The Soviet Union’s Top-Secret Operation to Repatriate Downed U.S. Airmen
Hundreds of American fliers ended up stranded in Siberia—creating a conundrum for the Soviets, who were not at war with nearby Japan.
‘Does This Signed Nazi Flag Belong in a Museum?’
Curators at The National World War II Museum solve readers’ artifact mysteries.
MI5’s Diabolical Ruse to Flush Out Nazi Supporters in Britain
Believing they were secretly working for Germany, members of a subversive “fifth column” were actually the targets of an extraordinary British intelligence operation.
A Kamikaze Pilot’s Complicated Legacy
In the 2013 film "The Eternal Zero," Japanese siblings ponder their late grandfather's life—and his mysterious death.
General Malin Craig: The Man Behind Marshall
As prewar U.S. Army chief of staff, Craig laid the groundwork for his famed successor.
The U.S. Coast Guard: One of World War II’s Unsung Heroes
Some quarter of a million men and women served in this military branch during the war and made a significant contribution to Allied victory.
Meet the WWII Navy Vet Who Survived 26 Combat Crossings
“In rough seas, it was really a clambake, with ships all over the place," recalls Douglas Burgess, who served on destroyer escort USS Brough during the Battle of the Atlantic.
Wartime Railroaders Confronted a Tenacious Enemy in the Wilds of Alaska and Yukon Territories
Engineer Railway Detachment 96446A braved blizzards and treacherous terrain while moving vital war materiel inland.
How an International Criminal Helped Bring Nazi Fugitive Klaus Barbie to Justice
Former ABC News correspondent John Martin recalls the search for Barbie, and how it helped expose an American wrongdoing.
How a Friendly Fire Tragedy in Sicily Transformed Airborne Warfare
During 1943's Operation Husky, fire from ship and shore killed dozens of Americans—and provided the Allies with a costly lesson.
The Vichy Regime’s Bizarre Final Months in a German Castle
From the imposing stronghold of Sigmaringen, a toxic blend of French collaborators ran a government-in-exile.
Meet Huie Lamb, One of the First Fighter Pilots to Down a Me 262 Jetfighter
The retired lieutenant colonel recalls his days spent at England's Duxford Air Force Base—and in the sky.
This Ordinary Virginia Park Was Once a Training Ground for Spies
Prince William Forest Park has 37 miles of hiking trails—and a secret past.
‘Why Were Aircraft Markings for the U.S. Army Air Forces Only Applied on the Top Side of the Left Wing?’
A closer look at why U.S. Army Air Forces aircraft had distinctive markings, and the purpose they served during World War II.
Deceitful Children’s Toys of the Third Reich
Hitler's regime corrupted an impressionable generation.
Negative Consequences Aboard the USS Missouri
Curators at The National World War II Museum solve readers’ artifact mysteries.
