Past Conflicts(Page 7)

Stories that focus on America's wars, from Iraq and Afghanistan, to Vietnam, Korea, and World War I and II.

Latest in Past Conflicts

Why a Marine who helped raise the flag on Iwo Jima kept it a secret for decades
World War II

Why a Marine who helped raise the flag on Iwo Jima kept it a secret for decades

By Daniel Negrete, Jason Hernandez

Posted on Feb 23, 2022

baldwin top shot
Vietnam War

The true story behind one of the Vietnam War’s most famous photographs

By Daniel Johnson

Posted on Feb 23, 2022

tiny plane
World War II

How a rivalry between two WWII vets led to the world’s smallest flyable airplanes

By David Roza

Posted on Feb 17, 2022

tuskegee top gun
World War II

The forgotten story of how Tuskegee Airmen owned the Air Force’s first ‘Top Gun’ competition

By David Roza

Posted on Feb 14, 2022

Paul Douglas went to Marine boot camp at 50. Then he earned a Bronze Star and 2 Purple Hearts in WWII
World War II

Paul Douglas went to Marine boot camp at 50. Then he earned a Bronze Star and 2 Purple Hearts in WWII

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Feb 11, 2022

Biden says he is ‘rejecting’ the military report outlining the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal
Afghanistan War

Biden says he is ‘rejecting’ the military report outlining the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal

By Haley Britzky

Posted on Feb 11, 2022

Abbey Gate
Afghanistan War

Americans were promised an ‘orderly and safe’ withdrawal from Afghanistan. US troops say it was anything but

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Feb 10, 2022

Inside the fragile partnership between US troops and Taliban fighters in Kabul
Afghanistan War

Inside the fragile partnership between US troops and Taliban fighters in Kabul

By Haley Britzky

Posted on Feb 9, 2022

Taliban training video
Afghanistan War

There is finally video evidence that US-trained Afghan soldiers may be fighting for the Taliban

By Max Hauptman

Posted on Feb 9, 2022

kabul airport evacuation
Afghanistan War

Troops knew ‘an attack was coming’ at Kabul airport but their hands were tied, investigation reveals

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Feb 8, 2022

eugene bullard
World War I

Boxer, grunt, flyboy: the wild life of the first Black American combat pilot

By David Roza

Posted on Feb 3, 2022

military-suicide-awareness
Past Conflicts

‘A debt I can never repay’ — How Reddit is filling gaps in the military’s failing mental health care system

By Daniel Johnson

Posted on Feb 2, 2022

lieutenant dan forrest gump
Vietnam War

Gary Sinise’s photos from the set of ‘Forrest Gump’ are proof that Lt Dan is a national treasure

By Max Hauptman

Posted on Feb 1, 2022

World War I tank
World War I

The 100-year-old blueprint for the world’s first tank is up for sale

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Jan 28, 2022

Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III visits soldiers for the holiday
Iraq War

We finally know the backstory of how Defense Secretary Austin got the Silver Star

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Jan 27, 2022

unexploded ordnance okinawa
World War II

Japan is still blowing up unexploded ordnance on Okinawa nearly 77 years after World War II

By Max Hauptman

Posted on Jan 26, 2022

Thousands of ISIS fighters surrender following US strikes on Syria prison uprising
Iraq War

Thousands of ISIS fighters surrender following US strikes on Syria prison uprising

By Max Hauptman

Posted on Jan 26, 2022

The legendary pistol that fought on both sides of WWII is back from the dead — and looking better than ever
World War II

The legendary pistol that fought on both sides of WWII is back from the dead — and looking better than ever

By Matt Sampson

Posted on Jan 20, 2022

smedley butler
World War II

The wild story of Marine legend Smedley Butler that you won’t hear at boot camp

By Joe Plenzler

Posted on Jan 19, 2022

How a single New Year’s Day firefight in Afghanistan unraveled a Hollywood vision of war
Afghanistan War

How a single New Year’s Day firefight in Afghanistan unraveled a Hollywood vision of war

By Brian Thompson

Posted on Jan 15, 2022

A Marine’s brush with death and baptism by fire in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War

A Marine’s brush with death and baptism by fire in the Vietnam War

By Ronald Winter

Posted on Jan 8, 2022

mosul film promo
Iraq War

‘Mosul’ is the best Iraq War film ever made

By Justin Burgess

Posted on Dec 30, 2021

A memorial dedicated to Americans lost in the Global War on Terror is one step closer to reality
Afghanistan War

A memorial dedicated to Americans lost in the Global War on Terror is one step closer to reality

By Max Hauptman

Posted on Dec 28, 2021

How a battalion of reindeer helped defeat the Nazis in World War II
World War II

How a battalion of reindeer helped defeat the Nazis in World War II

By Haley Britzky

Posted on Dec 23, 2021

Army veterans who fought together in Iraq reunited in moving video
Iraq War

They served together every day in Iraq for 15 months. 14 years later, the doorbell rang

By Max Hauptman

Posted on Dec 22, 2021

How the Sgt. Maj. of the Army earned two Bronze Stars with Valor
Iraq War

How the Sgt. Maj. of the Army earned two Bronze Stars with Valor

By Haley Britzky

Posted on Dec 21, 2021

He never thought he’d make it out of Iraq alive. Now, he’s the Army’s top enlisted leader
Iraq War

He never thought he’d make it out of Iraq alive. Now, he’s the Army’s top enlisted leader

By Haley Britzky

Posted on Dec 20, 2021

L to R: Master Sgt. Earl Plumlee; Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe; Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Celiz.
Afghanistan War

Selfless service and sacrifice: Meet the 3 newest Medal of Honor recipients

By Haley Britzky

Posted on Dec 16, 2021

Task & Purpose photo composite showing Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe and a Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
Iraq War

Alwyn Cashe was a hero to his soldiers long before he charged into a burning vehicle in Iraq

By Haley Britzky

Posted on Dec 14, 2021

Air Force pilot awarded for saving Green Berets surrounded by Taliban fighters in 2018
Afghanistan War

Air Force pilot awarded for saving Green Berets surrounded by Taliban fighters in 2018

By David Roza

Posted on Dec 10, 2021

Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe
Iraq War

Alwyn Cashe to finally receive posthumous Medal of Honor for Iraq War heroism

By Haley Britzky

Posted on Dec 8, 2021

What it was really like to be attacked at Pearl Harbor, according to survivors
World War II

What it was really like to be attacked at Pearl Harbor, according to survivors

By Kyle Gunn, Rebecca Rosen

Posted on Dec 7, 2021

The story of Kilroy, and why he was there
World War II

The story of Kilroy, and why he was there

By Justin Burgess

Updated on Dec 3, 2021

This is Daniel Inouye, a one-man wrecking crew and the namesake of the Navy’s newest warship
World War II

This is Daniel Inouye, a one-man wrecking crew and the namesake of the Navy’s newest warship

By James Clark

Posted on Nov 20, 2021

A-10 pilot gets Distinguished Flying Cross for Rip-It-fueled gun-run in Afghanistan
Afghanistan War

A-10 pilot gets Distinguished Flying Cross for Rip-It-fueled gun-run in Afghanistan

By David Roza

Updated on Nov 16, 2021

Hollywood is already making a movie about the Afghanistan withdrawal
Afghanistan War

Hollywood is already making a movie about the Afghanistan withdrawal

By James Clark

Updated on Nov 11, 2021

Meet the Vietnam War’s greatest sniper
Vietnam War

Meet the Vietnam War’s greatest sniper

By Justin Burgess

Updated on Nov 10, 2021

They were children when the Afghanistan War began. As soldiers they carried the burden of ending it
Afghanistan War

They were children when the Afghanistan War began. As soldiers they carried the burden of ending it

By Haley Britzky

Updated on Nov 10, 2021

The untold story of the dapper Marine who became the Greatest Generation’s ‘distracted boyfriend’ meme
World War II

The untold story of the dapper Marine who became the Greatest Generation’s ‘distracted boyfriend’ meme

By Jared Keller

Updated on Nov 10, 2021

The story of a legendary triple-ace and his equally legendary mustache
Vietnam War

The story of a legendary triple-ace and his equally legendary mustache

By Justin Burgess

Updated on Nov 9, 2021

Eddie Rickenbacker: American hero and candidate for most interesting man in the world
World War I

Eddie Rickenbacker: American hero and candidate for most interesting man in the world

By Justin Burgess

Updated on Nov 8, 2021

Fallujah
Iraq War

Unbelievable stories from the Second Battle of Fallujah

By James Clark

Updated on Nov 8, 2021

The Pentagon quietly removed more than 130,000 Afghanistan War photos and videos from public view
Afghanistan War

The Pentagon quietly removed more than 130,000 Afghanistan War photos and videos from public view

By James Clark, Jeff Schogol

Updated on Nov 2, 2021

Air Force uniform that covered sleeping Afghan child in evacuation photo headed to a museum
Afghanistan War

Air Force uniform that covered sleeping Afghan child in evacuation photo headed to a museum

By David Roza

Updated on Oct 27, 2021

The inside story behind the photo of the last soldier to leave Afghanistan
Afghanistan War

The inside story behind the photo of the last soldier to leave Afghanistan

By Haley Britzky

Updated on Oct 25, 2021

Soldier who traded dip for a Toyota gun truck at Kabul airport gets promoted
Afghanistan War

Soldier who traded dip for a Toyota gun truck at Kabul airport gets promoted

By James Clark

Updated on Oct 21, 2021

7,000 troops died in the Post-9/11 wars. A staggering 30,000 died by suicide
Afghanistan War

7,000 troops died in the Post-9/11 wars. A staggering 30,000 died by suicide

By David Roza

Updated on Oct 19, 2021

What Colin Powell learned about leadership after losing his sidearm
Gulf War

What Colin Powell learned about leadership after losing his sidearm

By Kyle Gunn

Updated on Oct 18, 2021

Colin Powell, first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, dies at 84
Gulf War

Colin Powell, first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, dies at 84

By Jeff Schogol

Updated on Oct 18, 2021

Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe
Iraq War

9 months after getting Pentagon approval, Alwyn Cashe still hasn’t received the Medal of Honor

By Haley Britzky

Updated on Oct 17, 2021

‘Pearl Harbor’ is actually a good movie and all you critics are just haters
World War II

‘Pearl Harbor’ is actually a good movie and all you critics are just haters

By Haley Britzky

Updated on Oct 7, 2021

This Air Force unit you’ve never heard of made the Afghan airlift possible
Afghanistan War

This Air Force unit you’ve never heard of made the Afghan airlift possible

By David Roza

Updated on Oct 6, 2021

The acclaimed author of ‘The Things They Carried’ tells us what he carried in Vietnam and carries with him still
Vietnam War

The acclaimed author of ‘The Things They Carried’ tells us what he carried in Vietnam and carries with him still

By James Clark

Updated on Sep 26, 2021

‘I request trial by court-martial’ — The real story behind that one beloved scene in ‘Band of Brothers’
World War II

‘I request trial by court-martial’ — The real story behind that one beloved scene in ‘Band of Brothers’

By James Clark

Updated on Sep 24, 2021

The Rubble of the World Trade Center on September 12, 2001
Afghanistan War

On Sept. 10, I was in a ‘peacetime’ military. The next day we went to war

By Hugh Curry

Updated on Sep 10, 2021

Years after being injured in Iraq, this Army medic has shattered another Paralympic world record
Iraq War

Years after being injured in Iraq, this Army medic has shattered another Paralympic world record

By Haley Britzky

Updated on Sep 10, 2021

Meet the first woman to lead elite Army Rangers in combat
Afghanistan War

Meet the first woman to lead elite Army Rangers in combat

By Haley Britzky

Updated on Sep 7, 2021

America’s longest war is finally over. Now it’s time to learn from our mistakes
Afghanistan War

America’s longest war is finally over. Now it’s time to learn from our mistakes

By Daniel R. DePetris

Updated on Sep 2, 2021

The special ops soldier who died in Kabul would have deployed even if he’d known the outcome, wife says
Afghanistan War

The special ops soldier who died in Kabul would have deployed even if he’d known the outcome, wife says

By Haley Britzky

Updated on Aug 31, 2021

Marine officer says he’s resigning his commission to ‘bring the system down’ over Afghanistan withdrawal
Afghanistan War

Marine officer says he’s resigning his commission to ‘bring the system down’ over Afghanistan withdrawal

By David Roza

Updated on Aug 31, 2021

saving private ryan
World War II

One of the most telling scenes in ‘Saving Private Ryan’ involved a sidelong glance at a sandwich

By James Clark

Posted on Aug 27, 2021

U.S. Forces Hunt Taliban Near Pakistan Border
Afghanistan War

An Afghan War veteran describes the ‘detachment’ of watching his war end

By Brandon Caro

Updated on Aug 22, 2021

Indecision, ignorance, and incompetence: How top US leaders lost Afghanistan
Afghanistan War

Indecision, ignorance, and incompetence: How top US leaders lost Afghanistan

By David Roza, Jared Keller

Updated on Aug 18, 2021

I fought in Afghanistan. Those who served there always feared it would fall apart
Afghanistan War

I fought in Afghanistan. Those who served there always feared it would fall apart

By Josh Hartley

Updated on Aug 17, 2021