The George Cross is the second highest award of the United Kingdom’s honors system. It is awarded for gallantry “not in the face of the enemy” to members of the British armed […]
An Island of Gallantry
James Doohan — A Hero in the 20th Century as Well as the 23rd
Actor James Doohan (1920-2005) is mostly known for the 23rd century exploits of his character Montgomery “Scotty” Scott in Star Trek. Less widely known are his heroics in the 20th century — […]
The Devil is in the Details
General Dwight D. Eisenhower was unquestionably experienced when it came to military matters, but in 1952 he was a novice concerning politics. In the midst of his first campaign for the presidency, one […]
Archeologists Should Read Warning Labels
In something that sounds very much like the plot of an Indiana Jones movie, a curse may have been released by the opening of an ancient tomb.
The Way to a Fourth Term is Through the Stomach
Mrs. Henrietta Nesbitt was the chief housekeeper of the White House during the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She believed the White House should lead the way in setting an example […]
The Last Soldier
Officially, World War II came to an end on September 2, 1945 with the surrender of Japan. For Teruo Nakamura, the war would continue for another 29 years, 3 months, and 17 […]
His Politics Weren’t the Only Thing that Smelled
According to his medical records, Adolf Hitler suffered from uncontrollable flatulence and took up to 28 different drugs to try to control the embarrassing condition. source
Lucille Ball: Mistress of Comedy and Counter-Espionage
Lucille Ball (1911-1989) was not only one of the undisputed geniuses of comedy, starring in I Love Lucy, Life With Lucy, and more than 80 motion pictures, but she also played an […]
The Last of Those Who Gave The Last Full Measure of Their Devotion
While records are sometimes sketchy and inconclusive, the following is a list of the last surviving veterans of the United States’ wars and major military operations.
Truman and the Two Generals
Any study of the Korean War would be incomplete without looking into the conflict between President Harry Truman and General Douglas MacArthur. Truman’s firing of MacArthur was a pivotal event in American […]
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 […]
Escape From POW Camp? It Might Be In the Cards
Escape maps were printed on Bicycle playing cards and distributed to Allied prisoners of war during World War II. The deck of cards was created specifically to help Allied prisoners of war […]
Medals for Marriage
United Kingdom’s Prince Philip has a reputation for lacking tact in many of his public comments. Occasionally these comments can be turned on him immediately. An example of this is the time […]
Which is More Formidable?
In the early days of World War II, the Duke of Windsor (the former King Edward VIII), paid visits to French troops to help boost their morale. His flaccid grasp of the […]
One Little Letter Makes All the Difference
Japanese speakers frequently have difficulty differentiating between the English letters “L” and “R”. This was particularly evident in 1950 when supporters of General Douglas MacArthur (then serving as military governor of Japan […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 