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World War 1

USS Jacob Jones (DD-61) Found After a Century; First US Destroyer to Be Sunk By An Enemy Vessel ShipsMilitary VehiclesWorld War 1

On December 6, 1917, the Tucker-class destroyer USS Jacob Jones (DD-61) was sailing from Brest, France to Queenstown, Ireland. However, the ship never reached its destination. Instead, it wound up at the bottom of the ocean, thanks to a German U-boat strike, where it lay undiscovered for over a century.

Building the USS Jacob Jones

The USS Jacob Jones was authorized in 1913 as the fifth vessel in the Tucker-class of destroyers. Named for the prominent US Navy officer who served during the War of 1812, her keel was laid down in 1914. She was commissioned just under two years later, with Lt. Cmdr. William S. Pye in command. When the US joined the First World War on April 6, 1917, Jacob Jones patroled the coast of Virginia.

USS Jacob Jones (DD-61) at sea
USS Jacob Jones (DD-61), 1916. (Photo Credit: Naval History and Heritage Command / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

By May 7 of that year, the destroyer was en route to Europe, equipped with four 4-inch .50-caliber guns and eight 8-inch by 21-inch torpedo tubes. Her crew totaled around 100 men. Ten days later, Jacob Jones arrived in Queenstown, Ireland and began patrols in the Irish Sea.

The ruthless German U-boat strategy

Besides patrols and escorts, the USS Jacob Jones had to be cautious of German U-boats. The business of submarine warfare was complicated and ruthless. In the early stage of the war, U-boats surfaced before firing at a ship, giving those onboard enough time to escape the imminent strike.

Drawing of a German U-boat below the water, with a ship in the distance
Drawing of a submerged German U-boat in British waters during World War I. (Photo Credit: Universal History Archive / Universal Images Group / Getty Images)

Beginning in February 1915, the Germans shifted their tactics to an unprecedented form of attack: firing at ships, including neutral and passenger vessels, without warning. The threat of a U-boat lurking beneath the surface, poised to strike at any moment, was an entirely new fear for US sailors onboard destroyers like Jacob Jones.

In just seven short months, Jacob Jones was destroyed by a U-boat strike. However, she performed several impressive rescue operations during this period. On July 8, 1917, she rescued 44 survivors from the British steamship Valetta, which sank after being struck by a U-boat. That same month, she saved another 26 passengers and crew from the sinking Dafila, and later rescued 309 survivors from the armed merchant cruiser RMS Orama (1911).

Sinking of the USS Jacob Jones

At 4:20 PM on December 6, 1917, the USS Jacob Jones sighted a torpedo wake in the water while she sailed toward Ireland. Cmdr. David W. Bagley ordered the destroyer to try to escape the torpedo, but it struck the starboard side three feet below the water line. With her fuel oil tank ruptured, the destroyer’s fate was sealed.

Her stern began to sink, exploding the depth charges onboard and prompting Cmdr. Bagley to order his men to abandon ship. Two shots were fired from one of Jacob Jones‘ four-inch guns, a final plea for help. Eight minutes after she was struck, the vessel sank. The number of crewmen that went down with her varies, depending on the source.
View of a torpedo fired from SM U-35 at an exploding ship in the distance
The wake of the torpedo leads from the bow of the German U-boat SM U-35 to strike an enemy ship. (Photo Credit: Daily Mirror / Mirrorpix / Getty Images)

Cmdr. Bagley later described the horrible scene in his diary, writing, “As the ship began sinking, I jumped overboard. The ship sank stern first and twisted slowly through nearly 180 degrees as she swung upright. From this nearly vertical position, bow in air to about the forward funnel, she went straight down. […] Immediate efforts were made to get the survivors on the rafts and then get rafts and boats together.”

Those who managed to escape on life rafts or debris struggled to stay alive in the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Out of the depths, a German U-boat SM U-53 surfaced. The vessel’s commander, Kapitänleutnant Hans Rose, took injured crew members Albert De Mello and John Francis Murphy as prisoners, before radioing in the location to the American base in Queenstown. His only condition for the Americans was to give his crew one hour to escape before rescue ships arrived on-scene.

Lifeboat floating next to a larger sinking vessel
Men slide down ropes during a last minute escape from a vessel that was torpedoed by a German U-boat, 1917. (Photo Credit: CORBIS / Getty Images)

While they waited to be rescued, several crewmen gave their lives to help their comrades survive. Lt. Stanton F. Kalk helped men out of the water and into lifeboats, actions which led to his eventual death from exhaustion and exposure. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

Several hours after the sinking, the HMS Camellia (1915) and the American steamer Catalina began rescue operations, with the last of the survivors being rescued at 8:30 AM on December 7 by the HMS Insolent (1881).

The wreck of the USS Jacob Jones is discovered

In August 2022, a team of British divers announced they’d discovered the wreck of USS Jacob Jones some 400 feet below the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, around 60 nautical miles south of Cornwall, England. The team was able to positively identify the sunken vessel by locating her bell. The word “Jacob” was still visible on it, despite over 100 years of rust and water damage.

The UK Hydrographic Office provided the six-member dive team with the GPS coordinates for wrecks in the area – a record of where wrecks have been located, but not what they might be. During their second day of searching, the team discovered the remains of Jacob Jones.

Speaking with Dive Magazine, Dominic Robinson, head of diving and training with the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC), said, “The ship was about 115 [meters] to the seabed and 110 [meters] to the top of the wreck. It was very clear that it was Jacob Jones immediately – you can see its name written on parts of the shipwreck.”

He added that “no human remains were found or personal [artifacts], but for me, the thing that brought it home was the bent prop shaft – which shows the trauma the vessel must have been through when it was torpedoed. Absolutely incredible.”
The discovery marked an incredible moment in naval history, since Jacob Jones was the first ever US destroyer to be sunk by an enemy vessel. The loss of the ship was also one of the first major casualties the US suffered after its entry into WWI, and it was tragically ironic, as she’d reportedly “rescued from sinking ships more survivors than any other vessel.”
Now that the wreck of Jacob Jones has been located, the British dive team plans to begin talks with the US regarding the collection of artifacts from the vessel, to bring closure to the families of the crewmen who lost their lives at sea.
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World War 1

Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Paths of Glory’ Was Loosely Based on a Real-Life Tragedy

War movies have always been one of the most popular genres of film and, for many years, they unambiguously portrayed their conflicts as noble. Renowned filmmaker Stanley Kubrick changed that with 1957’s Paths of Glory. The movie, which was loosely based on the story of French soldiers during World War I, was beset with both controversy and critical acclaim.

Paths of Glory was based on a novel

Kirk Douglas as Col. Dax in 'Paths of Glory'
Paths of Glory, 1957. (Photo Credit: MoviePics1001 / United Artists / MovieStillsDB)

Stanley Kubrick‘s film was inspired by Humphrey Cobb’s Paths of Glory, which was published in 1935. Cobb, who lived in Italy, England and the United States as a youth, enlisted in the Canadian Army at just 17 years old and fought for three years during the First World War. Stationed on the frontlines, he fought in the Battle of Amiens in 1918.

Upon the conflict’s conclusion, Cobb moved to New York City, where he worked as a copywriter. It was during this time that he wrote Paths of Glory. The novel, which follows three French soldiers who are court-martialed and executed to save their senior commanders, is based on the Souain Corporals Affair of 1915, in which four French corporals were executed for cowardice, to set an example to others serving on the front.

Souain Corporals Affair

Souain Corporals Affair memorial
Memorial to the four French corporals who were executed during the Souain Corporals Affair. (Photo Credit: Ikmo-Ned / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0)

In March 1915, the French were locked in a fierce campaign against the Germans on the Western Front, near Souain. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to take positions away from the enemy, with many French soldiers dying after charging German positions, which were fortified with barbed wire and machine guns, with only their bayonets.

After seeing many of their comrades killed by machine gun fire, the remaining wave of troops refused to follow and stayed in their trenches. After the assault failed, Général de division Géraud Réveilhac demanded that the company’s commander, Capt. Equilbey, give him a list of the men who refused the order.
All 24 – six corporals and 18 enlisted soldiers – were court-martialed.

Executions followed the failed assault

Funeral procession for Cpl. Théophile Maupas
Funeral for Cpl. Théophile Maupas, one of those executed in 1915 during the Souain Corporals Affair. (Photo Credit: P. Hays, Avranches / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0)

A tribunal was held on the basis of the French Army’s Code of Military Regulations, which stated that no appeal of the decision was allowed. The tribunal occurred on March 16, 1915, during which all 24 men were sentenced to death.

Of the 24 who received this sentence, 20 avoided the death penalty, on the grounds that 18 of them had been arbitrarily chosen, while two of the corporals hadn’t heard the order to attack. The remaining four – Cpl. Louis Victor François Girard, Cpl. Lucien Auguste Pierre Raphaël Lechat, Cpl. Louis Albert Lefoulon and Cpl. Théophile Maupas – were executed by firing squad the next day. In a cruel twist of fate, the French High Command commuted their sentences to forced labor just two hours after.
Following the executions, Maupas’ widow contacted the Human Rights League. While her initial efforts were denied, she spent the next 19 years fighting to have the convictions overturned. In March 1934, she was finally successful; a judge declared that the directive to walk into certain death was “impracticable.”

Reaction to Paths of Glory

Stanley Kubrick holding a camera
While Paths of Glory (1957) was a modest financial success, Stanley Kubrick’s direction was widely praised. (Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Paths of Glory was by no means a phenomenon when it hit theaters. The film was considered a modest financial success, making its money back. Following its release, critics agreed that Kubrick was an exceptional director and was destined for big things.

Paths of Glory was controversial in France. Many in the military felt the portrayal was inaccurate, and they disagreed with its clear anti-war sentiment. The film wasn’t shown in the country until 1975, some 18 years after its release. The governments of Switzerland and Spain also objected to the movie being shown in theaters, and it was subsequently withdrawn from the Berlin Film Festival. On top of that, US military bases were also barred from showing it.
Since then, Paths of Glory has been deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and was entered into the US National Film Registry.

Legacy of the Souain Corporals Affair and Paths of Glory

Kirk Douglas as Col. Dax in 'Paths of Glory'
Paths of Glory, 1957. (Photo Credit: MoviePics1001 / United Artists / MovieStillsDB)

The French soldiers who stood up for themselves during the WWI assault are remembered much differently than they were over 100 years ago – and that change began before the book and movie were released. A monument honoring the four who were executed was erected in France in 1925, and upon their exoneration in 1934, their families received a symbolic franc for their hardship. In addition, they were given the ability to claim pension rights.

In 2009, the film Blanche Maupas was released, telling the story of the widow’s fight to exonerate her husband. As well, multiple streets and a school have been named in Théophile Maupas’ honor.
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World War 1

A Faux Paris Was Built to Fool German Bombers During World War I

When Paris was the target of German bombers during the First World War, officials immediately began to devise ways to stop future air raids from occurring. Attention was put on anti-aircraft technology, but the enemy simply adapted their tactics. During night raids, pilots used topography to locate targets, and the city wasn’t all that difficult to spot. To combat this, a plan was put in place to create a “faux Paris” – however, construction was only partially completed by the time the conflict ended.

Faux Paris was the brainchild of an electrical engineer

Damaged buildings along a street in Paris
Bombing of Paris, March 1918. (Photo Credit: Culture Club / Getty Images)

Germany first bombed Paris on August 30, 1914, and the attack impacted the way the City of Lights defended itself. Residents were no longer safe from the war, and while improvements were made to French anti-aircraft technology, German bombers switched to night raids to avoid daytime opposition.

Italian-born electrical engineer Fernand Jacopozzi was living in Paris during the First World War. In 1917, he joined the Défense Contre Avions (DCA), where he came up with a plan to create a faux Paris along the Seine, to trick the German bombers.

The Seine curves in on itself multiple times. As such, the fake city could be erected along the curve that mirrored where the real Paris is located. This was far enough away that no harm would come to residents. However, the replica would have to be executed with enough accuracy to truly fool the Germans.

“It’s an extraordinary story and one which even Parisians knew very little about,” French historian Professor Jean-Claude Delarue told The Telegraph. “The plan was kept secret for obvious reasons, but it shows how seriously military planners were already taking the new threat of aerial bombardment.”

Zone A: Train station

Map showing the false railway stations and streets of faux Paris
Map showing the false railway stations and streets of faux Paris, 1917. (Photo Credit: Unknown Author / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

The first area of faux Paris was named “Zone A.” It consisted of fake train stations surrounded by suburban housing. It would be set to the northeast of the real city. The area itself was surrounded by forests and was far enough away to prevent damage from any bombings.

The fake train was the real marvel of Zone A. Using wood, plastic and other inexpensive materials, it was built along a set of false tracks. Jacopozzi ensured it was outfitted with an intricate lighting system that, from above, actually made the stationary object look like it was moving.

Zone B: Faux Paris

Map showing the streets of faux Paris
Map showing the streets of faux Paris, 1917. (Photo Credit: Unknown Author / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Zone B was intended to be a replica of Paris, located to the northwest. This was to be one of the project’s greatest difficulties, as Jacopozzi wanted to recreate the city’s most iconic architecture, including the Gare du Nord, the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées. There isn’t, however, any evidence as to the inclusion of a replica Eiffel Tower.

Another struggle for Jacopozzi was recreating the City of Lights at night. As pilots used landmarks to navigate the area, they would undoubtedly be able to recognize Paris, given its lights display. If the engineer was unable to sufficiently recreate the city’s system, then the faux Paris would fail. Not only that, the expectation was that the real Paris, along with its residents, would cut their lights to cloak the city in darkness and draw attention to the recreation.

Zone C: Industrial district

Damaged building along the Rue de Tolbiac
Rue de Tolbiac, June 1918. (Photo Credit: photographie de presse / Agence Rol / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0)

Zone C would be located directly east of Paris and serve as an industrial area, where massive factories and chimneys would be set up. These structures were to be constructed from sheets of wood, as well as canvases painted in various colors.

In addition to the structures themselves, working furnaces would also be placed within to produce smoke from the chimneys and give the impression that work was going on inside. Using different colored lamps, Jacopozzi created the illusion of fire to truly simulate the look of a working factory.

The faux Paris disappeared

Debris strewn across a residential area
Effects of the last Zeppelin raid on Paris. (Photo Credit: Bettmann / Getty Images)

When it came time to build the faux Paris, only work on Zone A truly got underway. The train and its railway were completed and looked remarkably realistic. Small portions of Zones B and C were also done, likely to test their effectiveness before going ahead with the rest of the work.

The plan was cut short when World War I came to an end. As it was no longer necessary to construct or maintain the zones, they were dismantled. “Camouflaged streets, factories, dwelling houses, railways, with stations and trains complete, and in fact a camouflaged capital, was the gigantic task on which French engineers were engaged when the Armistice put an end to military operations,” read a report published by The Globe on October 4, 1920.
As the entire project itself was a secret, many Parisians were unaware of the construction of a second, faux Paris happening just outside the city limits. Many feel it’s a shame the structures were taken down, as they would have not only served as historic monuments of the war, but also as popular tourist attractions.
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World War 1

Frank Luke: The WWI Flying Ace Who Was Like a Real-Life Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell

While dogfights first occurred during the Mexican Revolution, it wasn’t until the First World War that they became widespread. Upon returning home from service, pilots with the Aviation Section, US Signal Corps and the US Army Air Service were treated like heroes. Sadly, not all of them came back, including Frank Luke, a dashing and talented pilot who racked up an astonishing record before being shot down over France.

Frank Luke excelled as an athlete in his youth

Military portrait of Frank Luke
Frank Luke enlisted in the Aviation Section, US Signal Corps in 1917. (Photo Credit: US Army Air Corps / Library of Congress’ Prints and Photographs Division / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Frank Luke was born in May 1897 in Phoenix, Arizona Territory as the fifth of nine children. While growing up, he was a star athlete, playing basketball and football, captaining his school’s track team, and participating in bare-knuckle boxing. He also worked in copper mines to help support his family.

Luke enlisted with the Aviation Section, US Signal Corps in September 1917, months after the United States entered the First World War. After training in Texas and California, he was deployed to France with the rank of second lieutenant, where he underwent further training before being assigned to the 1st Pursuit Group, 27th Aero Squadron, which today is known as the US Air Force’s 27th Fighter Squadron, operating out of Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

Frank Luke proved himself to be a remarkable pilot

Military portrait of Frank Luke
Upon taking to the skies over France, Frank Luke proved himself to be a skilled pilot. (Photo Credit: Hawaii State Archives / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Upon taking to the air, Frank Luke’s talent was immediately recognized, despite only flying in Europe for 17 days before his death. His commander, Maj. H.E. Hartney, later said of him:

“No one had the sheer contemptuous courage that boy possessed. He was an excellent pilot and probably the best flying marksman on the Western Front. We had any number of expert pilots and there was no shortage of good shots, but the perfect combination, like the perfect specimen of anything in the world, was scarce. Frank Luke was the perfect combination.”

At the same time, Luke had a reputation for rubbing people the wrong way. His peers and superiors considered him arrogant and someone who would ignore orders – essentially, he sounds just like Han Solo in the Star Wars series or Pete “Maverick” Mitchell from Top Gun.

Observation balloons and dangerous missions

Group standing below a German Parseval-Siegsfeld observation balloon
Observation balloons were an important part of trench warfare during World War I. (Photo Credit: Christoph Herrmann / Benjamin Hirschfeld / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0)

Throughout World War I, the German Army heavily relied on observational helium balloons. They were critical to the trench warfare that was occurring on the Western Front, as they allowed the Germans to see deep behind enemy lines. Given their importance, they were often protected by both anti-aircraft weaponry and a fleet of pursuit aircraft.

The American forces were eager to destroy these balloons. Despite the danger, Frank Luke and fellow pilot Lt. Joseph Frank “Fritz” Wehner regularly volunteered to take on the missions, with the former attacking the balloons and the latter serving as protective cover. Between September 12-28, 1918, the second lieutenant took out 14 balloons. In addition, he shot down four German aircraft, earning him the title of the “Arizona Balloon Buster.”

Frank Luke was shot down over France

Frank Luke standing outside in his military uniform
Frank Luke destroyed 14 German observation balloons during World War I. (Photo Credit: National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Frank Luke’s final mission came in the early days of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. On September 29, 1918, he took off looking to shoot down additional German observation balloons, having experienced success the previous day.

Luke had destroyed three balloons near Dun-sur-Meuse when he was struck by a bullet fired from a machine gun position on a nearby hill. It entered his shoulder, causing him to enter a tailspin toward the ground. Despite what was happening, the pilot strafed a group of German soldiers positioned beneath him.

After his SPAD S.XIII crashed, Luke pulled out his Colt M1911 and shot at the German infantrymen that had surrounded him. Unfortunately, his wounds were too grievous, with the bullet having passed through him and out his left shoulder. The Germans buried his body at the cemetery in Murvaux, France, and it was recovered by American soldiers two months later. He was officially laid to rest in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial, east of Romagne-sous-Montfaucon.

Recipient of the Medal of Honor

Red Bull Demonstration Team aircraft flying over a crowd at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
Luke Air Force Base, Arizona was named for Frank Luke. (Photo Credit: Airman 1st Class James Hensley / 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Following his death, Frank Luke was awarded the Medal of Honor, which his family donated to the National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and posthumously promoted to the rank of first lieutenant. His additional decorations included the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Aero Club Medal for Bravery and the Italian War Cross. He was also named the nation’s greatest air hero by the American Society for the Promotion of Aviation in 1930.

It’s often said Luke was the second most successful American Air Ace of WWI, behind Eddie Rickenbacker. There’s some dispute over the actual number of aerial wins and confirmations. Still, Rickenbacker paid tribute to his fellow pilot, saying:
“He was the most daring aviator and greatest fighter pilot of the entire war. His life is one of the brightest glories of our Air Service. He went on a rampage and shot down fourteen enemy aircraft, including ten balloons, in eight days. No other ace, even the dreaded Richthofen, had ever come close to that.”
For his service during the First World War, Luke was honored in a number of ways. Luke Air Force Base, Arizona is named for him, as is the border town of Lukeville. Additionally, James Franco’s character in 2006’s Flyboys, Blaine Rawlings, is inspired by Luke and his service.
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World War 1

August von Mackensen: The German Field Marshal Dubbed ‘The Last Hussar’

(Eingeschränkte Rechte für bestimmte redaktionelle Kunden in Deutschland. Limited rights for specific editorial clients in Germany.) Von Mackensen as Commander-in-Chief of the 11th Army in Galicia in his quarters in the field (Photo by ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

Hussars originated in Central Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries and were made up of light cavalry soldiers. Though military in nature, they can easily be compared to a European version of the American cowboy. Legendary German Field Marshal August von Mackensen was dubbed “The Last Hussar” during his service, which included commanding units throughout the First World War, despite being in his 60s.

August von Mackensen’s upbringing

Portrait of August von Mackensen
August von Mackensen attended the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, before choosing a career in the military. (Photo Credit: ullstein bild / Getty Images)

August von Mackensen was born in Haus Leipnitz, in the Prussian Province of Saxony, in 1849. At 20 years old, he volunteered to serve with the Prussian 2nd Life Hussars Regiment, seeing action during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. While participating in the conflict, he led a charge while on a reconnaissance patrol north of Orléans, which saw him awarded the Iron Cross Second Class and promoted to the rank of second lieutenant.

Following the war, von Mackensen attended the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg. However, he found himself drawn back to service with the Imperial German Army and rejoined his old regiment in 1873.

Continued success with the Imperial German Army

Kaiser Wilhelm II standing in uniform
Kaiser Wilhelm II was impressed by August von Mackensen and named him his adjutant. (Photo Credit: Universal History Archive / Getty Images)

In 1879, August von Mackensen married Dorthea “Doris” von Horn. She was the sister of a slain comrade, and her father, Karl von Horn, was one of the most powerful and influential administrative officials in East Prussia. In addition to his happy marriage, von Mackensen found a key mentor in Minister of War Julius von Verdy du Vernois. His star quickly rose, and in 1891 he was appointed to the General Staff, despite not having the required experience.

Kaiser Wilhelm II was also impressed with von Mackensen. In 1893, the German emperor gave him command of the 1st Life Hussars Regiment, and later made von Mackensen his adjutant. This was an exceptional honor, as he was the first commoner to serve in the role. He performed this duty for three and a half years, during which he met high-ranking officials across Germany and the world.

In 1901, von Mackensen was given command of the Life Hussar Brigade, after which he served as the commander of the 36th Division. This was followed by an appointment to the XVII Army Corps, where Wilhelm, German Crown Prince, was placed under his command.

August von Mackensen’s service during World War I

August von Mackensen walking in front of a row of Bulgarian soldiers
August von Mackensen proved himself to be a master tactician during World War I. (Photo Credit: Bruckmann, F. / Grosser Bilderatlas des Weltkrieges / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

When the First World War broke out in July 1914, August von Mackensen was 65 years old and still in charge of the XVII Army Corps. He was also one of the most experienced commanders in the Imperial German Army. Right off the bat, he led his men in a number of offensives, including the battles of Tannenberg and Gumbinnen. That September, he took charge during the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes.

In August 1915, von Mackensen commanded his men during the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive, one of the Central Powers’ most important victories of the war. After continued fighting against the Russians on the Eastern Front, von Mackensen participated in the Serbian Campaign, before going on to oversee the Romanian Campaign. Before long, he was known for being one of the world’s foremost military tactician.

For his service during the war, von Mackensen was awarded a number of decorations, including the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (he was one of five to receive it during the conflict), the Military Merit Cross 1st Class and the Order of the Black Eagle, Prussia’s highest-ranking order of knighthood.

Remaining out of the public eye during the interwar period

August von Mackensen riding a white house
August von Mackensen was a supporter of the German Monarchy. (Photo Credit: Universal History Archive / Universal Images Group / Getty Images)

Following the signing of the armistice, August von Mackensen was arrested by the Allies for being a war criminal and held until November 1919. The following year, he retired from the Imperial German Army and opted to remain out of the public eye, as he disagreed with the establishment of the new parliamentary system and the restrictions placed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles.

Following the war, Germany was in shambles, and there were differing opinions on how to best move forward. In 1924, von Mackensen decided to use his status as a war hero to support both the monarchy and nationalist groups, frequently appearing in his Life Hussars uniform.

August von Mackensen’s legacy

August von Mackensen sitting at a table with a woman
Despite being a supporter of the German Monarchy, August von Mackensen didn’t oppose the incoming regime. (Photo Credit: Gerhard Riebicke / ullstein bild / Getty Images)

August von Mackensen supported Paul von Hindenburg during the 1932 German election. However, when the Nationalist Socialist German Workers’ Party came into power, he didn’t directly oppose the regime, later becoming one of its most visible supporters. That being said, the public were never really sure where he stood, as his actions brought about mixed messages.

Following the death of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the country’s leaders began to view von Mackensen as more of a traitor than a war hero. They didn’t, however, take any action against him. Given his age, he didn’t participate in the fighting that occurred during World War II and passed away just a few months after its conclusion, at the age of 95.
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Aircraft

Men Were Too Scared to Fly B-29 Superfortresses – Until Two Women Did

In the lead up to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Paul Tibbets was tasked with training a group of pilots on the newly-produced Boeing B-29 Superfortress. However, he soon ran into a problem: the men refused to get into the aircraft.

The bomber was larger and less thoroughly-tested than other aircraft used throughout the Second World War, and the pilots thought it was too dangerous to fly. Refusal to use the B-29s, however, was not an option, so Tibbets concocted a plan to train two female pilots to give flight demonstrations to the men. His plan was a resounding success.

Problems with the B-29’s engines

Military portrait of Paul Tibbets
Paul Tibbets, 1960. (Photo Credit: US Air Force / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Paul Tibbets, having served in both the European and Pacific Theaters, was called back to the US in 1943 to help with the development of the B-29 Superfortress. After testing of the bomber was complete, he was reassigned as the director of operations for the 17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Very Heavy) and tasked with training pilots to fly the new aircraft.

The women who flew the B-29 Superfortress

Frances Green, Peg Kirchner, Ann Waldner and Blanche Osborne walking away from an aircraft
L to R: Frances Green, Peg Kirchner, Ann Waldner and Blanche Osborne, WASPs who were trained to ferry the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, 1944. (Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force / Public Domain)

Tibbets thought that if he could get female pilots to train on the aircraft, the men might not be scared to fly the B-29. He recruited two Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) for the role. He didn’t disclose to Dora Dougherty Strother or Dorothea Johnson “Didi” Moorman that there had been issues with the aircraft, and the pair didn’t experience any problems when piloting them.

Neither woman had even flown a four-engine aircraft, which is why they were picked for the job – Tibbets wanted to show that anyone could fly a B-29. He trained Strother and Moorman for only three days before deciding they were ready to give demonstrations to the male pilots.

The pair flew various flights out of the base in Alamogordo, New Mexico, with different aircrews onboard each time.

Reception as demonstration pilots

Dora Dougherty Strother standing around an aircraft with two other female pilots
Dora Dougherty Strother and two anonymous women (WASPs), who flew aircraft during the Second World War, 1943. (Photo Credit: US Air Force / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Strother and Moorman were successful in getting the male pilots to fly the B-29s. A maintenance bulletin written by Maj. Harry Shilling gave them praise for both their flying abilities and knowledge of the aircraft. He encouraged the men on the base to ask them questions about how to handle the bombers and emulate their impressive takeoffs.

Despite their success, Strother and Moorman didn’t have their jobs as demonstration pilots for long. When Tibbets’ superiors found out he was letting women fly the B-29s, they forced him to shut down the program. Air Staff Maj. Gen. Barney Giles told him that the women were “putting the big football players to shame.”

Remembering their role

Paul Tibbets, Dora Dougherty Strother and Dorothea Johnson "Didi" Moorman standing with crewmen in front of the "Ladybird"
Dora Dougherty Strother in front of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress “Ladybird” with Paul Tibbets, Dorothea Johnson “Didi” Moorman and its aircrew, 1943. (Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Although their role as demonstration pilots may seem small, it wasn’t viewed as such by the men who watched them. On August 2, 1995, Harry McKeown, a retired lieutenant colonel with the US Air Force, wrote a letter to Strother about her role flying the B-29s. He’d met her and Moorman in 1944 when they brought a B-29 to Clovis Army Airfield, where he served as the Director of Maintenance & Supply and a test pilot.

He said that after their demonstration “we never had a pilot who didn’t want to fly the B-29,” and ended his letter on a more personal note. “I still want to thank you for your helping me that day at Clovis,” he wrote. “I will admit that I was scared… You made the difference in my flying from then on. I wasn’t the only pilot that felt this way, and I am sure that they would thank you too if they knew where you were.”

Life after the war

Dora Dougherty Strother sitting in the cockpit of a helicopter while speaking with two men
Dora Dougherty Strother after having just broken a helicopter altitude record, 1961. (Photo Credit: Smithsonian Institution / Flickr / No Known Copyright Restrictions)

Both women carried on with the WASPs until the organization disbanded in 1944. Strother went on to earn her PhD from New York University and worked for Bell Helicopters from 1962-86. She kept in touch with McKeown and married him in 2002. Moorman raised five children in North Carolina after the war, and kept in close contact with Tibbets until her death in 2005.

The WASPs, including Strother and Moorman, were denied military veteran status until 1977, when the US House and Senate voted to grant them what they had earned. This decision made them eligible for veterans benefits and also allowed the woman to commemorate their fallen sisters as veterans – something they hadn’t previously been able to do.

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Aircraft

Ukraine is Flying Hind Helicopters Donated By the Czech Republic In its Fight with Russia

A Russian military Mil Mi-24 "Hind" helicopter gunship flies during a joint Russian-Turkish patrol in the eastern countryside of the town of Darbasiyah near the border with Turkey in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province on December 7, 2020. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP) (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union and the United States were in a constant fight to one-up each other when it came to weapons and military vehicles. One of the Soviet Union’s most impressive achievements was the development of the Mil Mi-24 Hind helicopter. While intended to help the Russian cause, today, the chopper is being used against its country of origin.

Helicopters first saw use during the Second World War

Bell UH-1B helicopter in flight
The Bell UH-1 “Huey” was flown during the Vietnam War and could fire guns and transport troops. (Photo Credit: Bettmann / Getty Images)

During the Second World War, combat via air became much more prominent. While this meant an increase in the number of plane battles, it also saw the use of helicopters. At that point, however, choppers didn’t see much combat and were, instead, used to transport injured soldiers and ferry troops over rough terrain.

The Vietnam War saw the first example of armored helicopters. The Bell UH-1 Iroquois – or “Huey” – was important to the war effort. It was armed with guns that could be used to rain fire from the air, and also had the ability to transport troops. It couldn’t, however, perform both actions at the same time.

The Russians looked to develop a superior helicopter model

An early version of the Mil Mi-24A Hinds parked outside
An early version of the Mil Mi-24A Hind on display at the Riga Aviation Museum. (Photo Credit: Riyaah / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

In the 1960s, designer Mikhail Mil began work on the Soviet answer to the Huey. However, unlike the American helicopter, the plan was for the aircraft to ferry troops and fire its guns at the same time. Despite concerns over cost, the chopper was built with a twin-engine design, and its ability to carry a wide range of rockets, missiles, bombs, guns and cannons led to it being nicknamed the “flying tank.”

Testing began in the late ’60s and improvements were made over time. The helicopter was known for how quick it was and soon set records for speed. The Americans realized the Russians were in the process of creating a superior chopper and began work on their own in the early 1970s, resulting in the Sikorsky S-67 Blackhawk. However, the lone prototype crashed in September 1974, and the US Army reassigned the Black Hawk name to the UH-60.

The Hind helicopter was brutally effective

Stinger missiles being launched into the sky
The Mujahideen used American-supplied Stinger missiles to combat Hind helicopters during the Soviet-Afghan War. (Photo Credit: KIM JAE-HWAN / AFP / Getty Images)

The first time the Hind helicopter saw combat was in 1977, when Russia supported the Ethiopians in the Ogaden War against Somalia. Mil Mi-24s were an important part of Ethiopia’s success, as the nation was able to take back Ogaden from the Somalis.

Mi-24s were, again, seen during the nearly 10-year Chadian-Libyan conflict, along with Mil Mi-25s. At one point, the Armed Forces of the North, a group of Chadian Rebels, were able to capture Mi-25s – two were sent to France and one to the US.

The helicopters also played a significant role in the Soviet-Afghan War. At first, the Mujahideen were having issues with the effectiveness of the Hind choppers. The US stepped in to provide the guerrillas with surface-to-air Stinger missiles, which proved effective.

The Ukrainian military is using Hind helicopters against the Russians

Mil Mi-24 Hind in flight
The Czech Republic has provided Ukraine with Hind helicopters to defend against the ongoing Russian invasion. (Photo Credit: HUM Images / Universal Images Group / Getty Images)

In February 2022, the Russian Army invaded Ukraine. If Ukraine was a member of NATO, the full force of the organization would have helped combat the threat from Russia. Despite not having joined, the country has received support from a number of member nations.

The US, France, Germany and England are among those who have provided humanitarian aid and supplies, along with artillery and equipment. Among the equipment received were a number of Hind helicopters from the Czech Republic. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin noted in May 2022, “I’d also like to thank the Czech Republic for its substantial support, including a recent donation of attack helicopters, tanks, and rocket systems.”
Austin didn’t say which helicopters had been provided, but the only ones currently utilized by the Czech Republic are 17 Russian-produced Hinds: seven Mi-24s and 10 Mil Mi-35 Hind Es.
The Ukrainian military has long-trained on Russian-built equipment, so they were able to utilize the helicopters without a hitch. They’ve been put to good use, too. In April 2022, the Ukrainian forces allegedly used Hind choppers to bomb a Russian oil storage facility in Belgorod.
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Aircraft

Convair B-58 Hustler: The First Operational Bomber to Reach Mach 2

When it comes to awards and accolades, the Convair B-58 Hustler is truly unrivaled. The first bomber to ever reach Mach 2, its speed is what set the B-58 apart from the rest – but this also came with its own consequences. The aircraft was constructed with top-of-the-line technology and piloted by the best the US Air Force had to offer, but it was also equipped with a fatal flaw.

Development of the first supersonic bomber

In 1946, the US Army Air Corps launched its first investigation into developing a supersonic bomber. Known as the Generalized Bomber Study (GEBO I), the country’s three leading aerospace companies – Boeing, Convair and North American – raced to see who could design the service’s next strategic bomber.

Convair B-58 Hustler parked on the runway
The four General Electric J79-5A engines and delta wing configuration of the Convair B-58 Hustler. (Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

By 1949, another study was commissioned, the GEBO II, which included input from the aforementioned three companies, as well as Douglas, Curtiss and Martin. Each submitted a proposed design, with Convair’s delta wing configuration ultimately chosen as the superior model.

The Convair B-58 Hustler was small, but mighty

The Convair B-58 Hustler had a maximum speed of 1,325 MPH, with a service ceiling of 64,800 feet and a range of 4,400 miles. The bomber was outfitted with four General Electric J79-5A turbojet engines, each capable of producing 15,000 pounds of dry thrust.

Since the fuselage of the aircraft was relatively small and thin, the droppable pod underneath was fitted with a nuclear weapon and extra fuel. At 95 feet long and 57 feet wide, the B-58 was much smaller than other bombers of the time, and it could be armed with either a single nine-megaton B53 nuclear bomb, or four B43 or B61 bombs.
Convair B-58 Hustler in flight
Convair B-58 Hustler equipped with nuclear bombs. (Photo Credit: Camerique / Getty Images)

The B-58 also set 19 world speed and altitude records and won five aviation trophies. However, this success came at a cost. By 1961, the program had cost $3 billion dollars (roughly $30 billion today). As well, maintenance costs were exceptionally high. For example, the average maintenance cost per flying hour for the Boeing B-47 Stratojet was $361, while it was $1,440 per hour for the B-58.

Until its retirement in 1970, the B-58 was operated by two Strategic Air Command (SAC) bomb wings: the 43rd Bombardment Wing and the 305th Bombardment Wing.

The Convair B-58 Hustler’s unconventional configuration

One of the most unique aspects of the Convair B-58 Hustler was its crew configuration. Comprised of a pilot, navigator and defense systems operator, the three-person crew was each housed in their own tandem cockpit. Apparently, they had no physical contact with each other and had to resort to passing notes along a string and pulley system inside the cabin.

The defense systems operator had a wide range of complex systems available in their own cockpit, making the B-58 one of the most difficult aircraft to operate at the time.

Ejection capsule in the air above a Convair B-58 Hustler
A ejection capsule test for the Convair B-58 Hustler. (Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Another distinct feature of the B-58 was its ejection seats. Called an “ejection capsule,” the crew members each had a protective clamshell that enclosed the seat and control stick, along with an attached oxygen cylinder. This allowed the pilot to fly right up until the very last second before ejecting. Once ejected, the crew could pop open the clamshell exterior and use it as a life raft.

The ejection seats were originally tested on bears and chimpanzees. During a test in 1963, a bear became the first living creature to survive an ejection at supersonic speed.

The bomber’s fatal flaw

The Convair B-58 Hustler’s main defense was its speed. At the time, it was believed that, as long as you could fly higher, farther and faster than the enemy, no one would be in harm’s way. According to the overwhelming number of recorded accidents, however, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Convair B-58 Hustler in flight
Aerial view of the Convair B-58 Hustler. (Photo Credit: Bettmann / Getty Images)

Of the 116 B-58s that were built, 26 of them were lost and 36 crew members were killed. Several major accidents occurred throughout the bomber’s 10 years of service. One happened on October 27, 1959, before the aircraft was introduced into service.

A B-58 was being flown from Texas to Florida by three civilian crew members: pilot Everett Wheeler and two flight engineers, Michael Keller and Harry Blosser. During the fight, the bomber developed a problem, forcing the three to eject. Keller and Wheeler both landed safely, but Blosser’s body was found the next day, still strapped to the ejection seat.

The plane crashed into a field in Mississippi.

Convair B-58 Hustler in flight
Convair B-58 Hustler equipped with a B61 nuclear bomb. (Photo Credit: Umeyou / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0)

In June 1961, a B-58 crashed during the Paris Airshow, killing all three crew members. The same aircraft had previously accomplished the first supersonic transatlantic crossing, flying from New York to Paris in record time.

Another incident could have ended in nuclear catastrophe, when a B-58 carrying five nuclear weapons slid off the runway at Bunker Hill Air Force Base (now Grissom Air Reserve Base) and burst into flames. The weapons were burned, but contamination was still detected in the area.

The overwhelming number of accidents and fatalities related to the B-58 were likely due to its lighter frame, making it more susceptible to structural failure.

The accomplished Convair B-58 Hustler never saw action

Despite its troubled past, the Convair B-58 Hustler’s legacy continues to influence the development of supersonic aircraft. Some of the many records it holds are still intact today!

Even though it was the most advanced aircraft of its time, the B-58 never saw combat. The Cold War drove demand for bombers capable of penetrating Soviet airspace, with the possibility of launching an attack, but the B-58’s small size meant that, in order  to reach the USSR, the aircraft would need an established base in Europe to fly out of or a substantial amount of resources dedicated to aerial refueling.
Close-up of a grounded Convair B-58A Hustler
One of the eight remaining Convair B-58A Hustler supersonic bombers on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. (Photo Credit: Brendan Smialowski / AFP / Getty Images)
In 1970, the B-58 was retired and never reconfigured for non-nuclear bombing missions. Of the 116 produced, only eight remain. Ultimately, the B-58’s short range, expensive upkeep and disastrous death count were its downfall. One director at the Strategic Air Command even commented that, so long as the “Soviet Union and not Canada was the enemy, range would matter.”
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Aircraft

Ukraine Doesn’t Want the US Air Force’s Aging A-10 Warthogs

Throughout the course of the Russo-Ukrainian War, the US has offered to send – and has sent – an array of weapons and equipment to the Ukrainian military. Calls for additional resources continue to come in, with the Ukrainian Air Force asking for modern Western aircraft. The US Air Force recently said it’s willing to send a portion of its Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II fleet, something that hasn’t impressed Ukraine’s minister of defence.

Four Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt IIs in flight
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt IIs with the 103rd Fighter Squadron of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. (Photo Credit: Kenn Mann / USAF / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

US military officials and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence have been in ongoing talks regarding what type of aircraft to send. While the primary and immediate focus is on defeating the invading Russian forces, there’s also a hope of building the Ukrainian Air Force to protect against future adversaries.

On July 20, 2022, Secretary of the US Air Force Frank Kendall said the service would be willing to send some of the country’s A-10 fleet, should Ukrainian officials want them. This goes against what he said in March at the AFA Air Warfare Symposium, when he seemingly dismissed the idea. The Air Force has been trying to retire the aging attack aircraft, but has experienced resistance from the US Congress.

Three Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt IIs parked in a row
23rd Fighter Group on alert in their Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt IIs. (Photo Credit: SSgt Nathan G. Bevier / United States Air Force / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

However, it appears Ukraine isn’t interested in America’s old A-10s. Writing in a message to Military.com, Yuriy Sak, an adviser to Ukrainian Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov, said the country doesn’t want the aircraft and, instead, would like a fleet of General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons, saying the A-10s “will not close our sky, they will not stop bombers and missiles.”

He added that the attack aircraft would “be a target for Russian jet fighters and anti-aircraft defense, because we don’t have the means neither to cover them, nor to break through the enemy anti-aircraft defence,” and said the A-10 would have similar disadvantages to the Sukhoi Su-25, which the Ukrainian Air Force currently flies.

Sak doesn’t deny the A-10’s abilities, but told Military.com that it’s not what Ukraine needs right now. To defend against the ongoing Russian invasion, the country’s air force has been tasked with stopping enemy drones, aircraft and missiles, along with conducting strikes against Russian targets, something it needs new equipment to do effectively.
“The A-10 can destroy ground targets very well, maybe better than anyone else. But, other aircraft offer Ukraine so much more,” he wrote. “At the same time, the A-10 will divert the lion’s share of financial and human resources from the issue of re-armament to a modern multifunctional FIGHTER (F-16, etc), which would be a strategic mistake.”
Ukrainian serviceman walking near a burning car shrouded in smoke
A Ukrainian serviceman walks near a burning car after an air strike in the courtyard of the Industria Hotel and civilian residences in the center of Kramatorsk, on July 7, 2022. (Photo Credit: MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP / Getty Images)

Ukraine hasn’t been shy in asking for modern US fighters, with its air force tweeting in March that it needed both the F-16 and the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. At the time, the service claimed it could train its pilots to fly the aircraft in just two or three weeks, something experts don’t think is possible.

Another concern is that it would be difficult getting American contractors to assist in parts maintenance on the ground in Ukraine. In response to this, Sak said the F-16 is flown by a number of Allies situated nearby, meaning the country could lean on those partnerships. Among those in the region flying the aircraft are Poland and Romania, both of whom are former Warsaw Pact countries.

Speaking with Air Force Magazine, he said, “F-16s are still something that our pilots dream about. F-16s are a global symbol of the aviation might and force. We really hope that our pilots will be able to fly some of them to protect our country and show the world that Ukraine is a modern Army capable of protecting the whole of Europe.”

General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon in flight
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon. (Photo Credit: Cp9asngf / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0)

In the same interview, Sak compared the potential new fighters to the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) that the US has sent to Ukraine. Not only have they met the current needs of the battlefield, but they’ve also allowed the country to transition into NATO-standard weapons.

“These HIMARS systems, they are really a game changer,” he said. “They’ve pretty much stalled the Russian offensive. We’ve been able to destroy 50 munitions depots and command centers in the last 10 days.”

Smoke billowing around two people and the Ukrainian flag
People stand in front of an Ukrainian flag as dark smoke and flames rise from a fire following an air strike in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, on March 26, 2022. (Photo Credit: ALEKSEY FILIPPOV / AFP / Getty Images)

The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II – affectionately known as the A-10 Warthog – has been in service with the US military since the 1970s. Over 700 were produced between 1972-84, and the aircraft has seen service in such conflicts as the Gulf War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

At present, different sections of the Air Force fly the aircraft, including the Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard.

While popular, the A-10 is beginning to show its age. For example, its maximum speed is just 420 MPH, a far cry from those reached by modern aircraft. This has prompted the Air Force to ask to retire 21 of them, something Congress continues to push back against.
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Aircraft

US Air Force Deploys F-22 Raptors to Poland to Defend Eastern Flank of NATO

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors with the US Air Force have landed in the United Kingdom, with their final destination being Poland. The deployment of the fighter jets is part of NATO’s Air Shielding mission, which aims to increase the organization’s aerial presence in Eastern Europe.

Man directing a Lockheed C-130 Hercules down the runway
32nd Tactical Air Base, Łask, Poland. (Photo Credit: A1C Ryan Conroy / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

The F-22s are from the 90th Fighter Squadron, 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. They landed at RAF Lakenheath on July 27, 2022, with plans to travel to the 32nd Tactical Air Base, Łask, Poland. Once there, they will become the 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, under NATO.

According to a press release from the US Air Forces in Europe & Air Forces Africa, the “NATO Air Shielding mission integrates Allied Air and Surface Based Air and Missile Defence units into the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence system under NATO Command and Control.” The aim of the mission is to provide a defensive shield from the Baltic to the Black Sea, “ensuring NATO Allies are better able to safeguard and protect Alliance territory, populations and forces from air and missile threat.”

The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War and the NATO summit in Madrid reinforced the need for countries to do more to stop Russia from trying to claim additional territory. In response, the organization is aiming to boost its aerial presence in the region.

Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor in flight
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Austin M. May / U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

The F-22 Raptor is the US Air Force‘s most advanced fighter jet. Able to reach supersonic speeds, it features a 20 mm cannon and can be equipped with six AIM-120 radar-guided and two AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. While designed to primarily participate in air-to-air combat, the aircraft can be configured for air-to ground combat with two 1,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions.

The F-22s are just the latest aircraft to be deployed to Eastern Europe in support of NATO Air Shielding. In early July 2022, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning IIs from the Vermont Air National Guard were sent to Ämari Air Base, Estonia. As well, General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons, McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagles and additional F-35s have been delivered to the region as part of NATO’s Baltic air policing missions.
Front view of a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. (Photo Credit: Tech. Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald / U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
The delivery of the F-22s to Poland follows increasing threats of “tougher action” from Russia if the US continues to aid in the arming of the Ukrainian military. Throughout the duration of the war in Ukraine, Russia has been targeting assets close to the Polish border, actions which continue to heighten fears in the region.