World War 2 | War History

The MI5 Used Falcons to Catch German Carrier Pigeons

Ursula, a peregrine falcon, swooping down to attack a carrier pigeon + Two soldiers releasing a carrier pigeon into the air

The use of pigeons on the battlefield is often associated with the First World War. Homing pigeons, in particular, were used the most, with the…

Al Schmid: The US Marine Who Continued to Man His Machine Gun After Taking a Grenade to the Face

US Marines manning a 75 mm Pack Howitzer M1 + Al Schmid being presented with the Navy Cross

Al Schmid, an apprentice steel burner, enlisted in the US Marine Corps after hearing about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Once on the battlefield,…

Frogmen: Before Navy SEALs, Underwater Demolition Teams Were Making a Splash on the Battlefield

Three Frogmen walking in front of a stopped truck

The Navy SEALs are among the most highly-regarded Special Operations forces in the United States, only made more illusive by stories of their various units,…

Road Workers Were Amazed By An Unexpected World War II-Era Discovery In Chartres

Crew using a mechanical digger to lift a mud-covered M5 Stuart from the ground

During the six years that made up the Second World War, the Allied and Axis nations deployed an astonishing number of troops and armaments across…

Teresio Martinoli: The Italian Ace Who Flew for Both Sides During WWII

Two Fiat CR.42 Falcos in flight + Teresio Martinoli standing near an aircraft in his pilot's jacket

For those who won the war, their flying aces go down in history for their brave actions and heroic deeds. Even those who didn’t win…

Van Barfoot: MoH Recipient Who Singlehandedly Captured 17 German Soldiers and Disabled a Tiger Tank

Todd Neikirk
US soldiers walking by a smoking Tiger tank + Military portrait of Van Barfoot + Medal of Honor

The Second World War featured countless examples of heroism. Still, the efforts of Van Barfoot stand out to this day. When faced with multiple German…

USS Grayback (SS-208) Found After 75 Years; What Was Onboard Was Unexpected

USS Grayback (SS-208) at sea

Seventy-five years after she first disappeared off the coast of Okinawa, the wreck of the USS Grayback (SS-208) was discovered at the bottom of the…

The USS Texas (BB-35) Was Intentionally Flooded During D-Day

USS Texas (BB-35) at sea

The USS Texas (BB-35) saw more combat action in her lifetime than most other US battleships, seeing service in both World War I and II,…

Joe Foss: The MoH Recipient Who Took Out Japanese Aircraft Over Guadalcanal

Todd Neikirk
Joe Foss standing in front of an aircraft

Joe Foss lived for 87 years, and he packed more living into those 87 years than any other American in recent history. Not only was…

Proposed D-Day ‘Theme Park’ Could Be Opening Near Where the Allies Landed at Normandy

American troops wading through water toward Utah Beach

Local residents and the family members of veterans are up in arms over a proposed D-Day attraction, named the Hommage aux Héros, that could be…

Queen Elizabeth II Snuck Out In Disguise to Join V-E Day Celebrations

Queen Elizabeth II standing before a group of people

Britain’s longest-ruling monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away on September 8, 2022 at the age of 96. The news was shared by Buckingham Palace, which…

Red Army Cook Ivan Pavlovich Sereda Took Out a German Tank With Just an Axe

German soldiers riding on a Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) + Axe + Pot filled with vegetable soup

Over the course of human history, unlikely heroes have emerged from surprising places, and the battlefields of World War II were no exception. Ivan Pavlovich…