War Stories
Georgia WWII veteran given French Legion of Honor for his role in liberating France
98-year-old Master Sergeant Louis Graziano received France’s highest honor, the Legion of Honor for his service during the Second World War. A young draftee, Graziano drove a fuel truck onto Omaha Beach on 6 June 1944 as part of the third wave. He would go on to serve in the Battle of the Bulge and […]
The SR-71 crew that gave the finger to the French Air Force
The SR-71 Blackbird has always been one of my favorite American aircraft. They are just amazing pieces of post-war engineering. Still the fastest air-breathing aircraft ever made, the stories that come from the crews of these magnificent birds always entertains. It’s rare that a new story comes out, but I saw this and hadn’t heard […]
Another echo of Saigon seen in Kabul
This photo shows the interior of a US Air Force C-17 (possibly the one that I posted video of taxiing through a crowd with men clinging to the side as it took off, falling to their deaths). The aircraft is nominally designed to hold 150 souls at max, but they shoehorned 640 inside. This is […]
An inspiring tale of 5 ANZAC soldiers who escaped the Nazis
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was a World War I formation that fought with distinction, most famously during the ill-fated Gallipoli Campaign. To Australians and Kiwis, ANZAC Day, which commemorates Gallipoli is a major national holiday. Soldiers of both countries still greatly identify with the spirit of the ANZAC troops. I came […]
Prepping For Guadalcanal
Thanks to the diligence of the US Navy’s Photographers Mates, the photos you see in this video about the preparations for invading Guadalcanal give you a fairly good idea of that part of the planning for invading Guadalcanal. This is the first part of the battle setting for Guadalcanal – the prepping, if you will. […]
Valor Friday
Last week I talked about the Lost Battalion in World War I, and the tragic end to the heroic commander of the unit. This is sending me down a rabbit hole of valorous units. I’m planning on making this a bit of a series since there are so many to choose from. First up will […]
Valor Friday
This is a continuation of an article on Ralph Puckett that was initially posted on 4 May 2021. If you remember how I began, you can skip below to the break just after the image of the Medal of Honor. For those who missed it; Colonel Ralph Puckett, US Army (ret), is already a living […]
Forgotten hero remembered, may finally receive medal for heroism
Messman Charles French became a hero to his shipmates after their destroyer USS Gregory (DD-82) was sunk by Imperial Japanese Navy ships on 5 September 1942. Of the many acts of bravery among the men of Gregory during its final battle (including the mortally wounded skipper ordering his crew to abandon him and help other […]
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