War Stories: Bill the Tommygunner

Bill was a happy, jovial man. He was a patient of mine for many years. He always came to the clinic in the company of his sweet wife, who clearly adored him. Bill looked like a professional grandfather. He was also my friend. Bill was a gifted woodworker. He loved football, golf, and dancing with...

By Will Dabbs, MD •

Dale Dye: Why Marines Are Called “Devil Dogs”

It’s one of the most memorable monikers for a fighting force around, and its legend stems from a brutal battle fought more than a century ago. The term was reportedly adapted from the German Teufel Hunden, and applied to American Marines following the Battle of Belleau Wood during World Wa...

By Capt. Dale Dye, USMC (Ret) •

Ayoob: The 1911 at War

I recently heard someone say that handguns have no place in military combat. History shows us otherwise. For the tanker, artilleryman, radio operator or medic whose hands are too busy at designated tasks to hold a rifle, the pistol makes enormous sense. Behind the lines when unpleasant surprises ...

By Massad Ayoob •

Review: Springfield M1A Tanker

The Springfield Armory M1A Tanker represents the synergistic combination of a compact, full-power rifle with a timelessly attractive aesthetic. Pushing a full-sized 7.62x51mm/.308 Win. round in a chassis that lends itself to maneuverability and easy portage, the M1A Tanker also captures...

By Will Dabbs, MD •

Battle of Britain: Myth vs. Reality

The idealized concept immediately took root and blossomed: the Royal Air Force saved Britain from invasion in 1940. The conventional wisdom holds that Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s legendary “few” handed Nazi Germany its first defeat in World War II and paved the road to eventual victo...

By Barrett Tillman •

SIG Sauer P211 Goes Non-Comp With GT4 Carry and GT5 Full-Size

When SIG Sauer launched the P211 GTO  in 2025, it made a statement: a steel-framed, double-stack 1911-architecture 9mm with an integrated compensator and the kind of fit and finish that makes serious competitors stop and take a second look. The obvious follow-up shot (pun intended) was: what...

By Eric B •

POTD: General Harding’s USMC 1911 – A General’s Sidearm

Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a 1913-frame Colt Model 1911 in the USMC serial range, documented as owned by U.S. Army Major General Edwin Forrest Harding. He gifted it to a family friend named Robert James when James came home to Franklin, Ohio after the Korean War. Hardin...

By Sam.S •
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