey

Marine recruit Pat Farmer was assigned the weapon at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego in 1960.  He signed the receipt card for…

The Deadly Defiant, A Game-Changing British Warplane in WW2

The 1930s were an age of aeronautical experimentation. All around the world air forces were trying new and fascinating designs, searching for the perfect combination…

Meet Chief Dog Sinbad, The Cheerful and Brave Coast Guard Mascot of WW2

The Coast Guard Cutter Campbell steamed out from New York in the winter of 1937. Like most peacetime cutters, she was patrolling the American coast,…

Josef Allerberger and Matthäus Hetzenauer: Two Snipers with Over 600 Kills Between Them

Josef Allerberger and Matthäus Hetzenauer were two snipers in the German Army who left a trail of death and chaos in their wake. The pair…

In These Battles, Fighting Spirit Overcame The Odds To Gain Victory

Battles can be lost for a hundred different reasons. Poor numbers, unwise strategy, inferior weapons, the list goes on. But just occasionally, a fighting force…

9 Feb 1945: Victory at the Colmar Pocket, Germans Eviction From The West Bank of The Rhine

On 9 February 1945, the last German forces on the west bank of the River Rhine were defeated by the French and Americans. The defeat…

2 February 1943 – The End Of The Battle For Stalingrad

The largest and bloodiest battle in the history of warfare, the Siege of Stalingrad lasted over five months and resulted in somewhere between 1.7 and…

Jewish Lawyer Foiled Nazi Plans in LA During WWII

Captain John H. Schmidt worked for a Jewish lawyer named Leon Lewis. Lewis set up a spy network on his own, without support from the…

Despite All Efforts, The Struggle Of The Allied Landings At The Anzio Ended In Failure

Towards the end of 1943, Allied forces were struggling to fight their way up Italy in the face of stern resistance from German Field Marshal…

Living A Quiet, Reclusive Life After Her Service, A Forgotten Heroine Of World War Two

On September 2, 2010, an 89-year-old woman’s body was discovered in a modest apartment in the British town of Torquay, Devon. She had died several…