World War 2 | War History

C-4: The Vietnam-Era Explosive Still Used Today

Members of the 82nd Airborne Division watch as a test firing of C4 explosives explodes near the Orgun-e forward base in Afghanistan. The explosion was part of training exercises to teach U.S. troops how to build field explosives out of explosive C4 and detonation cords.

The Second World War was the catalyst for countless new technologies that we still use today. From medicines like penicillin to the atomic bomb and…

Items Belonging to British World War II Veteran & Judo Black Belt to Hit Auction Block

Personal and wartime objects once belonging to Royal Air Force Warrant Officer Percy Yasuyi Sekine are slated to hit the auction block at Rowley’s Auction…

Japanese Ordnance Officials Disarm Unexploded WWII-Era Bomb at Construction Site

US aircraft dropping incendiary bombs

Officials in the Japanese city of Nagoya have announced that members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force safely diffused a bomb dating back to the…

Marie Marvingtf: The WWI and WWII Pilot And Nurse Who Lived An Incredible Life

A drawing of Marie Marvingt's air ambulance

Marie Marvingt was so renowned for her courage that in 1903, she was nicknamed “the fiancee of danger.’ She was many other things as well.…

From the Scythians to Russia: The Use of Scorched Earth Tactics in War

US Air Force helicopter spraying Agent Orange over the jungle

Scorched earth tactics have been used nearly as long as armies have conducted military campaigns. While the practice is less common in modern times, it…

USS Houston (CL/CA-30): The Galloping Ghost of World War II

USS Houston (CA-30) at sea + Fog

The Pacific saw much action during the Second World War, serving as the backdrop for many major engagements. Among the most successful Allied vessels to…

Frederick Banting: The Co-Discoverer of Insulin Served in Both World Wars

Frederick Banting working at a desk

Shortly before 2:00 AM on October 31, 1920, Frederick Banting woke up from a dream that would change the lives of millions. He quickly scribbled…

USS New York (BB-34): The Only US Ship to Sink a German U-boat In WWI

Naval guns firing on the deck of the USS New York (BB-34)

The USS New York (BB-34) was a US Navy battleship and the lead vessel of her class. Named after the state of New York, she was…

The US Navy’s First Escort Carrier Shined During the Guadalcanal Campaign

USS Long Island at sea

Did you know the US produced 122 escort carriers during World War II? This staggering number makes it difficult to remember the achievements of one…

10 Photos of US Troops Displaying Enemy Flags Like Trophies

US soldiers walking in a line through tall grass + US Coast Guardsmen posing with a captured Japanese flag

The “loss” of a unit or army’s colors refers to the capture of a flag in battle or it being taken away as a form…

George Preddy Jr: The American Ace Shot Down By Friendly Fire During the Battle of the Bulge

George Preddy Jr. holding up his hands

George “Ratsy” Preddy Jr. was a US Army Air Forces officer and Air Ace credited with downing 32 1/2 enemy aircraft. This made him not…

Vincent Speranza: The American Soldier Who Went On An Epic Beer Run to Help a Comrade

Military portrait of Vincent Speranza + Portrait of Vincent Speranza

Soldiers who’ve been injured in battle can often be comforted with items that remind them of home. During the Siege of Bastogne in World War…