Military

U-2 Dragon Lady Gives a Helping Hand to U.S. Troops

When a U.S. convoy in Afghanistan has vehicle problems and is forced to stop for repairs, a U-2 aircraft spots a Taliban ambush coming their way

Howard in 1893 at Governor's Island

The Namesake of Howard University Spent Years Kicking Native Americans Off of Their Land

Oliver Otis Howard was a revered Civil War general—but his career had a dark postscript

Footage of a Tense Aerial Battle During the Falklands War

It's 10 weeks into the Falklands War, and two British Harriers find themselves protecting a damaged ship, the HMS Hermes

Night vision technology has been in use since just before World War II, although it's evolved considerably since then.

Seeing in the Dark: The History of Night Vision

In honor of Military Invention Day, a look at night vision technology throughout the years

A low-cost drone built by marines

Giving Marines the Tools to Build Drones on the Battlefield

Through a program called Marine Makers, they're learning how to build devices, and to be more innovative thinkers

This Marine Compares Flying the Harrier to Riding a Dragon

Harrier's unique takeoff style and agility owes a lot to its 47-foot frame and mere 15,000 pounds in weight--almost half the size of modern fighter jets

Schwarzkopf's helmet, a PASGT, represents "how technology and innovation work together in the field of ground-forces protection,” says Frank Blazich, Jr., the Smithsonian's curator of modern military forces.

How the Military Helmet Evolved From a Hazard to a Bullet Shield

With the development of Kevlar and advanced industrial design, soldiers are now better protected from traumatic brain injury

Often called "military mascots," animals played pivotal roles during WWI. Pictured here is John Bull of the 77th Aero Force (sic). [165-WW-472A-49]

The Animals That Helped Win World War I

Newly digitized photos tell the story of animals that fought as soldiers during the Great War

Dismantling a Huge Howitzer for a Precarious Move

This 200-ton howitzer artillery gun is too heavy to transport in one piece. The answer is to split it in two

Researchers can remotely detect buried land mines using a bacterial sensor and a laser-based scanning system.

How Glowing Soil Can Help Find Land Mines

Using genetically engineered bacteria and lasers, Israeli scientists have devised a unique way to detect buried explosives

The Meiji Emperor, who issued an influential educational announcement in 1890, poses with the imperial family.

Japan Will Allow Its Schools to Use a Controversial 19th-Century Imperial Text

The educational edict was banned after World War II for serving military and nationalistic purposes

Construction on the Pentagon was completed in January 1943. With about 6.4 million square feet, it is still today the world’s largest low-rise office building.

Why Is the Pentagon a Pentagon?

Planners battled to ensure the building kept its unique shape

An American aid worker in France writes a letter back home for a wounded soldier in 1918.

World War I Letters From Generals to Doughboys Voice the Sorrow of Fighting a War

An exhibition at the National Postal Museum displays a rare letter from General John Pershing

How 1950s Las Vegas Sold Atomic Bomb Tests as Tourism

Between 1950 and 1960, the population of Las Vegas grew by 161%--partly due to the burgeoning casino industry

Intense Footage of Fake Towns Used for 1950s Nuclear Tests

To test the impact of an atomic blast on populated areas, technicians built entire fake towns, with houses, shops, and even mannequin families

Adolphe Sax made this alto saxophone in 1857, long after he had switched to brass. The sax is still a woodwind instrument, though.

The First Saxophone Was Made of Wood

The instrument was invented by–you guessed it–Adolphe Sax

Two unidentified Australian officers examining a tree trunk which was used as an observation post at German House. The opening to the post is located at the base of the trunk. The color patches indicate the officers are members of the 3rd Division Army Services Corps. Note behind the post a dugout (center, right) and trenches.

These Fake Trees Were Used as Spy Posts on the Front Lines of World War I

On the Western Front, meticulously crafted iron trees were used by both sides to conceal enemy forces

USS Turner

Pentagon Investigates Missing Sailors from the U.S.S. Turner

After the ship exploded in New York Harbor in 1944, 136 sailors were classified as missing, but new research suggests some were buried on Long Island

This paper plane could one day change the way the U.S. military handles one-way supply missions.

Why the Military Is Investing in Paper Airplanes

Disposable drones could save lives—and money

Appert devised the canning process using that old standby, trial-and-error.

The Father of Canning Knew His Process Worked, But Not Why It Worked

Nicolas Appert was trying to win a hefty prize offered by the French army

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