Kenneth Stumpf, who received the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam, died on April 23 at age 77 of pancreatic cancer. Born in Wisconsin in 1944, Stumpf was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1965.   The deeds that earned him America’s highest valor award took place on April 25, 1967, when Stumpf was sent … Lire la suite

The shape of the Navy’s future fighters The 1950s were a time when the future looked bright. Influenced by German designs for their “Wonder Weapons” of the Second World War. Chance-Vought took a radical leap into the future with the F7U Cutlass. Ultimately the sleek tailless design didn’t quite pass muster. Poor performance and a … Lire la suite

It’s hard to think of a better reason for a celebration than the end of the western half of the most destructive war in human history — and the fall of a regime that’s synonymous with evil. So you’d think that all the people who fought together to defeat a monster like Adolf Hitler would be … Lire la suite

On Nov. 1, 1964, a Viet Cong mortar attack on Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon destroyed five B-57B Canberra bombers and two helicopters, while damaging 13 additional B-57B aircraft. That attack largely reflected Canberra losses during the war—most occurred on or close to the ground. For example, four of the bombers that arrived on … Lire la suite

After an international agreement in 1954 split Vietnam in two, communist China became an important source of military aid for Ho Chi Minh’s communist government in North Vietnam as a counterweight to the Western democracies supporting South Vietnam. China’s leader, Mao Zedong, wanted the Chinese Communist Party to expand its influence in Asia by supporting … Lire la suite

On May 8, 1967, North Vietnamese Army commandos attacked the Marine Corps base at Con Thien, using flamethrowers for the first time in the war. The Marines, forced out of their positions by streams of burning fuel, came under machine gun and mortar fire. Although the attack failed, the Chinese-built Type 74 flamethrowers’ appearance was … Lire la suite

During the Vietnam War, Warrant Officer Class 2 Rayene Simpson was one of only four Australian soldiers awarded the Victoria Cross, the British Commonwealth’s highest decoration for combat valor and the equivalent of America’s Medal of Honor. Until fairly recently, most Commonwealth nations used the British system of military awards. Since the 1990s, Australia, Canada … Lire la suite

No matter where you served in Vietnam in the 1960s, the slashing rock ’n’ roll guitar of James “Jimi” Hendrix was heard on radios, record players and eight-track tape decks. Electric Ladyland, the critically acclaimed album released by Hendrix in 1968, sold millions of copies and showcased Hendrix’s incredible talents. More than a few GIs … Lire la suite

IT WAS SOME OF THE WAR’S most hellish fighting. On September 13, 1943, with just a few hours’ notice, the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division jumped near the front line to support the Allied landings at Salerno, Italy. Two battalions dug in on the commanding high ground around the town of … Lire la suite

One day in 1903, Monroe Rosenfeld paid a visit to the block of Manhattan’s West 28th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Rosenfeld, a songwriter and journalist, had come to that neighborhood to call on fellow tunesmith Harry Von Tilzer, one of the day’s best-known songwriters. Von Tilzer kept an office in that locale, and … Lire la suite