A Friendly Meeting of WWII Enemies

A Friendly Meeting of WWII Enemies

Battle of the Bulge On December 17, 1944, the second day of the Battle of the Bulge, American P-47 pilot Ed Cottrell’s engine was shot up. In the same battle, German pilot Karl-Heinz Bosse’s Messerschmadt 109 was shot down. Cottrell steered to his base and...
Four-Legged Fighters: A Tribute to the K-9 Corps

Four-Legged Fighters: A Tribute to the K-9 Corps

“Bow-wow, bow-wow, arf-arf, woof!” That’s dog-speak for National K-9 Veterans Day, celebrated on March 13 and commemorating the service and sacrifices of American military dogs throughout history.  The United States had an unofficial canine force in World War I....
The Cold War in Retrospect Part I

The Cold War in Retrospect Part I

When I was in War College in 1991 at the conclusion of the Cold War, it was reported that a Russian general purportedly said, “You have lost the best enemy you ever had.” Perhaps, looking back, the words were indeed prophetic. Art Cole The Cold War, Setting the Stage...
The Cold War Part II

The Cold War Part II

The Age of Presidents and the Holy Grail 1971-1991 1971-1991 These were the years when the United States, the Soviets and now China made efforts to improve relations. Finding the “arms race” particularly expensive, they entered into a period of give and take. And in...
Aim High…Fly-Fight-Win

Aim High…Fly-Fight-Win

National Security Act of 1947 The day was 18 September 1947, and on the implementation of the National Security Act of 1947, the US Air Force left the Army Air Forces and became a separate service. This reorganization placed the Air Force on an equal footing with the...