In 1948, Luther Herschel Story wanted to join the U.S. Army. Because he was only 16 years old, it wasn’t his decision alone to make. The high school sophomore needed his mother’s consent.Florence Story provided it. When she signed documents allowing her son to join the military, she listed his birthdate as July 20, 1931. (He actually was born on that date in 1932.) In the Army’s eyes, that aged Story a year and allowed him to make it through the enlistment process.Also Read: This Medal of Honor recipient’s healing hands spelled trouble for the Japanese at OkinawaStory went on to serve heroically during the Korean War. He died on September 1, 1950, during an action that posthumously earned him the Medal of Honor.“In my family, we always believed that he would never be found,” Judy Wade, Story’s niece, said in 2023.Wade, whose mother was Story’s only sister, made that comment as the remains of an uncle she never knew finally received a proper burial. Like so many military families who believe their loved ones will never return home, it was all because of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). Befriending a Future President U.S. Marines assigned to Joint Task Force-National Capital Region perform a 21-gun salute during the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter in Plains, Georgia, January 9, 2025. (U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Natalie Rubenak) Story grew up in an impoverished family of sharecroppers in Georgia during the Great Depression.When Luther was about 4 years old, the family relocated a short distance to the tiny town of Plains. There, Story’s family worked and resided on land that the father of future president (and Navy veteran) Jimmy Carter owned. Story, who was always quick with a smile, played baseball in high school but apparently didn’t see a future in the sport. Nothing in the classroom appeared to spark his interest, either, but the idea of joining the military intrigued him.He enlisted in the Army in 1948. War broke out in Korea two years later, and that’s where Story found himself near Agok on the Naktong River on the final day of his life. Assigned to Company A, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2d Infantry Division, Story and the rest of his unit were besieged after three North Korean divisions attacked.Story battled courageously. That type of deadly aggression went about Story’s normal inclination to be friendly to everyone, according to his niece.“His nature was not to kill people,” Wade told Fox News Digital, also in 2023. “His nature was to be good to people. He was being good to his fellow soldiers by saving their lives.” Repeatedly Putting Himself in Harm’s Way A gun crew checks their equipment near the Kum River in Korea, July 15, 1950. (Army Signal Corps) During that bloody September day 76 years ago, Story’s Medal of Honor citation credits him with killing or wounding a hundred opposing soldiers.The 9th Infantry was barely awake when three North Korean divisions pounced. The 18-year-old Story, who was a weapons squad leader, helped fend off the attacks as best he could. Then he moved his men to a place overseeing the Naktong River, when he saw enemy troops crossing the water.Story quickly grabbed an injured gunner’s weapon and started firing. With his unit in danger of being surrounded, Story’s company commander ordered his men to pull back. During that process, Story spied an enemy truck approaching. The truck full of troops was towing loads of ammunition, per his citation.After telling other soldiers to find a safe place, Story didn’t join them. He hurled grenades into the oncoming truck, and once he didn’t have any left, he crawled back to his squad and found some more. He then threw those explosives at the truck.Despite Story’s efforts, Company A was struggling to maintain its position. As the soldiers relocated to a rice field, Story was wounded. (Exactly to what extent, his citation doesn’t say.) “Realizing that his wounds would hamper his comrades, he refused to retire to the next position but remained to cover the company’s withdrawal,” Story’s Medal of Honor citation read. “When last seen[,] he was firing every weapon available and fighting off another hostile assault.”Gen. Omar Bradley presented Story’s father with the Medal of Honor on June 21, 1951. “I’m Just Glad He’s Home” A soldier comforts a grief-stricken American infantryman whose buddy was killed in action in Korea, August 28, 1950. (Army) A month after Story—who was never classified as a POW—died, U.S. military officials discovered remains near where the battle occurred. Long before DNA testing became a common practice, there was no way to identify the remains as belonging to Story. Instead, Story was buried as an unknown soldier at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.They remained in Hawaii for seven decades until June 2021, when the DPAA undertook a vast project to attempt to ID the remains of several hundred American service members. The DPAA transported Story’s and other service members’ remains to a laboratory.The agency used DNA samples from Ward and her late mother (Story’s sister). That provided the genealogical match that connected the remains to Story.Along with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, President Joe Biden revealed the positive identification on April 26, 2023. On Memorial Day that year, Story’s family properly laid the former soldier to rest in Andersonville, Georgia.“I don’t have to worry about him anymore,” Wade said. “I’m just glad he’s home.” Other Families Await Closure A U.S. Marine Corps Korean War veteran searches the names of those who lost their lives during the Korean War at the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C., on November 3, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps/Staff Sgt. Kelsey Dornfeld) Story’s family finally found closure. As so many military families are painfully aware, that is not always the case.For all of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency’s hard work, its website claims that 7,500 or so American service members are unaccounted-for from the Korean War. That’s in addition to the more than 1,500 U.S. military personnel who remain unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War.DPAA agents won’t stop striving to secure more homecomings. Families such as Story’s kin certainly appreciate their efforts. While Ward never got to hug her uncle, she felt like she knew him because of the stories that she heard about him.“Luther really liked people,” Ward said to Fox News Digital. “That’s what I always heard when people talked about him. Anybody that knew him knew that he was friendly. He liked everybody. He made friends of strangers. He was just one of those kinds of people.” Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty • Here’s what happened when North Korea actually hit an American battleship• Gruesome ax murders in the Korean DMZ almost started another Korean War• That time Neil Armstrong survived ejecting from his fighter jet in Korea Featured Cold War When the CIA used Howard Hughes as a cover to retrieve a Soviet submarine By Stephen Ruiz Movies and TV The real star of David Ayer’s ‘Heart of the Beast’ is Uber (the K9) By Shannon Corbeil Movies and TV History’s ‘Modern Marvels’ returns for the wonder weapons of World War II By Blake Stilwell History 542 kills? 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Pin-Ups for Vets, a non-profit organization that supports hospitalized and deployed service members and their families, has been creating a pin-up calendar for fundraising efforts since 2006, but the 2027 calendar may be their hottest yet. Not only does this edition feature veteran models and founder Gina Elise on each page, it also has a “transportation” theme with classic cars or aircraft with awesome histories.  Also Read: The real star of David Ayer’s ‘Heart of the Beast’ is Uber (the K9) “Our calendar celebrates women who answered the call to serve our country,” Elise said in the official calendar press release. “These veterans prove that strength and femininity can exist side by side. The calendar photos recreate the iconic style of the popular WWII pin-ups—who boosted morale for so many young service members fighting in a war far from home.” “We’re honoring WWII’s brave troops, who inspired our nonprofit’s mission to care for our current day heroes,” the statement continued. the thousands of service members who have served and sacrificed in the many wars following WWII. At the same time, we are shining a spotlight on today’s female veterans and the incredible impact they make while serving, and in the years following their service.”Introducing the classics—and the ladies—below, photographed by Shane Karns.  Lindsey, U.S. Army Let’s start with one of my personal favorites (I’m the daughter of a career firefighter): Lindsey Schmidt and the 1913 Christie Front Drive Steam Pumper Fire Engine. Lindsey joined the Army after 9/11, serving with the 20th Special Forces Group as an interrogator and Arabic Linguist. She deployed to Iraq, where she conducted interrogations and accompanied the ODAs on combat missions to conduct tactical questioning.  (Pin-Ups For Vets/Shane Karns) Later she deployed to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa as a strategic debriefer. During her career, she trained throughout the United States, England, and Morocco, and graduated as an Honor Graduate from Airborne school and was among the first groups of women to train in courses previously reserved solely for the Army’s Special Forces. Lindsey posed with the 1913 Christie Front Drive Steam Pumper Fire Engine, which was also a first in its time. Christie Front Drive tractor units were produced to replace horses and were sold to fire departments by Walter Christie, who was America’s pioneer front drive proponent. This unit was purchased by Somerville, Massachusetts, and was used by the city for over 40 years. It is now on display as part of the Nethercutt Collection in Sylmar, California.  Jae Lowery, U.S. Army Next up, we’ve got Jae Lowery and a gorgeous Staggerwing aircraft. Jae joined the Army after witnessing her mother struggle with the impact of misdiagnosed lab results; she decided to get into the medical field so she could ensure her patients received the highest standard of medical care. She spent her career entirely dedicated to clinical medicine and research.  She originally enlisted as a Medical Laboratory Technician and served as a Bioscience Research Assistant in her first assignment. She was later selected for the historic, final graduating class of the 53-year METC Cytology program, becoming one of only six to graduate and earning her second bachelor’s degree and becoming a nationally certified Cytotechnologist.  (Pin-Ups for Vets/Shane Karns) Jae spent the remainder of her career forward-stationed at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, the largest American hospital outside the United States and the sole medical evacuation and trauma center for three combatant commands: EUCOM, CENTCOM, and AFRICOM.  In the calendar, she is pictured with a Beech Aircraft UC-43B Staggerwing, a five passenger air attaché transport craft. The Staggerwing—named for that forward-placed lower wing—was faster than any military aircraft, with the largest payload of its type and was ideal for rough, short landing strips. During World War II, planes with such desirable characteristics were often commandeered for military use. The civilian D 17S Staggerwing was later built in two versions, the UC-43 for the US Army Air Corps and the GB-2 for the US Navy.This aircraft was acquired by the Yanks Air Museum in 1973 and became the first aircraft of their collection. Emily Buelcher, U.S. Navy & U.S. Air Force Emily Buelcher is the daughter of immigrants, people who “came to this country fifty years ago with hope, courage, and a belief in the American dream.” Emily believes military service was her way of continuing what her parents started and honoring their sacrifices by giving back to the nation that gave her family a future.  (Pin-Ups for Vets/Shane Karns) In the Navy, Emily deployed during Operation Enduring Freedom and earned her Aviation Warfare Specialist (AWS) designation. In the Air Force Reserves, she joined the Chaplain Corps where she was reminded that service isn’t just what you do, it’s who you show up for. Emily is photographed with a 1933 Duesenberg SJ Arlington Torpedo Sedan that was commissioned to be built for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair Century of Progress. It is a one of a kind Duesenberg; It quickly gained the nickname “20 Grand” due to its astonishing asking price in 1933 (the equivalent of over $500,000 today). It is the flagship of the Nethercutt Collection, a Pebble Beach best of show winner, and the most famous Duesenberg in the world.  Margaret Clark, U.S. Marine Corps Is there anything more iconic that a P-51 Mustang? (Sorry, you can take this girl out of the Air Force but… )U.S. Marine Corps veteran Margaret Clark continued a long family legacy of military service that spans multiple generations. She served as a Combat Correspondent, receiving specialized training in journalism and broadcasting, and was proud to tell the stories of Marines through writing, photography, and television and radio production.  (Pin-Ups for Vets/Shane Karns) She was the only Marine in her joint-service broadcast school to become an Honor Graduate and later was stationed with Marine Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia, and then at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms in California. The North American P-51D-30 Mustang Fighter she’s pictured with was designed and built in 117 days. During World War II, it served as a long range bomber escort and a fast and furious dog fighter against the vicious Luftwaffe. The P-51 qualified 281 Allied pilots as Aces, second only to the Hellcat with 307 Aces. The D model sported a new bubble canopy, six .50 caliber Browning machine guns, and the new Merlin engine improved its high altitude performance. Two other developments improved the capabilities of the P-51: the G-Suit, which applied pressure to the lower body to increase blood flow to the head, and the K-14 gyroscopic gun sight.This P-51 was a well known racer and won a string of victories in the Bendix Air Races. It was procured by Yanks in 1987.And last but not least, our covergirl, Pin-Ups for Vets founder Gina Elise.  Gina Elise, Pin-Ups for Vets Non-Profit Founder (Pin-Ups for Vets/Shane Karns) Gina Elise founded Pin-Ups for Vets in 2006 after seeing news coverage of troops sustaining injuries during post-9/11 conflicts. She wanted to do something to help support them, so she created what she thought would be a one-off fundraising calendar. In the first issue, Gina was the only model. Now in its 21st edition, Gina has expanded not only the calendar but the organization itself. Today, Pin-Ups For Vets is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of America’s veterans. Inspired by the iconic pin-up art that boosted troop morale during World War II, the organization raises funds through its annual vintage-style calendar. It then uses the proceeds to support veterans’ healthcare, purchase new rehabilitation equipment for VA Hospitals, conduct morale-boosting visits to hospitalized veterans, provide needed household items for homeless veterans programs, send gifts to deployed troops, and serve military families.To date, Pin-Ups for Vets Ambassadors have visited over 25,000 veterans across the country and beyond in VA hospitals and in state veterans homes. The organization has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars of rehabilitation equipment to veterans hospitals.No longer the sole model in the wildly successful calendars, Gina also devotes time and care toward finding veterans from diverse military backgrounds whose stories reflect dedication, resilience, and a lifelong commitment to service. The 2027 edition features 13 female veterans representing every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. On the cover, Gina models with a 1930 Ruxton Front Drive Sedan. This car is one of only 17 surviving from the original 96 produced. Its original styled paint job was designed to make the car appear longer and taller than it actually is. The company’s slogan was “a car so low you can look over it; a car so smart none could overlook it!” Other classics in the calendar include: 1926 Pierce Arrow Series 33 Runabout 1932 Auburn 12-160A Convertible Coupe 1952 Hudson Hornet Convertible Brougham 1956 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV 1932 Cadillac 355-B Deluxe Sport Coupe WWII-era Willys Overland MB& Ford Motor GPW U.S. Army Jeep 1936 Porterfield Aircraft Model 35 Flyabout Bell UH-1H Iroquois (Huey) WWII-era Curtiss P-40E-1 Warhawk (WITH the shark mouth nose art) Oh, and some pretty badass women as well. You can pre-order the 2027 Pin-Ups for Vets calendar now, along with an assortment of Americana goods in the Pin-Ups for Vets fundraising store. Every purchase helps service members and their families. Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty • Two new Cold War movies spark America’s anti-authoritarian memory• Wanna make movies? Here’s a way to start for a dollar.• This is what it’s like to play a petty officer on ‘NCIS’ Veterans Veterans The major life changes that open a 90-Day TRICARE enrollment window By Gina Napoletano Benefits Expert attorneys created a free estate planning guide for active duty and veterans By Blake Stilwell Army A National Guard veteran helped take down the Butler County Trump shooter with a PSA rifle By Miguel Ortiz Mental Health The Red Star Banner gives families of veteran suicide a new name and national community By Blake Stilwell Entrepreneurship A veteran business’ hard-learned lessons on building—and rebuilding—a brand By Blake Stilwell The post Women veterans recreate WWII pin-ups with fighter planes to help hospitalized vets appeared first on We Are The Mighty.

Russia is usually (for good reason) portrayed as the bad guy here in the West, which is not a surprise to anyone watching Russia flounder in Ukraine. Ukraine: absolute legends for reversing Russian gains multiple times, isolating Crimea, and crippling Russian oil exports in 2026 alone. But back in the days of the Soviet Union, Finland did something similarly impressive: After it beat Stalin’s armies so badly, for so long, Nazi Germany was actually convinced to move up its plan to conquer the USSR. It convinced Hitler, Stalin’s then-ally of convenience, that “You only have to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down.”Also Read: A Russian game studio is making a ‘propaganda’ game about its worst modern failureThe Soviet Union would ultimately become an Allied power in World War II, but that was only after it helped Nazi Germany conquer Poland and invaded Finland. For its part, Finland’s surprising performance in the Winter War of 1939-1940 was such a big deal that the world took notice.So how’d it happen? Russians launch the Winter War 1939-1940 A Finnish anti-aircraft crew inspects the wreckage of a twin-engine Soviet bomber in Finland during the Winter War. (Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis via Getty Images) When the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union kicked off in 1939, Hitler and Stalin enjoyed a nonaggression pact, Finland was isolated politically and geo graphically, and the world was hoping to avert a global catastrophe. A sober gambler had every reason to bet on the Soviet Union. The Soviets initially asked Finland for permission to build a bangin’ naval base on the Hanko Peninsula in exchange for some large tracts of land on the Finnish-Russian border. When Finland said no, calling the deal, “two pounds of dirt for one pound of gold,” the Soviets decided to take it by force. The Red Army started the war with a false-flag operation, shelling their own border positions. Later that week, the Soviets invaded with 450,000 troops, 4,000 planes, and 6,000 armored vehicles, all in the month of November.But the Finns knew the land and picked a perfect spot north of St. Petersburg to resist the invasion. The toughest of the active fighting took place along the Mannerheim Line, strung between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga, named the line for Finland’s commander-in-chief Field Marshal Baron Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim.The Soviets were stopped (cold) by 180,000 Finnish troops with fewer than 200 vehicles of all types. Soviet mistakes in the Winter War Finnish marksman Simo Häyhä became one of the most acclaimed snipers ever during the Winter War. Arguably the most famous of Finland’s defenders was a sniper who ate snow to eliminate the fog of his breath and wore a white mask, Simo Häyhä. Amazingly, even though the Russians were fighting a war of choice in winter, the Soviets sent very little in the way of winter supplies, including neither coats nor proper lubricants.Since the Soviets invaded a snowy country during the winter in dark uniforms, Finnish snipers (like Häyhä) and machine gunners had a field day wiping them out.The Soviet Union lied about bombing Finland when it started the invasion, with Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov claiming it was dropping humanitarian supplies and food. It was an ironic claim, since the Soviets didn’t even bring enough food for themselves. Finns soon jokingly referred to Russian cluster munitions as “Molotov bread baskets.” But no one was laughing in the Red Army. Russian tanks frequently froze up entirely. The Finns developed special tactics for taking out trapped armor and Russian infantry, simply skiing up and attacking them when they inevitably got stuck in the ice and snow. The Finnish Defense An array of Molotov Cocktails used in a protest during 2013. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons. The Finns made a special gift for the Soviets, returning Molotov’s bread baskets with an invention of their own: the Molotov cocktail. They filled glass bottles with gasoline or alcohol, stuffed a burning rag into it, and threw the bottles at an opening on Russian tanks that led down into the engine compartment. It was a shockingly effective tactic.The tanks often exploded, which is rare in real life, or burned down to the treads. Fun (for the Finns) either way. Finland mostly fought along the Mannerheim Line, but a few months into the war, the Soviets finally achieved breakthroughs. Finland would have to take a negotiated settlement rather than risk letting pissed-off Soviets run roughshod over their peninsula.Despite the forced peace, Finland’s showing was a pretty great success for a small nation facing a massive military enemy. The strangest result of the Winter War, of course, would be awkward for everyone later, during World War II. Finland would have been a great member of the Allies, but its war wasn’t really the world war everyone else was fighting: what Finland really wanted was the chance to get back at the Soviet Union, and it didn’t mind who it had to team up with to do it. So when the Germany invaded Russia in 1941, Finland lined up with the Nazis and the Soviet Union came over to the Allies. While we appreciate T-34 tanks and everything, I, for one, would typically rather square up next to Finland than the Russians. But you can’t really do that if your potential ally becomes a literal Nazi.Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty • Why grenades in movies look nothing like real life• The funniest AI slop video drops GTA gangbanger into World Wars I and II• This is what a broom tied to a mast means in the US Navy Featured Medal of Honor How this Medal of Honor recipient finally came home from the Korean War By Stephen Ruiz Movies and TV 7 celebrities who went above and beyond to lift our troops’ spirits By Stephen Ruiz Army The cross country Army convoy that showed the US its roads stunk By Stephen Ruiz Army The Army deactivated a 160-year-old Buffalo Soldiers unit By Blake Stilwell Movies and TV Why it took 2 decades for ‘Patton’ to make it to the big screen By Stephen Ruiz World War II World War II Did Hollywood’s most frequent ‘Dracula’ embellish his military service? 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Few, if any, movie stars achieve the level of celebrity of Paul Newman without good fortune. No one recognized that more than the screen legend himself.Newman’s luck did not begin with his three-year stint in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He understood during his years in the Pacific (and then in Hollywood) that fate fell in his favor more than once.Also Read: Why it took 2 decades for ‘Patton’ to make it to the big screenWhile serving his country, forces beyond his control likely saved Newman’s life. If a pilot in his squadron hadn’t come down with an ear issue, Newman might have died at Okinawa—one of the bloodiest battles in military history. Then Newman was supposed to take part in the invasion of mainland Japan. Dubbed Operation Downfall, Allied commanders called it off after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.Newman, who died on September 26, 2008, at the age of 83, admittedly didn’t fully consider the potential consequences when he enlisted.“I thought it would be a big adventure,” Newman said of joining the military during wartime. “I was really dumb. I never considered that it might be dangerous.” Why Newman Didn’t Become a Military Pilot Academy Award-winning actor Paul Newman served in the Navy for 3 years. (U.S. Navy illustration/Peggy Frierson) Born on January 26, 1925, in Ohio, Newman was in his first year at Ohio University when he dropped out. Newman signed up for the Navy with the intent of becoming a pilot. He never made it to the cockpit after a supposedly routine exam revealed he was colorblind.Newman pivoted from that diagnosis and began training as a rear gunner and radioman for Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers. In the Pacific, the Navy assigned Newman to squadrons that trained air crews and pilots. After a stint as a turret gunner, the plan was for Newman and his squadron to meet up with the USS Bunker Hill, an aircraft carrier stationed near the shore of Okinawa.They never made it that far after their pilot wasn’t medically cleared to fly. That turned out to be a likely life-saver after the Japanese unleashed kamikaze attacks on the USS Bunker Hill on May 11, 1945. Nearly 400 men on the carrier died, with 264 more wounded.It wasn’t the only time that Newman, then only 20 years old, skirted death during the war. He did it again a few months later. When the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, Newman was on an aircraft carrier several hundred miles from Japan. Three days later, another bomb destroyed Nagasaki.Approximately 214,000 Japanese citizens, including roughly 38,000 children, died in the attacks, per the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). Those numbers don’t include those who were maimed. While President Harry S. Truman’s decision remains a source of debate, but Newman didn’t question it.“I know all of the controversy about those weapons,” Newman said. “But I’m one of those guys who says, ‘Thank God for the atomic bomb,’ because it probably saved my life.’” Making It as an Actor Paul Newman (left) and Robert Redford in ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.’ (20th Century Fox) Newman—who later advocated for nuclear disarmament—received an honorable discharge in January 1946. He used his GI Bill benefits to earn a bachelor’s degree in drama and economics from Kenyon College in Ohio.Newman was appearing in theater productions when his father died in 1950. Newman went home to help run the family’s sporting goods business. For his myriad talents, Newman didn’t find that work stimulating, certainly not to the degree he came to life while on the stage. Newman sold his share of the business in 1951 and enrolled in Yale School of Drama.From there, Newman spent time at The Actors Studio and landed roles on Broadway and television. His first credited big-screen role came in “The Silver Chalice” in 1954. Newman starred in “The Rack” in 1956 as Capt. Edward W. Hall Jr., a Korean War prisoner of war facing a court-martial. For that role, Newman drew on the anguish he experienced during WWII of watching a friend die after a spinning airplane propeller hit him, one of the film’s screenwriters later recalled.Newman went on to amass eight Academy Award nominations for Best Actor. That tied him with Jack Nicholson (“A Few Good Men”) and Peter O’Toole (“Lawrence of Arabia”) for third all time. (Spencer Tracy and Laurence Olivier have nine nominations each.) Newman received three Oscars but only one for Best Actor for “The Color of Money,” when he returned to the screen as Fast Eddie Felson. He previously played the pool shark in “The Hustler.”Despite his fabulous success, Newman never equated awards to self-worth. Giving Back The success of the Newman’s Own brand of products has been a boon for charities. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images) Newman was far more than a screen presence. He was a noted philanthropist, starting his Newman’s Own brand of grocery products in 1982. All proceeds from the sale of such items as salad dressing, tomato sauce, cookies, and pet food go to charity.The actor started the Newman’s Own Foundation in 2005. Military veteran Bob Forrester formerly served as the foundation’s president and CEO. He said the actor knew how fortunate he was and refused to keep it all to himself and his family.“He didn’t talk about that much,” Forrester told Fox News in 2018 of Newman’s military service. “People who’ve been in combat don’t talk about things like that so much, but it had a profound impact on him. He just knew he was lucky. He had a huge respect for the men and women of our military.”And for the struggles of those in tougher circumstances than he ever confronted. According to its website, the Newman’s Own Foundation has donated more than $600 million to charitable endeavors.  Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty • 7 celebrities who went above and beyond to lift our troops’ spirits• History’s ‘Modern Marvels’ returns for the wonder weapons of World War II• Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ reveals the true cost of a homecoming The post How Paul Newman survived 2 close calls in the Navy during World War II appeared first on We Are The Mighty.

Projecting power is a core mission of the U.S. Navy. Park a carrier battle group in the international waters off the coast of North Korea and Kim Jong-un tends to put away his rattling saber—but that kind of move can be provocative in a way that could literally blow up in your face.A less overt method of naval power projection is provided by America’s nuclear ballistic missile submarines. Part of the nuclear triad that includes land-based missiles and bombers, these underwater missile silos are the most survivable of the three. First deployed in 1981, the Ohio-class subs performing this mission will be soon be replaced by the brand new Columbia-class boats.Also Read: A US submarine sunk an enemy ship with a torpedo for the first time since WWIIOn July 29, 2026, the Department of War announced an award of $76.6 billion in total contracts for the construction of 14 submarines. Five Columbia-class subs will be built by General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB), while nine Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines will also be built by GDEB and HII-Newport News Shipbuilding.“The awards drive the critical, once-in a generation recapitalization of the Navy’s undersea forces and the Nation’s nuclear triad. The Columbia Class [sic] submarines will provide an effective sea-based strategic deterrent to meet U.S. Strategic Command’s (USSTRATCOM) requirements,” the DoW said in the press release. “Furthermore, these contract awards support the fielding of enhanced Virginia Class submarines, a platform engineered for unparalleled stealth, heavy payload strike capability, and multi-domain lethality. The Navy now has seven Columbia Class submarines under contract, complementing a force of 26 operational Virginia Class submarines with 23 more slated to be built.”GDEB began construction of the first Columbia-class subs, the USS District of Columbia, in 2021. It’s scheduled for completion in 2030. Only the next two ships, USS Wisconsin and USS Groton, have been named. The new Columbia class is specifically named for the nation’s capitol, while the current USS Columbia is a nuclear fast attack sub named for the cities in Illinois, Missouri, and South Carolina. Try not to think too hard about it, because the Navy didn’t either. USS Ohio undergoes conversion to a guided missile submarine. (U.S. Navy) The Ohio class that the Columbia class is replacing has served from the middle of the Cold War through the Global War on Terror. One submarine even took part in Operation Midnight Hammer, the 2025 strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. With big shoes to fill, the Columbia class is expected to have a service life of 40-plus years, with one mid-life nuclear refueling required.Interestingly, the Columbia class is reported to have fewer missile launch tubes; 16 compared to the Ohio class’ 24. The 12 scheduled Columbia ships will be replacing 14 Ohio classes, as the first four of the 18 total Ohio class ships were converted to guided missile submarines. For those counting along, this means a reduction in firepower, but the Columbia class submarine is expected to be similar in size to the Ohio class. The Navy attributes this to updated technology and stealth capabilities, which will see the new class through its 40-year life span.The technological component is critical because the Navy needs the Columbia class to integrate with new weapons like the Trident II D5 Strategic Weapons System and future hypersonic missiles. Its missiles will be housed in a Common Missile Compartment (CMC) designed by GDEB, and the CMC design will be shared with the British Royal Navy’s future Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarine to enable weapons interoperability with the American ally, if need be.Looking ahead, the Navy’s FY2027 $377.5 billion budget request includes $65.8 billion to purchase “18 battle force ships and 16 auxiliary ships,” including one Columbia-class submarine. Perhaps most importantly, the significant investment in shipbuilding aims to bolster and modernize American marine engineering and production. Electric Boat has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in its Groton, Connecticut facility. (GDEB) “These awards represent a major milestone in our defense acquisition transformation,” Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey said in the press release. “I commend Vice Admiral Gaucher and his team at the Navy for seamlessly carrying this forward to execution. This is how we rebuild the industrial base together.”Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty • The USS Devilfish suffered the only kamikaze attack on a US submarine• The US Navy’s first submarine was a hand-cranked wooden egg• How cribbage became the card game that rules the Navy’s Submarine Force Navy World War II This Medal of Honor recipient’s healing hands spelled trouble for the Japanese at Okinawa By Stephen Ruiz Navy How Teddy Roosevelt’s ‘Great White Fleet’ revealed the Navy’s potential By Stephen Ruiz Navy The enduring mystery of a Navy ship that sank in the Bermuda Triangle By Stephen Ruiz Navy What went wrong when the Navy first attempted to fly nonstop to Hawaii By Stephen Ruiz Navy This Medal of Honor recipient turned on his helicopter lights during a risky rescue in Vietnam By Stephen Ruiz The post Navy awards $76.6B in contracts for new Columbia-class nuclear submarines appeared first on We Are The Mighty.