war stories

Weird things happen in war. Combat is chaotic, tragic, and horrible. It is arguably the most compelling of human experiences. As a result, it is a world where a man’s true character is revealed. 

Our finest strategists earn advanced degrees in the prosecution of modern war, and our military-industrial complex drives technical innovation on an unrivaled scale. And yet at its heart, the true mission of the military is to simply rip the very life out of other human beings who would, in general, really sooner not be there.

Van Dorn has been described by military historians as one of the greatest cavalry commanders who ever lived. Considering his competition includes such illustrious personalities as JEB Stuart, Nathan Bedford Forrest, and George Patton, that is high praise indeed.

Major Richard Bong – fighter pilot, national hero, and crocodile hunter – was indeed a proper legend.

Confederate President Jefferson Davis confidentially stated to friends that he believed the death of Johnston to be, “the turning point of our fate” in the western theater of operations.

Running low on ammunition and facing a determined enemy in a built-up battlespace, Digby ordered a desperate bayonet charge.

One might think that heavily-armed soldiers would be immune to animal predation. However, nothing distracts a man like artillery and the prospect of being ripped to pieces by hot sleeting steel.

The Twilight Zone really did make you think. Like most truly revolutionary artistic endeavors, the show was the product of a singularly creative mind. Rod Serling was a remarkable man indeed.

The fight lasted about four hours. One allied SDF fighter was wounded. No US troops were hurt. The butcher’s bill on the receiving end of all that pain has since been vigorously disputed.