Category: Odd Facts
The Forgotten Casualties of Pearl Harbor – Inside the Accidental Bombardment of Honolulu on Dec. 7, 1941
“Eighty years later, it is perhaps time to be open and honest about what happened on that dreadful day.” By Simon Webb THE JAPANESE ATTACK on Pearl Harbor famously killed more than 2,300 Americans and…
The Invisible Hand of Conquest – How Smallpox Defeated Armies, Toppled Empires & Changed History
“Its presence shaped the fate of North America fully as much as any bullets, blades or bayonets.” By John Danielski THE CORONA VIRUS is not the first contagion to cause disruption. Throughout history, disease has…
Corps Competency – Inside the PR Campaign That Cast the U.S. Marines as America’s Finest Warriors
“In seeking to save their institution, Marines of all ranks turned to the burgeoning field of public relations to ensure their branch’s continued existence.” By Heather Venable AT THE START of the 20th century, the United…
Suite Surrender – Why America Pampered its Detained Axis Diplomats During WW2
“The officials of these nations could not object to the class of accommodations offered by these two hotels.” By Harvey Solomon WITH SWASTIKA PINS in their lapels, Nazi officials strut around a posh American resort,…
The Mystery of Sergeant Bud Walcott – Did an American RAF Spitfire Pilot Really Desert from Malta in WW2?
“Rumours circulating in his squadron suggested that Walcott intentionally fled the morning of the flight.” By Bill Simpson It was a bright clear morning on April 20, 1942 when the skies above Malta were suddenly…
Blunder Over Belgium — Was a Botched Cargo Drop to the 82nd Airborne in the Ardennes Negligence or Sabotage?
“Everything changed on Dec. 24 when an urgent order came down for Harry’s squadron to fly an emergency munitions run.” By Marcus A. Nannini IT WAS DECEMBER 1944. First Lieutenant Harry Watson was in the…
