News
The Spanish Flu — a deadly postscript to WWI — started at a US military base
In the spring of 1918, as American soldiers prepared to go “over the top” for the first time during World War I, a handful of army physicians began noticing a strange sickness that began to grip service members. The virus, resulting in deadly pneumonia, struck down previously healthy young men within days, some within hours. Postmortem exams revealed soggy lungs with evidence of hemorrhaging, acco...[Read More]
The storied ship that almost sank — with the Unknown Soldier on it
The English and French had honored and laid to rest their unknown soldiers in 1920 — in Westminster Abbey and at the Arc de Triomphe, respectively. Then, in October 1921, it was the United States’ turn. The task of selecting a body to represent the thousands of still-unknown dead from the Great War was daunting. The United States still had not identified 1,237 dead soldiers, and, according to the ...[Read More]
The story of America, told by those who defend it: 2026 NAS Oceana Air Show to celebrate 250 years of America
Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana officially announced the dates and theme for this year’s air show. Scheduled for Sept. 19-20, the show’s lineup will feature the Navy’s flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, the F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team, the F-35C II Lightning Demonstration Team, and the Rhino Demonstration Team of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106, plus some of the world’s best aerobatic...[Read More]
The U.S. Destroyer Crew That Fought a German U-Boat in Hand-to-Hand Combat
In an era of hypersonic missiles, stealth fighters, and nuclear subs, it’s hard to picture sailors going toe-to-toe with the enemy on a ship’s deck. Yet during World War II, the crew of a brand-new destroyer escort, USS Buckley, did just that by slugging it out in hand-to-hand combat with German sailors from U-66 in the middle of the Atlantic.
The U.S. Marine Who Forced Nazi Officers to Toast FDR at Gunpoint — and Became the Most Decorated OSS Operative
Most Marines had never seen combat when Peter Ortiz joined the Corps in June 1942. However, he had already survived five years in the French Foreign Legion and fought in Africa, faced the Nazis in France, spent 15 months as a prisoner of war, and escaped occupied Europe to get back into the fight.
The U.S. Navy sets sail for Santa Fe
The U.S. Navy proudly announces its return to Santa Fe, New Mexico, for Navy Week, Nov. 10-16. As part of the Navy’s signature outreach initiative, Santa Fe Navy Week will bring 50 to 60 Sailors to the city to engage with the community through a dynamic schedule of performances, educational outreach and community service projects.
The unlikely role of Operation Epic Fury in a Mississippi AI data center lawsuit
A Defense Department official disclosed that U.S. forces used Elon Musk’s Grok AI tool to help deploy “over 2,000 munitions to 2,000 distinct targets” during the first four days of combat operations in Iran. The disclosure offered a glimpse into how generative AI is being used by the military. It came in a court filing supporting the Justice Department’s effort to dismiss a lawsuit targeting a Mis...[Read More]
The US Army wants to manufacture meatless proteins in combat zones
The U.S. Army is looking for meatless proteins for field rations. It also wants to manufacture such proteins on the front lines to ease burdens on the supply chain. The service, according to a Sources Sought notice from the Combat Feeding Division of the Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center, “is exploring how the emerging alternative-protein sector can help meet several ob...[Read More]
The US Coast Guard’s newest weapon in border security: Jet Skis
The personal watercraft dips into the water. The sun glints off its fiberglass deck. There’s no Kenny Powers, but “The Sound of Silence” rings out. From where? That’s between the Coastie and his maker. In its ever-evolving fight on the U.S.-Mexico border, the U.S. Coast Guard has unveiled its latest tool: the Jet Ski. First utilized in 2024 for Rescue Swimmer Stan Team members as well as the Coast...[Read More]
The US has counter-mine ships homeported in the Middle East. Are they effective?
U.S. Navy counter-mine ships that replaced minesweepers last year in Bahrain have yet to demonstrate their reliability and effectiveness in the face of potential naval mine warfare, according to the Defense Department’s testing office and military experts. The Pentagon was unable to determine the operational effectiveness or suitability of Independence-class littoral combat ships equipped with the...[Read More]
The US has several options to counter Iranian mines. These are some key assets.
The U.S. military possesses several capabilities that it could wield to combat naval mine warfare in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy views the maritime weapon as a key pillar of its military strategy, according to a 2017 Office of Naval Intelligence report, and reportedly began laying mines in the sea passage last week. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a P...[Read More]
The US military measures readiness. What about adaptability?
The U.S. military can tell commanders how many troops are deployable, how many aircraft are mission-capable and how quickly units can mobilize for combat. As military leaders prepare for wars shaped by drones, artificial intelligence and rapidly shifting battlefield conditions, however, defense experts say the Pentagon still struggles to answer a more difficult question: How do you know whether a ...[Read More]