by Ronald Winter, The War Horse Ask any Marine if they can remember the first day they actually became a Marine and you likely will be told it was boot camp graduation day. Whether it was Parris Island or San Diego, only when the senior officer in the graduation program proclaims the graduates …
Read More »The Mortar Team: Our Easy Day in Iraq Turned Suddenly Deadly
by Cliff Wade Iraq, 2007 Much more often than not, our missions in Iraq were meticulously planned out well ahead of time. However, there were occasions when opportunities were presented that did not allow enough time for applying the proper troop-leading procedures, and we just winged it. One such instance …
Read More »Slugfest in Syria: US Special Forces V Russian Wagner Group Mercs
by Kevin Maurer, The War Horse Editor’s note: As the situation in Syria heats up, here’s a look at a rare event from 2018, when U.S. and Russian forces clashed. The fight occurred in Syria. ~SKK Explosions flashed in the fog hanging over the Euphrates River like a coming summer …
Read More »Eerie Silences and Strange Time Warps: The Weirdness of Life Aboard a Submarine
by David Chetlain, The War HorseI spent 18 months in training before reporting to my first submarine. I learned a lot about damage control, sonar, electronics, and how to distinguish a sperm whale from a humpback whale. But nothing prepared me for the disconnection from Earth that distorted my perception …
Read More »Green Berets, Montagnard Tribesmen Formed Lasting Alliance in Vietnam
The Montagnards were skilled fighters, often engaging in guerrilla tactics, conducting reconnaissance, and staging ambushes against enemy forces. During the Vietnam War, one of the most remarkable military alliances was between the U.S. Green Berets and the Montagnard tribespeople, indigenous groups who inhabited the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The Montagnards, …
Read More »The Cordon: One Very Bad Day in Baqubah
by Greg Chabot Editor’s note: This story contains some very raw, violent material that could bring readers back to their own stark experiences at war. ~SKK It had been quiet in Baqubah with some IEDs going off and some occasional small arms fire in the city. This was about to …
Read More »Finland’s RK 62 M1 Rifle Was Inspired by Iconic AK-47
One of Nato’s newest members has been showing off the AK-47-inspired RK 62 M1 assault rifle that is in current service with its armed forces. The Finnish Defence Force’s standard-issue rifle is based on a Polish variant of the AK-47 – the model that launched the iconic Soviet-made AK family. WATCH …
Read More »When American Soldiers Brought Thanksgiving to Luxembourg in World War II
When American forces liberated the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg from Germany in September 1944, the GIs found an unexpected home away from home. Thousands remained in Luxembourg to rest, and restore their morale – and in the process, brought decades of Thanksgiving to their newfound friends. It all started in …
Read More »Green on Blue in Afghanistan: He Attacked Us for 40 Bucks and a Trip to Paradise
By Heath Hansen We entered the base between the HESCO barriers covered in concertina razor-wire, unprepared for a betrayal from one of our supposed allies. On November 9, 2005, as the convoy snaked its way into the safety of the base walls, I could see Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers …
Read More »The Soviet KGB Fueled These Conspiracy Tales About the US
by Nikolay Shevchenko During the Cold War, disinformation was a deadly weapon that helped advance the USSR’s interests. Here are three areas where the KGB fueled conspiracy theories about the United States. 1. AIDS was a Pentagon invention On March 30, 1987, millions of Americans heard shocking news on national …
Read More »