A Brief History On November 1, 1951, the US Army conducted nuclear tests in the Nevada desert that included a diabolical exercise in which 6,500 US Army troops were exposed to the effects of a nearby nuclear detonation and its associated radiation. Digging Deeper Called Operation Buster–Jangle, the US conducted a series of seven nuclear tests, that included the November 1 test in which the 6500 troops, of which participation was not voluntary, were dug in foxholes and trenches only six miles from an air burst nuclear bomb of 21 kilotons yield, about that of the Nagasaki bomb.  After having…

A Brief History On October 31, 2017, an Uzbek immigrant to the United States deliberately drove a rented truck into a New York City bicycle and jogging path, killing eight people and injuring another 11 in a terrorist mass killing that proves bad people do not need guns to commit terrible crimes. Digging Deeper Sayfullo Habibullaevich Saipov was apparently a supporter of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and intended his actions as a terrorist event.  After leaving the truck, he brandished a paintball gun and a pellet gun and was shot and wounded by the police. …

A Brief History On October 30, 1985, the American Space Shuttle Challenger lifted off on its 9th mission, a successful flight that lasted over seven days and was notable for having taken the first Dutch astronaut into space. Digging Deeper Challenger had a successful career from its first flight into space in April of 1983 through its 9th flight in October and November of 1985, spending nearly 1500 hours in space flight.  Unfortunately, as we have chronicled, on January 28, 1986, the magnificent space machine blew up and went to pieces only 73 seconds into its 10th and final flight,…

A Brief History On October 29, 1955, the Soviet Navy of the USSR suffered yet another in a long line of what we call “Naval Oops Moments” when the battleship Novorossiysk struck a World War II era naval mine and sank. Digging Deeper The Novorossiysk was the former Italian battleship Giulio Cesare, commissioned way back in 1914, but turned over to the Soviets after World War II.  Ironically, the big ship was sunk in her own home harbor at Sevastopol, the Crimean headquarters of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet. Sadly, 608 sailors died in the incident, and the ship was…

A Brief History On October 28, 1453, the Bohemian city of Prague witnessed the crowing of Ladislaus the Posthumous as King.  Although you may think the name implies the guy was dead when crowned, it really referred to his father having died before the birth of Ladislaus. We have previously discussed some goofy names, and today ask you to tell us which monarch had the goofiest name, and we provide a list you can choose from, or you can name your own choice. Digging Deeper Æthelred the Unready, England Charles the Bald, West Francia Charles the Child, Aquitaine Charles the…