This article by Matt White was originally published by Coffee or Die. In late 1968, Army Col. Jack Treadwell was probably the most decorated — and perhaps most famous — active duty soldier in America. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in World War II before — almost uniquely among Medal of Honor […]
What is the origin of the term “operator?”
Special OpsThis article by Luke Ryan was originally published by Coffee or Die. If you’re in military circles for more than a couple of minutes, you’ll probably hear the term “operator” thrown around. In general, it’s used to refer to a member of Special Operations Forces (SOF) — particularly a trained shooter, medic, forward observer, or […]
Brutal efficiency: The top 5 combat shotguns out there today
GearThis article by Eric Miller was originally published by Coffee or Die. Americans began fielding shotguns on the battlefield during the final stretch of World War I and with great effect. German soldiers, who had regularly utilized chlorine gas on their enemies, found the wounds left by the weapons to be egregious and were stunned by […]
What it means to be an Apache pilot, according to 6 Apache pilots
AirpowerThis article by Joshua Skovlund was originally published by Coffee or Die. The Apache helicopter flies through the sky through all weather conditions to deliver destruction to the enemies of our United States. The men and women who fly them act as archangels providing overwatch for troops; the pilots of these war machines have been saving […]
A brief history (and the future) of high-speed vertical lift aircraft
AirpowerThis article by Carl Forsling was originally published by Coffee or Die. “Hitting him where he ain’t” has been a basic fundamental of warfare since the beginning. Accomplishing that on larger and larger scales has been a primary objective of military leaders ever since. Victory after achieving an “envelopment” is almost always easier. The best […]
4 badass special operators you should know more about
Special OpsThis article by Matt Fratus was originally published by Coffee or Die. The US Army’s premier special missions unit, commonly known as “The Unit,” has participated in several major military operations since its establishment in 1977. Thomas Patrick Payne was the latest member to receive the Medal of Honor for his actions in Iraq after helping rescue […]
An OSS officer’s V-E Day letter home using Hitler’s personal stationery
HistoryRichard Helms was the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) from 1966 to 1973, having served for two decades in predecessor units before leading the CIA. Helms’ career is a storied one that first began outside of intelligence. The well-read and well-educated student with a fluency in French and German studied at Williams College in […]
From cargo plane to gunship: The evolution of the C-130
AirpowerThis article by Matt Fratus was originally published by Coffee or Die. The C-130 has an impressive resume of preposterous accomplishments with few limitations, post-modification. Need to land a massive cargo plane in a football stadium or on an aircraft carrier? No problem. Have an issue with a landing gear in the arctic and need to […]
What it means to be an Army Ranger, according to 7 Rangers
Special OpsThis article by Luke Ryan was originally published by Coffee or Die. The U.S. Army Rangers are a storied group of elite warriors. They have conducted legendary missions, but for every met objective you hear about on the news, there are hundreds that go unseen and unheard. It takes a particular breed of person to earn […]
6 Navy Seabees operations you (probably) didn’t know about
HistoryThis article by Matt Fratus was originally published by Coffee or Die. Today marks the 77th anniversary of when the U.S. Navy Seabees officially coined their name from the United States Naval Construction Battalions (USNCB; “CB,” pronounced Seabee). The first Seabees were established out of necessity because civilian contractors were used to build bases in the Pacific prior to World War […]
