by Martin Kufus Author Martin Kufus was a volunteer firefighter in Texas, and participated in disaster ops there. He embarked on a tense mission in 1998, after flash floods wreaked havoc along the southern border. The following is based on a chapter from his book, Plow the Dirt but Watch the …
Read More »Grizzly! A Life or Death Encounter In the Yukon
One of the rules in the Yukon Territory is that hunting guides must always be within hearing distance of their hunters. This is a good rule, as we soon shall see. It was the first day of an early September expedition when hunting guide David O’Farrell brought an archery hunter …
Read More »D-Day at Normandy: ‘Rock’ Was Lost in the Skies Over France
Then-Corporal Kenneth “Rock” Merritt poses for a photo. (Courtesy Photo) During World War II, Kenneth “Rock” Merritt was aboard a plane that got lost over France. Here are his memories of his experiences in the Army from 1942-45. His words are as follows. … I was sworn into the Army on …
Read More »Rescue at Sea: Americans Tossed Overboard During Effort to Help Fellow Veterans
They call it the world’s toughest row, one that brings voyages to remember – especially this one, for a team that encountered high waves during their 2022 expedition. That’s when an All-American team of four military veterans were rescued after their boat capsized during a 3,000-mile Atlantic rowing challenge. Fight …
Read More »Ranch Dog Rescues Missing Toddler After Harrowing Night in Arizona Wilderness
by Bobby Dee “Buford was just sitting there with the little kid. Just brought him up from the horse pasture and brought him over to the gate and was just hanging out with him.” A two-year-old boy who vanished from his home Monday afternoon was found safe the following morning …
Read More »Swimming Through Shark Infested Waters in World War II: When Charles French Rescued His Fellow Sailors
by Carole Engel Avriett Excerpted from Midnight in Ironbottom Sound, by Carole Engel Avriett. Editor’s note: Early on September 5, 1942, the US Navy’s USS Gregory was sunk by Japanese fire near Guadalcanal. One sailor, Mess Attendant 2nd Class Charles Jackson French swam for hours through shark-infested waters while towing …
Read More »Jungle Warfare: Tackling the Rappel Wall
No music, no narration, just the sounds of men as they navigate the rappel wall. These U.S. Marines tackle the wall during a jungle exercise at the Jungle Warfare Training Center, Okinawa, Japan. The week-long course teaches Marines survival skills and increases proficiency in fighting in a jungle environment. This …
Read More »‘It Was Just Wild’: Guardsmen Fight Fires From the Sky
When wildfires rage across the country, the National Guard steps in as a crucial force in the battle against the flames. Equipped with helicopters, specialized training, and sheer determination, Guard members support firefighters by airlifting water, clearing fire lines, and providing logistical aid – particularly when primary responders’ resources are …
Read More »Breaking the Ice, Coast Guard Style: ‘Polar Star’ Forges the Frozen Waters of Antarctica
MCMURDO STATION, Antarctica — The cracking and breaking of ice on a metal hull can be heard from land as the heavy icebreaker U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10) enters the harbor of McMurdo Station, Antarctica to move the ice pier out of the way for an incoming …
Read More »Starved, Stabbed, and Tortured: This British Army Veteran Was Captured by Russians in Ukraine
Shaun Pinner was convicted of being a mercenary and undergoing training to carry out terrorist activities, among other charges. A British Army veteran who went to Ukraine to fight against Russia counts himself lucky to have survived fighting in the war, let alone being held captive by Russian troops. Shaun Pinner …
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Soldier of Fortune Magazine The Journal of Professional Adventurers

