Military History

A declassified document provides background information about the Intelligence Support Activity (ISA), a little known intelligence gathering unit that collects tactical intel for Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) and other Special Operations units.  While units like SEAL Team Six hog the headlines, smaller compartmentalized organizations slide below the radar. That said, ISA has had some […]

The F4U is an aircraft full of mystique, folklore and historical significance. The fact that we are lucky enough to have some of these famed World War II aircraft still flying for all to see and marvel at is amazing. Enjoy! The Planes of Fame’s own F4U-1 was joined this year by 4 other Corsairs, Chuck […]

In 1940, the situation was looking dim for the British. After the successful evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk they were left alone to defend their island against the Nazi onslaught. Winston Churchill knew he needed to strike back, but large military operations were out of the question at the time so he […]

(You can read the first part here) (Dedication of this article is intended for brother Mike G.) Caveat: for the sake of brevity and clarity, the Ottoman Empire will largely be referred to by its modern-day name, Turkey. Winston Churchill drank at a very minimum an entire bottle of spirits daily; that is a known […]

The sudden appearance of two large, rusty and barnacle-encrusted World War II-era munitions on the beaches of Cape Hatteras, N.C., this summer have puzzled the area’s park rangers and local historians. “We haven’t had these in the past,” said Boone Vandzura, the chief ranger of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, a 70-mile stretch of sand and surf that spans […]

The USS Constitution, the world’s oldest commissioned warship and the only ship currently in service with the U.S. Navy that has successfully sank an enemy ship in battle, returned to the waters of Boston Harbor on Sunday. The legendary vessel sailed into Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston National Historical Park at approximately 11:15PM after the […]

Last week, Army Staff Sergeant Ricardo Branch received notice that a decision had been made in his third and final appeal.  Aware that he could not access the documents without a Common Access Card reader, he had two options: go to his unit, where he reluctantly admitted to me that he wouldn’t be comfortable, or […]

General Raymond Thomas, commander of USSOCOM said on Friday that the Russians hold the advantage of possibly expelling US forces from Syria. He said that because of international law and the fact that the Syrian government under President Assad has not invited the US into his country, the Russians who are Assad’s top ally could […]

Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” is a masterpiece of a war film that is a must see for any fans of the genre. The battle and evacuation of Dunkirk have been very rarely touched by filmmakers and for that reason, this film is a fresh look at a part of World War II that is largely forgotten. […]

According to a statement provided by a Defense Department official under the condition of anonymity, the crew of the USS Fitzgerald appear to be to blame for their vessel colliding with a Philippine cargo ship last month. Per the initial findings of the Defense Department led investigation into the incident, the crew of the Fitzgerald […]

Read Part 8 here. We had all but collapsed the harbor area which had been our home for the least three weeks. All that was left was my A frame, everything else was packed, ready for the final exercise or already stowed away in the patrol kit bag which was now at the heli pad […]

For decades, people all over the world have reported seeing saucer-shaped crafts darting across the sky.  These sightings are attributed to any number of things: swamp gas, ball lightning, and of course, extra-terrestrials visiting Earth.  If you happened to spot one near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in the late 1950’s however, there’s a chance it […]