History

Profiles, explainers, and other stories that dig into military history.

Latest in History

Branch

Navy warship USS Fallujah honors 2 of the hardest-fought battles of the Iraq War Navy warship USS Fallujah honors 2 of the hardest-fought battles of the Iraq War

By Jeff Schogol

/ Dec 14 2022

History

Five hospitalized at US Army base in Germany after World War II-era bomb leaks Five hospitalized at US Army base in Germany after World War II-era bomb leaks

By Nicholas Slayton

/ Dec 10 2022

Culture

That time Gen. Douglas MacArthur ‘stopped’ WWII to celebrate the Army-Navy game That time Gen. Douglas MacArthur ‘stopped’ WWII to celebrate the Army-Navy game

By Max Hauptman

/ Dec 9 2022

Afghanistan

Afghan interpreter rescued by Marine officer denied visa to stay in US Afghan interpreter rescued by Marine officer denied visa to stay in US

By Jeff Schogol

/ Dec 8 2022

Active Duty

How a Navy ‘assault team’ once stole all four of West Point’s treasured mules How a Navy ‘assault team’ once stole all four of West Point’s treasured mules

/ Dec 8 2022

Afghanistan

‘Land, load ’em, go’ — How Army helicopter crews risked their lives to save 10,000 during Afghanistan evacuation ‘Land, load ’em, go’ — How Army helicopter crews risked their lives to save 10,000 during Afghanistan evacuation

By Jeff Schogol

/ Dec 7 2022

Army

A brief look back at the Army’s long lost blue air assault beret A brief look back at the Army’s long lost blue air assault beret

By Max Hauptman

/ Nov 30 2022

Army

How a single ship made Thanksgiving happen in Europe at the height of WWII How a single ship made Thanksgiving happen in Europe at the height of WWII

By Max Hauptman

/ Nov 24 2022

Afghanistan War

A matter of life and death: How this crew chief kept the planes flying during the Kabul evacuation A matter of life and death: How this crew chief kept the planes flying during the Kabul evacuation

/ Nov 23 2022

Branch

These 100-year-old Marine Corps cartoons show that some things never change These 100-year-old Marine Corps cartoons show that some things never change

By Max Hauptman

/ Nov 23 2022

Afghanistan War

How the documentary ‘Retrograde’ captured the last months of the war in Afghanistan How the documentary ‘Retrograde’ captured the last months of the war in Afghanistan

By Nicholas Slayton

/ Nov 22 2022

History

Korean War soldier’s remains identified after more than seven decades Korean War soldier’s remains identified after more than seven decades

By Nicholas Slayton

/ Nov 13 2022

History

This is what the US military’s first ‘DD-214’ looked like This is what the US military’s first ‘DD-214’ looked like

By Max Hauptman

/ Nov 11 2022

Active Duty

What Americans are getting wrong about veterans What Americans are getting wrong about veterans

By Haley Britzky

/ Nov 11 2022

History

That time the Army tried to develop a missile guided by pigeons That time the Army tried to develop a missile guided by pigeons

By Max Hauptman

/ Nov 7 2022

History

That time Air Force surgeons disarmed a ‘human bomb’ in Vietnam That time Air Force surgeons disarmed a ‘human bomb’ in Vietnam

By Max Hauptman

/ Nov 3 2022

Culture

That time Pepsi promised to give away an actual fighter jet That time Pepsi promised to give away an actual fighter jet

By Max Hauptman

/ Nov 2 2022

Active Duty

The US military is still struggling to figure out social media The US military is still struggling to figure out social media

By Haley Britzky

/ Nov 2 2022

Army

Jet packs and helmet radios: what the Army’s 1959 ‘soldier of the future’ got right and wrong Jet packs and helmet radios: what the Army’s 1959 ‘soldier of the future’ got right and wrong

By Max Hauptman

/ Nov 1 2022

Afghanistan

‘Fuck it’ ‘Fuck it’

By Ben Kesling

/ Oct 31 2022

Active Duty

The Marine Corps’ fitness test from the 1950s wasn’t that hard The Marine Corps’ fitness test from the 1950s wasn’t that hard

By Nicholas Slayton

/ Oct 30 2022

Air Force

Why the Air Force uses a ‘chicken gun’ to launch bird carcasses at its own aircraft Why the Air Force uses a ‘chicken gun’ to launch bird carcasses at its own aircraft

/ Oct 28 2022

History

The Army once built an underground ice fortress during the Cold War The Army once built an underground ice fortress during the Cold War

By Max Hauptman

/ Oct 27 2022

Culture

What this retro Air Force training video gets right (and wrong) about fighting off sharks What this retro Air Force training video gets right (and wrong) about fighting off sharks

/ Oct 27 2022

Air Force

That time the Air Force designed a tiny fighter jet to launch from strategic bombers That time the Air Force designed a tiny fighter jet to launch from strategic bombers

By Max Hauptman

/ Oct 27 2022

Afghanistan War

Russia is reportedly trying to recruit former Afghan commandos to fight in Ukraine Russia is reportedly trying to recruit former Afghan commandos to fight in Ukraine

By Jeff Schogol

/ Oct 26 2022

Afghanistan War

Healthcare, the economy, reproductive rights: what matters most to veterans in the midterm elections Healthcare, the economy, reproductive rights: what matters most to veterans in the midterm elections

By Jeff Schogol

/ Oct 25 2022

Culture

This Army video shows how much Ranger School has changed in 70 years This Army video shows how much Ranger School has changed in 70 years

By Max Hauptman

/ Oct 24 2022

Afghanistan War

Air Force to award 96 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 12 Bronze Stars for heroic Afghan airlift Air Force to award 96 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 12 Bronze Stars for heroic Afghan airlift

/ Oct 21 2022

History

The bizarre history of the US military’s ethnic battalions during World War II The bizarre history of the US military’s ethnic battalions during World War II

By Max Hauptman

/ Oct 19 2022

Branch

We salute the USS Decatur for flying its swashbuckling battle flag in a recent exercise We salute the USS Decatur for flying its swashbuckling battle flag in a recent exercise

/ Oct 19 2022

Afghanistan

‘Don’t quit’ and other lessons from a legendary Air Force PJ’s 26-year career ‘Don’t quit’ and other lessons from a legendary Air Force PJ’s 26-year career

/ Oct 19 2022

History

The Army’s WWII ‘ghost divisions’ had some of the best patches The Army’s WWII ‘ghost divisions’ had some of the best patches

By Max Hauptman

/ Oct 13 2022

Culture

Mincemeat and stewed prunes: the best and worst from the Army’s 1942 cookbook Mincemeat and stewed prunes: the best and worst from the Army’s 1942 cookbook

By Max Hauptman

/ Oct 11 2022

Afghanistan War

The end of the brown beret: Air Force special ops squadron shuts down after 28 years advising allied aviators The end of the brown beret: Air Force special ops squadron shuts down after 28 years advising allied aviators

/ Oct 10 2022

Afghanistan

Who gets to call themselves a ‘combat veteran’? Who gets to call themselves a ‘combat veteran’?

By Jeff Schogol

/ Oct 10 2022

History

That time the military faked a vampire massacre to fight rebels That time the military faked a vampire massacre to fight rebels

By Nicholas Slayton

/ Oct 9 2022

History

That time 200,000 US troops spent an entire war on sick call That time 200,000 US troops spent an entire war on sick call

By Max Hauptman

/ Oct 6 2022

History

The World War II story of the first time US military pilots encountered UFOs The World War II story of the first time US military pilots encountered UFOs

By Max Hauptman

/ Oct 5 2022

Analysis

For the love of God, please stop referring to Navy warships as ‘battleships’ For the love of God, please stop referring to Navy warships as ‘battleships’

By Jeff Schogol

/ Oct 5 2022

Active Duty

Lawmakers want to replace ‘thank you for your service’ with something even more meaningless Lawmakers want to replace ‘thank you for your service’ with something even more meaningless

By Jeff Schogol

/ Oct 4 2022

Air Force

Watch Air Force Thunderbirds perform their first-ever dual ‘missing man’ formation for 2 of their original pilots Watch Air Force Thunderbirds perform their first-ever dual ‘missing man’ formation for 2 of their original pilots

/ Oct 4 2022

Africa

This video captures the ‘catastrophic impact’ that kicked off the fierce ‘Black Hawk Down’ mission 29 years ago This video captures the ‘catastrophic impact’ that kicked off the fierce ‘Black Hawk Down’ mission 29 years ago

By Jared Keller

/ Oct 3 2022

Culture

Here’s the Army’s 1949 guide on how to be a well-mannered soldier Here’s the Army’s 1949 guide on how to be a well-mannered soldier

By Nicholas Slayton

/ Oct 2 2022

History

A century later, a World War I submarine has been found A century later, a World War I submarine has been found

By Nicholas Slayton

/ Oct 2 2022

Amphibious Operations

This Marine predicted how the US would fight in the Pacific 20 years before WWII This Marine predicted how the US would fight in the Pacific 20 years before WWII

By Max Hauptman

/ Sep 30 2022

Analysis

How coffee helped the Union army win the Civil War How coffee helped the Union army win the Civil War

By Jeff Schogol

/ Sep 30 2022

History

The Department of Energy had a nuclear commando task force in the 1980s that looked straight out of ‘Counter Strike’ The Department of Energy had a nuclear commando task force in the 1980s that looked straight out of ‘Counter Strike’

By Nicholas Slayton

/ Sep 27 2022

History

This was the Army’s Cold War plan for a war on the Moon, and the weapons it’d use to win it This was the Army’s Cold War plan for a war on the Moon, and the weapons it’d use to win it

By Nicholas Slayton

/ Sep 24 2022

Analysis

Tank warfare is still relevant, even if the Russians suck at it Tank warfare is still relevant, even if the Russians suck at it

By Jeff Schogol

/ Sep 23 2022

Culture

A look back at the humble beginnings of morning PT in the US military A look back at the humble beginnings of morning PT in the US military

By Max Hauptman

/ Sep 21 2022

Afghanistan

This Marine was nearly killed in Afghanistan. Then came the hard part This Marine was nearly killed in Afghanistan. Then came the hard part

/ Sep 21 2022

Afghanistan War

Air Force may need another 6 months to clear backlog of awards for Afghanistan withdrawal Air Force may need another 6 months to clear backlog of awards for Afghanistan withdrawal

/ Sep 20 2022

Afghanistan

Navy veteran held in Afghanistan for 2 years released in exchange for Taliban drug lord Navy veteran held in Afghanistan for 2 years released in exchange for Taliban drug lord

By Jeff Schogol

/ Sep 19 2022

Analysis

The story of the ‘Davy Crockett,’ a nuclear recoilless rifle once fielded by the US Army The story of the ‘Davy Crockett,’ a nuclear recoilless rifle once fielded by the US Army

By Jeff Schogol

/ Sep 19 2022

Culture

What the military’s ‘missing man table’ is and what it means What the military’s ‘missing man table’ is and what it means

By Max Hauptman

/ Sep 16 2022

Analysis

This is how the Navy decides what to name (or rename) its ships This is how the Navy decides what to name (or rename) its ships

By Jeff Schogol

/ Sep 14 2022

Carriers

‘Give ‘em hell!’ — Why a Navy aircraft carrier sports an Army-inspired battle flag ‘Give ‘em hell!’ — Why a Navy aircraft carrier sports an Army-inspired battle flag

/ Sep 13 2022

Afghanistan

Lack of training, maintenance likely led to Taliban pilot crashing Black Hawk, military aviator explains Lack of training, maintenance likely led to Taliban pilot crashing Black Hawk, military aviator explains

By Jeff Schogol

/ Sep 12 2022

Active Duty

Inside the agency working to bring every missing US service member home Inside the agency working to bring every missing US service member home

By Haley Britzky

/ Sep 12 2022

Branch

A Marine who filmed the iconic Iwo Jima flag raising was killed on the island days later. His remains are still there A Marine who filmed the iconic Iwo Jima flag raising was killed on the island days later. His remains are still there

By Haley Britzky

/ Sep 9 2022

Europe

‘Princess Auto Mechanic’ — Here’s how Queen Elizabeth served in World War II ‘Princess Auto Mechanic’ — Here’s how Queen Elizabeth served in World War II

By Haley Britzky

/ Sep 8 2022

Afghanistan War

Corps official admits Marine at Trump rally was in iconic video of baby rescue at Kabul airport Corps official admits Marine at Trump rally was in iconic video of baby rescue at Kabul airport

By Jeff Schogol

/ Sep 8 2022

Active Duty

In a war against China, fighting in the jungle could be critical. These soldiers can teach you how In a war against China, fighting in the jungle could be critical. These soldiers can teach you how

By Haley Britzky

/ Sep 7 2022