This is a great short film from The OSS Society that tells the story of Allied special forces, Free French Forces, and the French Resistance. Their daring exploits helped win the battle of Normandy, and change the course of World War II. hat tip to Mykel Hawke for the heads up. […]
Category: Anniversaries
5-6 June 1944: The Night of Nights
After preparing their equipment, conducting rehearsals, and receiving their final briefings, the men of the Allied Airborne Forces boarded their transport aircraft and gliders in England to begin a one-way trip to the province of Normandy, France – and a legendary rendezvous with destiny. They were the tip of the spear for the greatest […]
Memorial Day 2021
Memorial Day is always a solemn day for me – particularly so as a veteran and as someone who works in the defense industry. And also especially so because I have had the honor and privilege to participate in several commemorative parachute jumps in Normandy – first as a soldier in the 82nd Airborne Division, […]
The Invasion of Crete – 80th Anniversay
80 years ago, on May 20, 1941, the skies above the Mediterranean island of Crete became filled with the planes and parachute canopies of the Luftwaffe as Fallschirmjäger of the 7th Flieger Division of the 7th Flieger Division dropped from their Ju-52 transport planes – often right on top of the Allied defences. As a […]
On This Day In History – 5 May 1980
SAS assault team storming the Iranian embassy, 5 May 1980. The Iranian Embassy siege took place from 30 April to 5 May 1980, at the Iranian embassy on Prince’s Gate in South Kensington, London when a group of armed Iranian Arabs demanding sovereignty of Khuzestan Province took 26 people hostage, including embassy staff, visitors, and […]
Celebrate Helikon-Tex’s 38th Birthday With a Sale and More!
Polish outdoor-tactical-EDC-medical-surplus gear and clothing super brand is celebrating it’s 38th year of being in business this weekend. But they’re doing a bit more than the usual celebratory sale… Of course they are doing a sale across their full range, but it’s not the measly 15% that many brands would offer. Helikon-Tex is giving you […]
Old Time Design Company – WWII British Paratrooper Photo Study
A while back we shared with you a photo series that the Old Time Design Company did in commemoration of the British paratroopers at Arnhem during Operation Market-Garden. Recently they turned their attention to a study of the formation and equipping of Britain parachute troops during the early years of the war… Part I – […]
The Russo-Finnish Winter War: 1939-1940
The “Winter War” between little Finland and the mighty Soviet Union began on this date eighty-one years ago. With Britain and France preoccupied with preparing themselves for war against Nazi Germany, and with the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact in place to protect their flank, the Soviets thought that they could safely and swiftly conquer Finland […]
Operation Ivory Coast – Son Tay Prison Raid 1970
On November 21, 1970 – 50 years ago this past weekend – a milestone event in the history of Special Operations Forces took place. This was “Operation Ivory Coast” – the Son Tay Prison Raid – which is sadly often overlooked and forgotten outside of the US Special Operations Community. By 1970 the US […]
Celebrate Polish Independence Day With Helikon-Tex
November 11 is not just Veterans Day in the US and Armistice Day / Remembrance Day in the UK and Commonwealth Countries, it is also a very special day for all Poles – it is their Independence Day! On 11 November 1918 the Second Polish Republic was established as an independent country free from the […]