Tag: History

One of the more bizarre and successful military deception operations took place on April 30, 1943, during World War II by the British. Operation Mincemeat took place off the Spanish coast and convinced the Germans that the upcoming Allied invasion of Sicily was headed instead for Greece and Sardinia. This caused the Germans to funnel […]

It can be said that the need to band together in groups is intrinsic to what makes us human beings. Long before the dawn of civilization, humans gathered together in like-minded groups in order to offer one another protection, defend resources, and share the mental and physical challenges of survival. Forming a cooperative group, or […]

This week, the National Reconnaissance Office declassified a trove of documents pertaining to the long defunct “Tagboard” drone program, a reconnaissance effort so ahead of its time that it seemed like science fiction until only recently. In the 1960s, the United States found itself in a unique position: Nuclear programs in both China and the […]

This week, the National Reconnaissance Office declassified a trove of documents pertaining to the long defunct “Tagboard” drone program, a reconnaissance effort so ahead of its time that it seemed like science fiction until only recently. In the 1960s, the United States found itself in a unique position: Nuclear programs in both China and the […]

Trying to trace America’s special operations units back to their roots can be a daunting task, in part because of how we perceive the missions these elite war-fighters carry out. Unconventional warfare may sound like a term describing a manner of fighting that lies outside the traditional methodology employed by the United States military, but […]

The U.S. Navy made history this past Saturday, as four F/A-18 Super Hornets piloted by female aviators flew over a quiet cemetery in Tennessee. Once they closed with a group of mourners below, one of the four fighters abruptly pulled up out of the formation in an aviation tradition meant to honor a fallen pilot […]

The early 1960s were a period of traumatic political upheaval for the Republic of the Congo. As a civil war raged that ultimately claimed the lives of an estimated 100,000 people, America was particularly concerned with what would happen to the more than 3,000 Western missionaries scattered throughout the region. The decision was ultimately made […]

The early 1960s were a period of traumatic political upheaval for the Republic of the Congo. As a civil war raged that ultimately claimed the lives of an estimated 100,000 people, America was particularly concerned with what would happen to the more than 3,000 Western missionaries scattered throughout the region. The decision was ultimately made […]

For those who haven’t had the opportunity to see carrier operations up close, it might seem like an aircraft carrier is nothing but a floating airstrip that ought to be able to support any sort of aircraft. After all, it’s four and a half acres of sovereign American territory. We should be able to land […]

For those that haven’t had the opportunity to see carrier operations up close, it might seem like an aircraft carrier is nothing but a floating air strip that ought to be able to support any sort of aircraft — after all, it’s 4 and a half acres of sovereign American territory — we should be […]

It can sometimes be easy to lose perspective when talking about historical events. Once timelines stretch beyond the horizon of our own recollection, they tend to get fuzzy. Most people would be surprised to know, for instance, that Cleopatra’s lifetime was actually closer to ours than it was to the construction of the pyramids, or […]

Per the Department of Defense: Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Eugene P. Ford, killed during World War II, has now been accounted for. On Dec. 17, 1944, Ford was the a member of the 765th Bombardment Squadron, 461st Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force, as the pilot of a B-24J aircraft known as The Tulsamerican. Accompanied […]