One of the most improbable alliances in World War II history was a covert partnership between the United States government and organized crime. Known as Operation Underworld, this clandestine initiative was born out of wartime desperation. With America’s eastern seaboard vulnerable to Axis sabotage and German U-boats decimating Allied shipping, federal authorities turned to an unlikely source for help — mobsters like Charles “Lucky” Luciano and Meyer Lansky. The USS Lafayette fire sparked immediate fears of Nazi sabotage right in America’s backyard. Image: NARA These figures, once hunted by law enforcement, were now enlisted to safeguard ports, suppress labor unrest, and gather intelligence. What began as a tactical response to immediate threats evolved into a strategic collaboration that extended across the Atlantic and played a subtle but vital role in the Allied victory. Sabotage and the USS Lafayette The turning point came on February 9, 1942, when the USS Lafayette (formerly the SS Normandie) caught fire and capsized in New York Harbor. The ship, a French luxury liner being converted into a troop transport, was lost in an incident officially blamed on a welding accident. However, the timing, just two months after Pearl Harbor, sparked widespread fears of Nazi sabotage, adding urgency to efforts to secure the waterfront.…

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It was perhaps the politest “battle” in human history. Upon entering Guam’s harbor on June 20, 1898, instead of experiencing the expected whizz of bullets and the booms of a cannonade, U.S. Navy Capt. Henry Glass and his crew aboard the re-commissioned cruiser USS Charleston were greeted on the beaches by curious residents who mistook Charleston’s warning shoots as a salute. No one had bothered to tell the residents on the island that they were at war. The small, neglected island under Spanish rule hadn’t received a message from Spain since April 14, 1898 — a full month before hostilities broke out between their protectorate and the United States. That did not stop the Americans from attempting to seize the far-flung Spanish holding. MISSION TO GUAM Earlier that month, upon receiving orders from Secretary of the Navy John D. Long “to stop at the Spanish Island of Guam … [and] use such force as may be necessary to capture the port,” the Charleston, with Glass at the helm, steamed toward the Spanish-held island. One sailor recalled, “When the news of our destination and object was learned aboard the Australia there was considerable excitement, of course, and the cause of many…

Editor’s Note: In this article, Yamil Sued takes a look at night sights for the Springfield SA-35 pistol. Made by XS Sights, this sight set offers distinct advantages for self-defense in low-light shooting. The tritium sights were provided to the author for this article. OK, I admit it. I’m a boomer. Why? Because I love the P-35 pistol platform. Ever since I picked up my first example of one of these amazing 9mm pistols back in the mid 1980s, I found it to be one of the most comfortable and easy-to-shoot handguns on the market. It’s been almost 40 years since then, and my feelings toward the platform remain unchanged. XS Sights R3D 2.0 tritium night sights are shown here installed on a Springfield Armory SA-35 9mm pistol. So, you can imagine my excitement when Springfield Armory launched its own version in the SA-35. I was immediately fascinated with this new take on the classic pistol design. The pistol shipped with everything needed and, in my humble opinion, it lacked nothing. [Be sure to read Justin Opinion’s XS Sights R3D 2.0 review for additional information on these sights.] The Foundation Before we dive into our discussion of the XS Sights…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Brittany Snow is celebrating the big 4-0 with a private desert birthday bash alongside her closest friends.The “Hunting Wives” actress reached the milestone age this week with an intimate getaway to a luxury desert rental. She treated her followers to a series of snapshots from the private celebration, which she dubbed a “magical” escape alongside her inner circle.Striking a pose against the outdoor patio, the movie star showcased her athletic figure in a textured, ribbed white bikini. The look was accessorized with a pair of oversized, mod-style white sunglasses with dark lenses. Holding her small, fluffy dog close, the birthday girl appeared relaxed and radiant while clutching a festive disco ball cup.The festivities continued with a wardrobe shift that matched the desert’s color palette. The “Pitch Perfect” alum modeled a pink ribbed-knit maxi dress with a sleeveless cut and kept her white-framed sunglasses on for the photo. Accessorizing with large gold earrings and a stack of bracelets, she posed against a pink wall that matched her outfit. LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLater that evening, the actress traded her daytime look for a vibrant turquoise silk gown to…

Seventeen elite sniper teams put their skills to the test this month in the U.S. Army Special Operations Command International Sniper Competition at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.The competition, which ran from March 15-19, is an international event designed to test combat readiness among elite, specialized snipers from across the joint force and partner nations. “This competition represents the pinnacle of the sniper craft,” Army Col. Simon Powelson said in a release. “These competitors are not just here by chance; they are the product of intense and specialized training within their respective units.” Participants included teams from the Army’s Green Berets and Rangers, Naval Special Warfare Command, Marine Forces Special Operations Command and Coast Guard units, as well as special operations forces from multiple allied nations.At the end of the week, the Army Special Operations Command team took first place, followed by the Army’s 3rd Special Forces Group team.Throughout the event, two-person sniper teams engaged targets at distances of up to 1,200 meters, using a variety of weapons, including sniper rifles, carbines and pistols.Competitors completed both day and night operations, navigating challenging conditions. Rain, wind and cold plagued the event while adding realism to the exercises.“The weather played a significant role,”…

For some, the Vought F7U Cutlass was an innovative jet fighter set to propel the U.S. Navy into air dominance during the Cold War. For many others, the F7U “Gutless” lacked the power to make it a formidable weapon. In fact, some pilots observed that the aircraft’s poor safety record virtually guaranteed the plane was as much a danger to the U.S. Navy as it was to the enemy. A Vought F7U-1 Cutlass in flight during testing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Image: U.S. Navy What made the Cutlass a unique design? And what went so wrong that the plane was removed from service after less than a decade of use? Origins of the Navy’s Tailless Fighter Development of the F7U Cutlass began in 1945. The world had entered the Jet Age, and the U.S. Navy needed a fighter to dominate the skies in the new era. Respected engineer Rex Beisel had plans for a new swept-wing fighter with an unconventional tailless design. With Vought as the manufacturer, the new fighter was sure to be exactly what the Navy needed. U.S. Navy Vought F7U Cutlass from Air Development Squadron VX-3 out of Naval Air Station Atlantic City, New Jersey,…

This article was originally published by Tyler Durden at ZeroHedge.  At least seven people were killed in Ukraine on Tuesday after Russia launched a truly massive drone attack that’s said to be the largest of the four-year war. Counting both drones and cruise missiles, 979 warheads poured into Ukrainian airspace as diplomatic efforts at ending the war remain stalled, and the world’s attention is focused almost entirely on the US-Israeli war on Iran. Daylight death from above: A Russian Shahed drone above central Lviv (Reuters via New York Times) Ukrainian officials said it began with an overnight attack comprising almost 400 long-range drones and 23 cruise missiles. Then, in a surprise twist, Russia unleashed even more in broad daylight. Startled Ukrainians were sent rushing to bomb shelters after alarms rang out around noon, as a swarm of 556 drones hammered cities across the western part of the country, including Lviv, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro. Ukraine’s air force claimed it shot most of them down, with only 15 of the daytime drones supposedly hitting anything. Ukraine said the impacted structures included apartment buildings, hospitals, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Video captured the dramatic sound and site of a Shahed drone as it…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Iran could significantly increase U.S. casualties if its elite military and proxy forces shift to guerrilla-style hit-and-run attacks in the region, a leading military analyst has warned.Michael Eisenstadt of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy spoke as the Pentagon moved elements of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division into the Middle East amid a new escalation in the conflict, according to reports.”Iran has large infantry units in its military that are equivalent to the brigade combat team of the 82nd Airborne,” Eisenstadt, a former U.S. Army Reserve officer, told Fox News Digital.”The 82nd Force is too small to cause significant harm to Iran, but it is large enough to be vulnerable to Iranian strikes, and this would enable Iran to significantly increase U.S. casualties,” he said.HEGSETH WARNS ‘MORE CASUALTIES’ EXPECTED IN OPERATION EPIC FURY AGAINST IRAN Eisenstadt, who has worked as a U.S. government military analyst, claimed that, even if major conventional operations begin to wind down in the Middle East region, the danger may only evolve rather than disappear.”We could see an end to major combat operations, with activity shifting to guerrilla-style hit-and-run attacks in the Gulf and other gray-zone activities…

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said U.S. military chaplains will no longer wear rank insignia, instead displaying symbols of their faith. Chaplains will retain their rank, he said in a video announcement Tuesday, but the new directive will shift how they are identified in uniform. Hegseth added that he would sign a memorandum solidifying the change.Before the change, a chaplain’s uniform carried their rank insignia along with a symbol denoting their religion. The policy, he said, “speaks to the difficult balance of the duality of a military chaplain. A chaplain is first and foremost a chaplain and an officer second. This change is a visual representation of that fact.”Hegseth also said that removing rank allowed chaplains to “be seen among the highest ranks because of their divine calling.”The directive follows a broader effort by Hegseth to reshape the military’s Chaplain Corps. In a December message, he said he wanted to restore chaplains’ focus on ministry and argued that the role had shifted toward counseling and support functions in recent years.He terminated the Army’s spiritual fitness guide and said he would simplify how the military categorizes religious affiliation. In his most recent message, Hegseth said that the number of religious affiliation codes…