Historical Military Operations

Black and white footage capturing historic air and ground military operations from the 1940s to 2018, including combat scenes and aircraft maneuvers.

VUNG TAU - 1969 - A US Army soldier interviews a 231st Army Reserves Transportation Company member on an LCM Mike Boat in Vung Tau, South Vietnam.

Camp of 1st Mass. Arty, Harrisons landing, 1862 July, drawing on tan paper pencil and Chinese white, 9.8 x 36.2 cm. (sheet), 1862-1865, by Alfred R Waud, 1828-1891, an american artist famous for his American Civil War sketches, America, US

War album 89, Figure 25977A-B.

A parachuting Army Ranger drifts down to earth at the 6th Ranger Training Battalions open house event May 7 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The event was a chance for the public to learn how Rangers train and operate. The event displays showed equipment, weapons, a reptile zoo, face painting and weapon firing among others. The demonstrations showed off hand-to-hand combat, a parachute jump, snake show, and Rangers in action. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)

DM-ST-88-06896. Base: Quantico State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

An HH-60 Blackhawk flies over the Gulf of Mexico during an Emerald Warrior training mission, March 2, 2011. Emerald Warrior is a U.S. Special Operations Command-sponsored, multiservice exercise designed to leverage lessons learned from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom to provide trained and ready forces to combatant commanders.

Aircrew from the 157th Air Refueling Wing participates in the Air Mobility Commands Operation Centennial Contact June 27, 2023 at Pease Air National Guard Base. The AMC coordinated a total of 152 refueling aircraft and receivers from all 50 states to mark the 100th anniversary of the first air-to-air refueling.

010628-N-2619S-001. Base: Uss Ticonderoga (CG 47)

action in the sky during an airshow

Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), conduct a blank firing iteration at night during a combined arms maneuver live fire exercise (CAMLFEX) on Dec. 9, 2022, at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany. Our commitment to defending NATO territory is ironclad and the United States will continue to bolster our posture to better defend our NATO allies. (U.S. Army photos by Staff Sgt. Malcolm Cohens-Ashley, 2nd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs.)

040303-M-3980Y-008. Subject Operation/Series: BALIKATAN 2004 Base: Crow Valley Country: Philippines (PHL)

U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force aircraft fly in formation during a photo exercise at Cope North 15, Feb. 17, 2015, over Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Through training exercises such as Exercise Cope North 15, the U.S., Japan and Australia air forces develop combat capabilities, enhancing air superiority, electronic warfare, air interdiction, tactical airlift and aerial refueling.

A U.S. Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawk assigned to the 46th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron receives fuel from a U.S. Air Force HC-130J Combat King II aircraft during a mission rehearsal in support of Exercise Agile Spartan within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, March 20, 2023. Exercise Agile Spartan is a combined, joint training exercise that enhances international partnerships and regional security in the USCENTCOM AOR.

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