Schedule

The Normandy invasion was an Allied victory, but at the Omaha sector a human tragedy developed on June 6, 1944. The shocking losses, failures, and chaos in the Omaha landings have been obscured. Mortar fire pounded men wading ashore from boats grounded on sandbars; machine guns ripped apart those who made the beach, and the water quickly took on a crimson color. We trace the landings on this deadly section of Normandy, and see how, Omaha Beach became Hell's Battlefield.

In December 1944, Hitler prepared a strike force to split the Allies, hoping to destroy all Allied forces north of the Antwerp-Brussels-Bastogne line. With 22 new divisions, reequipped with tanks and Luftwaffe units to support his ground attack, Hitler was ready to surprise Allied commanders in a plan that he called "Operation Grief". See how the largest pitched battle in the history of U.S. warfare became the scene of some of WWII's fiercest fighting, making the Bulge one of Hell's Battlefields.

Join R. Lee Ermey as he prepares to jump with the Army's Golden Knights--and find out if he's too chicken! Since people get confused about what to call the Air Force during WWII, when it was a part of the Army, he digs into the history. Then, Lee focuses on the Flying Tiger volunteers who risked their lives in China before America entered WWII. And, he profiles the modern gunship AC-130U. Terrifying to the enemy, it flies at night, hence its nickname Spooky.

R. Lee Ermey flies in a new hi-tech blimp the military is testing as an anti-terror surveillance platform that can hover over areas for hours, and he examines the first aerial recon balloon from the Civil War. Then, he loads up and takes aim with military shotguns. Next, Lee goes where ships go to die in Washington State--water storage for many WWII and Vietnam-era ships. And finally, Lee finds out why the Navy has so many terms involving the word "Poop" -- which dates back to Ancient Rome.

Of all places associated with the Revolutionary War, perhaps none is more revered than Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. For it was here, over two centuries ago, that America faced its darkest hour and its greatest challenge. Yet no military battles were fought here. During the winter of 1777-78, thousands of soldiers died in the snowy encampment. Today, more than 4-million people visit the Valley Forge National Historical Park. We examine the archaeological excavations and building preservation.

Join R. Lee Ermey as he prepares to jump with the Army's Golden Knights--and find out if he's too chicken! Since people get confused about what to call the Air Force during WWII, when it was a part of the Army, he digs into the history. Then, Lee focuses on the Flying Tiger volunteers who risked their lives in China before America entered WWII. And, he profiles the modern gunship AC-130U. Terrifying to the enemy, it flies at night, hence its nickname Spooky.

R. Lee Ermey flies in a new hi-tech blimp the military is testing as an anti-terror surveillance platform that can hover over areas for hours, and he examines the first aerial recon balloon from the Civil War. Then, he loads up and takes aim with military shotguns. Next, Lee goes where ships go to die in Washington State--water storage for many WWII and Vietnam-era ships. And finally, Lee finds out why the Navy has so many terms involving the word "Poop" -- which dates back to Ancient Rome.

Of all places associated with the Revolutionary War, perhaps none is more revered than Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. For it was here, over two centuries ago, that America faced its darkest hour and its greatest challenge. Yet no military battles were fought here. During the winter of 1777-78, thousands of soldiers died in the snowy encampment. Today, more than 4-million people visit the Valley Forge National Historical Park. We examine the archaeological excavations and building preservation.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Join R. Lee Ermey as he prepares to jump with the Army's Golden Knights--and find out if he's too chicken! Since people get confused about what to call the Air Force during WWII, when it was a part of the Army, he digs into the history. Then, Lee focuses on the Flying Tiger volunteers who risked their lives in China before America entered WWII. And, he profiles the modern gunship AC-130U. Terrifying to the enemy, it flies at night, hence its nickname Spooky.

R. Lee Ermey flies in a new hi-tech blimp the military is testing as an anti-terror surveillance platform that can hover over areas for hours, and he examines the first aerial recon balloon from the Civil War. Then, he loads up and takes aim with military shotguns. Next, Lee goes where ships go to die in Washington State--water storage for many WWII and Vietnam-era ships. And finally, Lee finds out why the Navy has so many terms involving the word "Poop" -- which dates back to Ancient Rome.

Of all places associated with the Revolutionary War, perhaps none is more revered than Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. For it was here, over two centuries ago, that America faced its darkest hour and its greatest challenge. Yet no military battles were fought here. During the winter of 1777-78, thousands of soldiers died in the snowy encampment. Today, more than 4-million people visit the Valley Forge National Historical Park. We examine the archaeological excavations and building preservation.

On August 17, 1943, the 8th U.S. Army Air Force launched its first major long-range bombing raids into Nazi Germany's heartland targeting the industrial towns of Regensburg and Schweinfurt. The raid was a crucial test of the Army Air Force's belief that its heavily armed B-17 Flying Fortress could fight its way through in daylight and defend itself without fighter escort. But as Luftwaffe fighters swooped in and anti-aircraft guns opened fire, the American theory was proved drastically wrong.

In the summer of 1943, one of the greatest clashes of WWII took place on the Eastern Front--the Battle of Kursk. Vast in scale and terrible in intensity, German and Russian armies, millions strong on each side, engaged in a fierce attack and counterattack that went on for 50 days. The battle proved to be one of the most decisive of WWII, irreparably damaging the German Army. We see how the combined battles of Gettysburg, Verdun, Normandy, and the Bulge cannot equal the violence at Kursk.

The Normandy invasion was an Allied victory, but at the Omaha sector a human tragedy developed on June 6, 1944. The shocking losses, failures, and chaos in the Omaha landings have been obscured. Mortar fire pounded men wading ashore from boats grounded on sandbars; machine guns ripped apart those who made the beach, and the water quickly took on a crimson color. We trace the landings on this deadly section of Normandy, and see how, Omaha Beach became Hell's Battlefield.

In December 1944, Hitler prepared a strike force to split the Allies, hoping to destroy all Allied forces north of the Antwerp-Brussels-Bastogne line. With 22 new divisions, reequipped with tanks and Luftwaffe units to support his ground attack, Hitler was ready to surprise Allied commanders in a plan that he called "Operation Grief". See how the largest pitched battle in the history of U.S. warfare became the scene of some of WWII's fiercest fighting, making the Bulge one of Hell's Battlefields.

Join R. Lee Ermey as he prepares to jump with the Army's Golden Knights--and find out if he's too chicken! Since people get confused about what to call the Air Force during WWII, when it was a part of the Army, he digs into the history. Then, Lee focuses on the Flying Tiger volunteers who risked their lives in China before America entered WWII. And, he profiles the modern gunship AC-130U. Terrifying to the enemy, it flies at night, hence its nickname Spooky.

R. Lee Ermey flies in a new hi-tech blimp the military is testing as an anti-terror surveillance platform that can hover over areas for hours, and he examines the first aerial recon balloon from the Civil War. Then, he loads up and takes aim with military shotguns. Next, Lee goes where ships go to die in Washington State--water storage for many WWII and Vietnam-era ships. And finally, Lee finds out why the Navy has so many terms involving the word "Poop" -- which dates back to Ancient Rome.

Of all places associated with the Revolutionary War, perhaps none is more revered than Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. For it was here, over two centuries ago, that America faced its darkest hour and its greatest challenge. Yet no military battles were fought here. During the winter of 1777-78, thousands of soldiers died in the snowy encampment. Today, more than 4-million people visit the Valley Forge National Historical Park. We examine the archaeological excavations and building preservation.

On August 17, 1943, the 8th U.S. Army Air Force launched its first major long-range bombing raids into Nazi Germany's heartland targeting the industrial towns of Regensburg and Schweinfurt. The raid was a crucial test of the Army Air Force's belief that its heavily armed B-17 Flying Fortress could fight its way through in daylight and defend itself without fighter escort. But as Luftwaffe fighters swooped in and anti-aircraft guns opened fire, the American theory was proved drastically wrong.

In the summer of 1943, one of the greatest clashes of WWII took place on the Eastern Front--the Battle of Kursk. Vast in scale and terrible in intensity, German and Russian armies, millions strong on each side, engaged in a fierce attack and counterattack that went on for 50 days. The battle proved to be one of the most decisive of WWII, irreparably damaging the German Army. We see how the combined battles of Gettysburg, Verdun, Normandy, and the Bulge cannot equal the violence at Kursk.

Doug Scott, a field archaeologist, is acknowledged as one of the premier experts on Custer's Last Stand. Scott has always wanted to see this dark moment in American military history through the eyes of survivor Lieutenant Edward Godfrey. His knowledge would be key to finally bringing the entire story to light with a team of Hollywood producers. He may know the history, but it was up to the production team to make his vision a reality. Scott wrangles the team to Hardin, Montana to finally re-create the battle of Little Bighorn correctly. Would movie magic, teamed with Scott's knowledge, bring new insight to this important moment in history?

Is the historical portrayal of the attack on Pearl Harbor as seen in movies accurate? Dr. Donald Goldstein, co-author of the best-seller At Dawn We Slept, leads a team of producers on a site survey of Pearl Harbor to revisit the attack and the lucky shot that sunk the USS Arizona on December 7, 1941. Weaving together interviews with survivors who share their stories from that fateful day and computer animation, the Pearl Harbor attack is re-created, as one of the most significant and traumatic events in American history is revealed as it's never been seen before.

Explore the story of Miyamoto Musashi, the most famous samurai of all time. Find out how samurai train in the weaponry and wisdom of Japan's great warriors.

Modern day warrior, Green Beret Terry Schappert reveals the secrets of the Maya warrior--a force that relied on human sacrifice, bizarre rituals, and deadly weapons. New clues reveal what may have lead to their disappearance.

One of the most heroic ships of World War II, CV-8 served as the flight deck for the Doolittle Tokyo raid, and its predecessor ship, the CV-12, endured 16 months of non-stop combat action, coming within 40 miles of Japan, and setting incredible wartime records. Some of those feats included: 10 of its pilots reached "Ace in One Day" status, over 1,400 enemy planes destroyed, and a considerable amount of its Hellcat pilots became aces.