It had been only ten months since the United States entered World War II. The country was on high alert, particularly on the west coast. Fears of Japanese attacks prompted the authorities […]
The Unsolved Mystery of the WWII Ghost Blimp
That Time a Missile Successfully Struck a U.S. Military Base — and Why It Didn’t Start WWIII
It was during some of the scariest days of the Cold War that the submarine surfaced off the coast of the United States. On the submarine was the most powerful cruise missile […]
How Did Pepsi End Up With the 6th Largest Navy in the World?
In the never-ending battle for market share, Pepsi has consistently taken second place against its rival, Coca-Cola. Fortunately, the rivalry between the companies has been limited to commerce. Had it broken out […]
How an Overflowing Toilet Caused a Submarine to Sink
Few things are more distressing than an overflowing toilet. Aside from the utter revulsion at having one’s home invaded by the toilet’s contents and the need to get it cleaned up as […]
The U.S. Navy Uses Xbox 360 Controllers on its Submarines
At $2.6 billion, you would think there is nothing cheap about the Virginia-class submarines of the U.S. Navy. The massive subs are 114.9 meters (377 feet) long and displace 7,800 tons of […]
How the BBC Show “Today” Ensures There Will Be a Tomorrow
If you are a fan of the BBC, the thought of your favorite program going off the air might seem like a sign of the end of the world. If that favorite […]
The Submarine that Nearly Sank Because of an Open Hatch
When submarine captains go to school to learn how to command a multi-billion-dollar vessel, surely one of the first lessons is “Make Sure All the Hatches Are Closed Before You Dive.” For […]
You’ve Heard of Flying Reindeer; What About Pollyanna, the Reindeer of the Deep Seas?
Pollyanna, with officers of the HMS Trident The British submarine HMS Trident had an unusual crew member for part of its World War II service: a reindeer named Pollyanna. The Trident was […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 