Strong in religious fervor but weak in leadership and discipline, the First Crusade got off to a wretched start.
Posted inStories
Leland Smith: American POW in 1899 During the Philippine Insurrection
Captured by Filipino Insurrectos in 1899, Leland Smith endured three months of hunger, exposure and disease. But what he heard from his commander in chief afterward may have been the unkindest cut of all.
Posted inInterview
Interview: James Macia / Doolittle Raider
Major James H. Doolittle was already a legend before 1st Lt. James H. Macia was assigned to serve under him. ‘One thing was clear, Macia decided. This mission was very important if he was involved in it.
Posted inInterview
Interview: U.S. Marine Lee Bergee / Chosin Reservoir Battle Survivor and Author
In 1950, as U.S. Marines tried to fight their way out of a Chinese trap, Korea suffered its worst winter of the century. The men who struggled there suffered accordingly.
Posted inStories
War of 1812: Battle of Lake Erie — Oliver Perry Prevails
With Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s flagship unable to fight, an outmatched British flotilla faced the prospect of a remarkable victory. But Perry only transferred his pennant to another ship and fought on.
Posted inFeature
William ‘Billy’ Mitchell: Air Power Visionary
As Brig. Gen. William Mitchell faced court-martial charges in 1925, the Kansas City Star described him as ‘a zealot, a fanatic, a one-idea man…’ but added that someday his dream might come true.
Posted inUncategorized
Airmail Service: It Began with Army Air Service Pilots
The Post Office called on Army Air Service pilots to carry the first airmail. Despite numerous hardships, the first flying postmen usually made their appointed rounds.
Posted inWeapons & Gear Manual
Lockheed’s Combined Sailplane & Slow-Turning Propeller
Lockheed combined a sailplane and slow-turning propeller in an effort to steal the night back from the Viet Cong.
Posted inWeapons & Gear Manual
The J.V. Martin ‘Kitten’: An Airship Interceptor
Although loaded with innovations, the J.V. Martin ‘Kitten’ failed at its primary mission of intercepting zeppelins.
Posted inWeapons & Gear Manual
Fairey Rotodyne: An Ingenious Blend of Airplane and Helicopter
An ingenious blend of airplane and helicopter features, the Fairey Rotodyne was a case of almost–but not quite enough.