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Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a .50 cal at your side, kid
In a case study of why a sword is of little use against a .50 caliber BMG, take this Japanese Kai-gunto sword, broken in three pieces in the collection of The Australian War Memorial. The hilt has the...
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Cole’s bell ‘picked’ and recovered
Here we see the original brass bell from the USS Cole (DD-155), a Wickes-class “four-piper” destroyer laid down in the last year of the Great War, named for Maj. Edward Ball Cole, a Marine killed at...
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Bearing the Torch, 76 years ago today
U.S. troops aboard a landing craft head for the beaches during Operation Torch of the North African Campaign Oran, Algeria. 8 November 1942. Imperial War Museum photo. Hudson, F A (Lt), Royal Navy...
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The buck stops here
With the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War I looming, it is only fitting that we take a look at the gun carried by the only President to see combat in the conflict. While the former...
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Vouching for an unsung specialist, 174 years ago today
Below we see a letter of recommendation of one Asa Curtis from Commodore William Montgomery Crane to SECNAV John Young Mason, on this day in 1844. Mr. Asa Curtis, Gunner in the Navy, has requested that...
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Excelsior!
Born Stanley Martin Lieber, Stan Lee spent much of his life in the comics industry– with a break for WWII service in the Army– and with fellow artists, co-created legions of iconic characters. Lee grew...
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Happy 76th to the ‘Forgotten 551st’
The 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion (551st PIB) was formed 26 November 1942 at Fort Kobbe in the Panama Canal Zone, drawing its cadre came from Company C of the 501st Parachute Infantry Battalion...
View ArticleFarewell President Bush
As a 10-year-old youth who spent his spare time watching B&W war films, building Testors scale models, and plinking with his .22 at targets that approximated the most heinous enemies you could...
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Be sure to remember those who gave all this season
Over the weekend I took a break from my typical kayaking, prop-comic research, napping, beer, and bingo to pitch in at the annual wreath-laying at Biloxi National Cemetery. There were enough volunteers...
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Mad Mike is still kicking
“Mad” Mike Hoare (center) somewhere in the Congo. For those who are fans of Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner and grew up reading about the exploits of the various traveling warriors during the...
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The G is still buying (a few) revolvers
What can I say, everyone loves wheelguns, right? (And yes, that is my Colt Dick along with same-period Roscoe switchblade, thanks for noticing!) The Government Accountability Office last week released...
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Bonhomme Richard, found
“BONHOMME RICHARD” Ex ‘DUC DE DURAS’ 1779 By artist E. Tufnell NH 72802-KN Built in 1765 for the French East India Company as an armed merchantman the 152-foot Duc de Duras was placed at the disposal...
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The General steps away, 235 years ago
In this letter, dated December 20, 1783, from Annapolis, Maryland, Gen. George Washington informs Congress that he is officially resigning his commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army,...
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Mattis, departing
Saint Mattis of Quantico, Patron Saint of Chaos, Gen. James Mattis, USMC, (Ret.) has tendered his resignation letter as the 26th United States Secretary of Defense after some 700 days in the barrel. He...
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Nuts! 74 years ago today
An M1 bazooka team from the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in position Dec. 22, 1944, outside of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge: Via 82nd ABN museum It was also on this day that General...
View ArticleRichard Overton, America’s oldest living WWII veteran, has died. He was 112...
A native of the Lone Star State, T5 Richard Arvin Overton began his military service when he enlisted in the Army at Fort Sam Houston, Texas in 1940. Serving with the (segregated) 1887th Engineer...
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Kitchener surely would eat his hat
Either the British Army likes a challenge, or they’re scraping the bottom of the barrel for recruits in this day and age of social media warriors and selfie-lovers. The new recruiting campaign to bring...
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Call me sentimenal
So like any salty sea dog, I have a number of illustrations upon my skin in the best traditions of Danish kings and scurvy-ridden members of Neptune’s realm. One I had applied this week I thought was...
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The PPK/PPKs is back in town
Crafted by Carl Walther Waffenfabrik + the gang back in the Weimar Republic of the late 1920s and pitched as a police gun, the Polizeipistole (PP) was beautiful for its time soon edged out its...
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Those Ukrainians and their stubby shovels
“The Ballad of the infantry” is a 2-minute recruiting video/saga that was produced in 2016 and talks about service of the Ukrainian soldier told in part around his love of the traditional entrenching...
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