Will Dabbs

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Guiseppe Zangara and the Wobbly Chair That Changed the World

Guiseppe Zangara and the Wobbly Chair That Changed the World

Guiseppe “Joe” Zangara stood all of five feet tall and spoke poor English. Back in 1933 this angry little guy very nearly killed the President.

Vengeance is Mine: Jean de Selys Longchamps

Vengeance is Mine: Jean de Selys Longchamps

While serving with the RAF he received the heartbreaking news that his father had been tortured to death by the German security services. In response, Longchamps planned an elaborate operation to strike Gestapo headquarters in Brussels. His RAF commanders rejected the request, claiming it was too risky. On January 20, 1943, Jean de Selys Longchamps did it anyway.

Connor Betts, Pistol Braces, and the Dayton Shooting

Connor Betts, Pistol Braces, and the Dayton Shooting

There were several Dayton police officers nearby when Betts opened fire. They responded immediately, running to the sounds of battle. Miraculously, the cops engaged Betts a mere 32 seconds after he fired his first shots.

Killer Baboons: Peter Capstick’s MAC-10 Submachine Gun

Killer Baboons: Peter Capstick’s MAC-10 Submachine Gun

Capstick abandoned a successful Wall Street career in his twenties seeking adventure. Like Theodore Roosevelt and Ernest Hemingway before him, Capstick found that for which he quested.

"Old Jack" Hinson: Civil War Sniper Back When Sniping Wasn't Cool

“Old Jack” Hinson: Civil War Sniper Back When Sniping Wasn’t Cool

Back in the 1860s, a Tennessee farmer with a grudge used a muzzleloading single-shot Kentucky Long Rifle to terrorize thousands of Federal troops. His exploits stand in bitter testament to the chaos that can be wrought by a single determined rifleman with a gun.

Jerome Caminada and His Colt Lightning Revolver: Manchester's Real-Life Sherlock Holmes

Jerome Caminada and His Colt Lightning Revolver: Manchester’s Real-Life Sherlock Holmes

The similarities between 19th century Manchester Police Detective Jerome Caminada and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional Detective Sherlock Holmes are compelling.

The Remote Control Assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh: Beware the Killer Robots

The Remote Control Assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh: Beware the Killer Robots

The attack lasted less than three minutes. Fakhrizadeh was shot a total of thirteen times from a range of 150 yards. His chief security officer purportedly threw himself on top of the Iranian scientist and caught four rounds for his trouble.

Mark James Robert Essex and the Second Battle of New Orleans

Mark James Robert Essex and the Second Battle of New Orleans

The seething racial vitriol that drove Mark James Robert Essex to blast the holy crap out of downtown New Orleans continues to drive headlines today. Within this sordid tale, however, there resides any number of legitimate tactical lessons. Law Enforcement tactics nationwide evolved markedly as a result.

Who Dares Wins: 22 SAS and the Pebble Island Raid

Who Dares Wins: 22 SAS and the Pebble Island Raid

8,000 miles South of the UK and 400 miles east of Argentina lie the Falklands Islands. The UK has held possession of the Falklands since 1833, and the islands are liberally populated with British subjects, some three thousand or so by 2006.

The Alpha Nazi: The Killer of Tanks

The Alpha Nazi: The Killer of Tanks

Hans-Ulrich Rudel was the most highly decorated German soldier of World War 2. He remained an unrepentant Nazi to his death.