When the Army Put Grenades Inside Footballs
If you’ve thrown a Nerf football, you can throw a grenade against invading Soviets. At least, that’s what the U.S. Army thought in 1973 — and put that theory to…
Cold War Devices of Deception
In light of the many and varied amazing spy “gadgets” that have appeared in popular films and television shows about espionage—cue Oddjob’s razor-edged hat in the 1964 James Bond movie…
How Did US Intelligence Get Spy Satellite tv for pc Images Again?
The briefing befell at 7:00 a.m., and two hours later a Fairchild C-119J Flying Boxcar with the decision signal Pelican 9 lifted off from Hickam Air Drive Base, Hawaii. It…
Spying with Balloons? It’s Been Done Before
On February 2, 2023, Pentagon officials revealed that a Chinese surveillance balloon had been drifting over parts of the United States, presumably to collect intelligence. “Once the balloon was detected,…
Why is the Uzi Submachine Gun So Beloved By Special Forces?
The Uzi submachine gun (SMG)/machine pistol is an iconic firearms design, with a silhouette possibly as recognizable as that of the AK-47. It emerged in a unique time and space…
The Workhorse of the Berlin Airlift, the Douglas C-47 Noticed Service By Vietnam
Specs Crew: 4 (pilot, copilot, navigator, radio operator) Capability: 28 totally loaded troops or 6,000 kilos of cargo Wingspan: 95 ft 6 inches Wing space: 987 sq. ft Size: 63…
During the Cold War, Canada Designed a World-Class Interceptor—But Was the Program Infested With Soviet Spies?
The Tupolev airliner rolled to a stop in Moscow on August 19, 1955. Aboard was KGB agent Evgeny Brik, back home for a vacation from his assignment in Canada. Glancing…
The Most Remarkable Supply Operation in Human History
On Friday the 13th of August 1948 U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Sterling P. Bettinger tried to land his Douglas C-54 Skymaster transport at Berlin’s Tempelhof Field. Aboard was a…
Rediscovered Photos Offer a Window into the Army’s Arctic Past
On Feb. 15, when Senior Airman Jordan Smith was helping her colleagues clean out storage areas in the 673rd Air Base Wing public affairs office at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, she…
A Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipient Shares Leadership Lessons
Lt. Gen. Robert F. Foley has led a distinguished career in the U.S. Army. Graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he served as a company commander in…