1. How He Became A Pilot Luckadoo first got his license flying a PT-17 biplane. Afterward, he flew a BT-13 Valiant and was assigned to a multi-engine advanced school in Georgia. There, he was the Captain of the class and flew Beechcraft AT-10s. He was one of the 40 graduates assigned to a B-17 bomber […] More
1. Culmination of Technological Advancements What do you get after combining 100 years of bombing experience, advancement of technology and engineering, newer aircraft designs, and the introduction of smart bombs? A highly sophisticated stealth bomber that has never been targeted, detected, or engaged during its service with the US Air Force. 2. Ahead of its […] More
Too Overconfident MacArthur carefully crafted his own image with the help of a Public Relations staff. His obsession with being viewed as a great commander led him to bypass command from higher-ranking officials. The likes of Dwight Eisenhower already stated their bitterness towards MacArthur’s obsession with his public image. Soon enough, his narcissistic personality would […] More
They Got Too Comfortable By September of 1944, German forces have already retreated from France. This act sent shockwaves of euphoria to the Allied troops. For them, this meant that the war was finally about to be over and it was only a matter of time before Germany surrenders. Germany was weakened, down to its […] More
1. He Wasted No Time Enlisting Bud knew that the war would somehow rope in the US after seeing Hitler’s rise to power. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, he was working at the Sacramento Air Depot. As soon as he was of age, he volunteered to be an Aviation Cadet in 1942. 2. He […] More
1. Military Blood Runs In His Veins Patton’s grandfather, also named George Patton Sr., was a commander during the American Civil War. He commanded the 22nd Virginia Infantry under General Jubal Early. It was also said that they were descendants of Lords and Barons, from King Edward I of England to the 16 barons who […] More
Ramage’s Rampage On July 31, 1944, the submarine USS Parche was stalking a convoy of Japanese merchants through the China Sea for hours. Finally, at 4 AM, Commander Ramage launched his attack, penetrating the defenses of three naval escorts. Soon after, the submarine and the convoy were on a collision course. The Rampage Has Begun […] More
Early April of 1943 Yamamoto leads Operation I-Go to bomb Allied air, land, and naval assets of the Solomon Islands. This partially successful operation was Yamamoto’s last ever operation. 14th of April Japan plans to transport Yamamoto to Bougainville Island. US forces decoded the orders from their radio message. They knew Yamamoto will be transported […] More
1. Fewer Supplies, Lower Morale In the last 2 weeks of fighting, food rations dwindled down to 50%, and the 26th cavalry was forced to slaughter their horses for food. Meanwhile, the Japanese forces were getting their rest and were reinforced with more troops. 2. MacArthur Was Forced To Leave The US Government valued MacArthur […] More
Doomed From The Beginning? The tail number of this Flying Fortress featured a controversial number, 666. Nobody wanted to use it even though it returned from its missions in an airworthy state. Later on, this B-17 sustained damage from its mission and was left alone in a hangar. Operated By A Crew of Misfits Fresh […] More
1. Assembled The Japanese Gestapo The Kempeitai rivaled Hitler’s Gestapo in terms of their heightened surveillance and paranoid behavior. They would beat suspects severely before asking questions and were known to get information by beatings and torture, making it one of the most sadistic police forces in human history. 2. Complicit In Nanjing Though he […] More
You can’t help but smile at how energetic and proud Francis “Jeep” Sanza is. His enthusiasm to answer these questions is infectious! 1. He’s A Good Driver And Mechanic What can you expect from a guy nicknamed Jeep? He even boasts that he could take out the engine in 40 minutes by using a special […] More
