As a young second lieutenant in 1943, James Swett embarked on his first combat mission at the age of 22. Within 15 minutes, he was a fighter ace with seven enemy kills to his credit. Swett arrived for duty in February 1943 at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal Island in the Solomon Islands chain, as a pilot with Marine Fighting Squadron 221 (VMF-221). By early April, he had gone on patrol few times in his Grumman F4F Wildcat, but saw no action. The DOD’s Katie Lange writes about what happened next.  On April 7, 1943, Swett’s unit had already flown two missions when they were called into actio ..read more

What is hiding beneath the protective shell of Russia’s so-called “turtle tank?” Perhaps only scrap metal, if Ukraine has destroyed it along with other armor at war in Crimea. Russian forces have modified one of their main battle tanks with some less than cutting-edge protection by covering it with a sheet metal structure so it resembles a shed. Dubbed the Turtle Tank, videos of the unconventionally adapted vehicle operating on the frontline have been widely circulating – and widely ridiculed – on social media. One theory is that the modification offers extra protection to infantry riding on t ..read more

What is hiding beneath the protective shell of Russia’s so-called “turtle tank?” Perhaps only scrap metal, if Ukraine has destroyed it along with other armor at war in Crimea. Russian forces have modified one of their main battle tanks with some less than cutting-edge protection by covering it with a sheet metal structure so it resembles a shed. Dubbed the Turtle Tank, videos of the unconventionally adapted vehicle operating on the frontline have been widely circulating – and widely ridiculed – on social media. One theory is that the modification offers extra protection to infantry riding on t ..read more

by RFE/RL Barrages of drones and missiles launched by Iran in an unprecedented, large-scale attack on Israel began entering Israeli airspace, triggering air-raid sirens across the country as its air defenses appeared to destroy the incoming projectiles before any impacts on the ground. Loud explosions and flashes of light could be seen in the sky above Jerusalem around 2 a.m. (2300 GMT/UTC) on April 14. Israel’s Magen David ambulance service said it had received no reports of any casualties from the incoming drones and missiles that Iran launched just hours after Tehran seized an Israeli-linke ..read more

COMMENTARY by Susan Katz Keating Now that all the militias and terrorist groups are getting into the music video game, the parodies aren’t too far behind. One hilarious example shows the joys and pleasures of fighting alongside the Wagner Group. The vid is making the rounds privately, but Big Social won’t let us post it. We got warned and temporarily “demonitized” (or should that be, demonized) for publishing the entire clip on one platform. Yes, we clearly labelled it a parody, but we still got dinged. So we posted it elsewhere. This one manages to troll the Wagner Group and the Russian ..read more

COMMENTARY by Susan Katz Keating I recently did a demographic survey on the Soldier of Fortune audience – and the results prompted me to write this Dispatch to certain readers. Old hands, listen up. This is for you. Bear with me for a little context. In the survey, the big finding overall is that our readers are young. The largest single group is aged 25-34, followed by ages 35-44. READ MORE Commentary From Susan Katz Keating: Is Putin Dead? Moscow Says ‘Nyet’; But If Swan Lake is Broadcast on Russian TV, All Bets Are Off Not surprisingly, most of the readers are men. The mix is ..read more

Known as Unit 29155 of the GRU, the squad has been connected with extreme subterfuge. by Susan Katz Keating A new investigation claims that the mysterious Havana Syndrome, which has afflicted U.S. diplomats and intelligence agents, and at least one Pentagon official, may be the work of a Russian military intelligence unit that specializes in assassination and sabotage. Investigators for years have suggested that this hit squad, known as Unit 29155 of the Russian GRU, has been connected with extreme subterfuge. What is this unit, and how did it evolve? Unit 29155 emerged in 2008 from the the Ma ..read more

Trench fortifications, reminiscent of World War One, have become an integral part of the war in Ukraine. Both sides have dug vast networks of fortifications, signaling to Western forces that the old style warfare is very much in play. In the United Kingdom, British forces have dug a series of newly refurbished trenches, built in the style similar to those used by Russian and Ukrainian troops. READ MORE about fighting on the ground in Ukraine. On the Platoon Sergeants Battle Course at Sennybridge Training area (home to the infantry battle school), a week is spent focusing on the evolution of th ..read more

BOOK REVIEW by Susan Katz Keating It all comes down to the fact that you have to trust the men to your left and right, knowing they are standing fast and will not break on you, just as you are doing for them. – Jim Lechner in ‘With My Shield‘ The history of war often is told in layers, with new information and new perspectives emerging over the years to tell even well known stories. Jim Lechner’s account of the Battle of Mogadishu is one such layer, adding nuance to a familiar narrative. In With My Shield: An Army Ranger in Somalia, author Lechner tells his personal part of the 1993 fight that ..read more

Captured on Horsecam… A mounted police unit in New Mexico detained an alleged shoplifter after the suspect tried to outrun a horse. Police were called in when a Walgreens outlet reported that a man had stolen from the store. The man fled on foot from a mounted officer who ordered the suspect to stop. The two-legged suspect quickly was caught and arrested, as shown in police body cam. Police said the man was charged with shoplifting, evading police, and possession of drug paraphernalia ..read more