When the US Navy’s nuclear submarines were getting mysteriously damaged, nobody suspected it was from a tiny shark!
Submarines are engineered to survive some of the harshest conditions imaginable beneath the ocean’s surface, from enemy torpedoes and depth charges to devastating onboard failures.…
American World War II pilots were too scared to fly the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, so Paul Tibbets hired two women to show them how it’s done
As the United States readied for the atomic missions of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Paul Tibbets faced an unexpected obstacle: many male pilots were hesitant to fly the Boeing…
The USS Stickleback (SS-415) is one of the only American submarines lost since World War II
On May 28, 1958, the USS Stickleback (SS-415) sank during a peacetime training exercise off the coast of Hawaii. Although the submarine never took part…
9 of the most interesting and tragic facts about the 9/11 Attacks
For millions around the world, the September 11 attacks remain one of the defining events of the 21st century—an event marked by immense loss, lasting…
Why has George Patton’s legacy had such a lasting effect on the history of the American military?
George S. Patton is one of the most well-known figures in American military history. Nicknamed “Old Blood and Guts,” he became known for his bold…
General Graves Erskine served in both World Wars and escorted the remains of the Unknown Soldier from France back to American soil
Before production began on Sands of Iwo Jima, John Wayne and Republic Pictures enlisted Graves B. Erskine as a military advisor to help bring realism…
Not wanting to serve in Vietnam, Charles Robert Jenkins defected to North Korea – He spent 39 years there
In 1965, Charles Robert Jenkins made a decision that would shape the rest of his life. While stationed near the heavily fortified Korean Demilitarized Zone,…
During World War II, two pleasure craft were turned into aircraft carriers and stationed in the Great Lakes
During World War II, aircraft carriers fundamentally reshaped naval warfare by allowing air power to strike far beyond the range of land-based aircraft. Yet not…
The Viet Cong used deadly booby traps hidden throughout the jungle to kill and injure American soldiers fighting in the Vietnam War
During the Vietnam War, Viet Cong fighters became especially feared for their use of guerrilla warfare, particularly the deadly traps they concealed throughout the jungle.…
The US Navy used PBRs to travel on narrow, shallow rivers during the Vietnam War
The Patrol Boat, River—known as the PBR—was a small but highly maneuverable vessel used by the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. Designed specifically for…
The rare rank of six-star general has only ever been achieved by three men in all of American military history
The six-star general rank is among the rarest and most distinguished honors in U.S. military history, reserved for leaders of exceptional ability and influence. Only…
The US military’s Operation Lam Son 719 was such a disaster that 108 helicopters were destroyed and 618 were damaged
During the Vietnam War, helicopters became central to the way the United States conducted combat operations. They reshaped military strategy by changing how soldiers were…