Tallboy and Grand Slam: World War II Bunker Busters

By 1940, both England and Germany realized that the Kriegsmarine’s U-Boats were the key to the Battle of the Atlantic. Eliminating the German submarine threat was Britain’s top priority. Expanding the U-Boat fleet was Germany’s greatest hope to bring the British to their knees. In those dar...

By Tom Laemlein •

Aviation Icon and American Hero: Chuck Yeager

Born into poverty in the woods of West Virginia, Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager was a World War II aircraft mechanic, fighter pilot, double ace, military commander, and a test pilot who broke the sound barrier. His journey from Army private to USAF Brigadier General is an inspiration to all. Yeage...

By Friedrich Seiltgen •

Karl-Gerät Mortar: Germany’s Tracked Giant

In the mid-1930s, Adolph Hitler cast his eye towards France and dreamed of revenge for the outcome of World War One. Standing in his way was the French Maginot Line, a collection of massive concrete strongpoints, casemates, armored turrets, and observation posts. Among the barbed wire, mine field...

By Tom Laemlein •

War Stories: Bill the Tommygunner

Bill was a happy, jovial man. He was a patient of mine for many years. He always came to the clinic in the company of his sweet wife, who clearly adored him. Bill looked like a professional grandfather. He was also my friend. Bill was a gifted woodworker. He loved football, golf, and dancing with...

By Will Dabbs, MD •

Dale Dye: Why Marines Are Called “Devil Dogs”

It’s one of the most memorable monikers for a fighting force around, and its legend stems from a brutal battle fought more than a century ago. The term was reportedly adapted from the German Teufel Hunden, and applied to American Marines following the Battle of Belleau Wood during World Wa...

By Capt. Dale Dye, USMC (Ret) •

Battle of Britain: Myth vs. Reality

The idealized concept immediately took root and blossomed: the Royal Air Force saved Britain from invasion in 1940. The conventional wisdom holds that Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s legendary “few” handed Nazi Germany its first defeat in World War II and paved the road to eventual victo...

By Barrett Tillman •

USS Saratoga: WWII Carrier Sunk by an Atom Bomb

The USS Saratoga (CV-3) was one of just three United States Navy aircraft carriers—along with USS Ranger (CV-4) and USS Enterprise (CV-6)—to survive the entirety of the Second World War. Although outdated by 1943, as the newer and more capable Essex-cla...

By Peter Suciu •

America’s Flaming Bayonet in World War I

In early 1918, as the American Expeditionary Force prepared to face battle-hardened German troops in France, the bayonet was a vital component of the Doughboys’ combat equipment. It is difficult for many people today to understand the importance the U.S. military placed on “cold steel” duri...

By Tom Laemlein •
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