World War 2 | War History

MoH Recipient Hershel “Woody” Williams Destroyed Enemy Pillboxes During the Battle of Iwo Jima

Hershel W. "Woody" Williams speaking at a podium

Over the course of the Second World War, 473 military members received the Medal of Honor. They’ve all since passed away, with the last remaining…

Paul Tibbets Dropped the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Was Given No Funeral or Gravestone

Paul Tibbets sitting in the cockpit of the Enola Gay

Brig. Gen. Paul Tibbets, better known as the man who piloted the Enola Gay during the bombing of Hiroshima, became a well-known figure in the…

Elvis Presley’s Fundraising Efforts Helped Erect the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor

Aerial view of the USS Arizona Memorial + Headshot of Elvis Presley

In the 1950s, any American of a certain age could be drafted into the US military. Famous athletes and actors regularly served, as did musicians…

Ray C. Hunt: US Army Air Corps Mechanic Turned Guerrilla Fighter

US Army Rangers walking together in a group

Ray C. Hunt signed up for the US Army Air Corps at the start of the Second World War. He trained as an aircraft mechanic,…

Operation Wikinger: The Kriegsmarine’s Disastrous Mission in the North Sea

German destroyer Z1 Leberecht Maass at sea + Heinkel He 111 in flight

The Luftwaffe was the main arm and, arguably, the most dangerous aspect of the German military. Another branch intended to be just as strong was…

Dean Laird: The Ace Who Downed Both Japanese and German Aircraft During World War II

Dean Laird sitting in the rear seat of a Beechcraft T-34 Turbo-Mentor + Two aircraft in flight

There were numerous air aces during the Second World War. These aviators exhibited bravery and courage in the face of danger, earning the status of…

Lee Van Cleef Received the Bronze Star For His Service in the US Navy During World War II

Lee Van Cleef as Angel Eyes in 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'

Lee Van Cleef was a regular fixture during the boom-time of Western films in American cinema. His sharp features and stoicism made him the ideal…

The OSS Manual That Encouraged Axis Citizens to Sabotage the War Effort

Cover of the Simple Sabotage Field Manual + Woman crying while speaking with a police officer

As the Second World War raged on, the Allied and Axis powers employed various tactics to gain ground. One way was to utilize spies and…

Ex-Concentration Camp Guard Sentenced to Five Years in Prison By German Court

Josef S. hiding his face behind a blue folder

A 101-year-old German man has been found guilty of 3,518 counts of accessory to murder for serving as an SS guard at Sachsenhausen concentration camp…

Fact or Fiction: Did Christopher Lee Embellish His World War II Service?

Todd Neikirk
Christopher Lee wearing a suit and tie

Written by Todd Neikirk and Clare Fitzgerald. Christoper Lee had an incredibly long acting career that began in the late 1940s. He gained notoriety for…

Allied Snipers and Their Effectiveness During the Second World War

Finnish soldiers crouched in the snow

Snipers have played an important part in warfare for hundreds of years. The term was first officially used during the American Civil War, but sniper-like…

Richard H. Best: The Only WWII Pilot to Bomb Two Japanese Aircraft Carriers in One Day

Ed Skrein as Richard Best in 'Midway' + Douglas SBD Dauntless on the deck of the USS Enterprise (CV-6)

Of the four Japanese aircraft carriers sunk during the Battle of Midway – one of the most critical battles to occur in the Pacific Theater…