Submerged Sherman Tank from the battle of Saipan. Still in water

The Battle of Saipan was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands from 15 June 1944 to 9 July 1944.

The invasion fleet embarking the expeditionary forces left Pearl Harbor on June 5, 1944, the same day Operation Overlord was launched with the invasion of Normandy (AKA the D-Day landings). The Normandy landings were the larger amphibious landing, but the Marianas invasion fielded the larger fleet.

By July 7, the Japanese had nowhere to retreat. Saito made plans for a final suicidal banzai charge. On the fate of the remaining civilians on the island, Saito said, “There is no longer any distinction between civilians and troops. It would be better for them to join in the attack with bamboo spears than be captured.” At dawn, with a group of a dozen men carrying a great red flag in the lead, the remaining able-bodied troops, about 3,000 men, charged forward in the final attack. Amazingly, behind them came the wounded, with bandaged heads, crutches, and barely armed.

The Japanese surged over the American front lines, engaging both Army and Marine units. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 105th U.S. Infantry were almost destroyed, losing 650 killed and wounded.

However, the fierce resistance of these two battalions, as well as that of Headquarters Company, 105th Infantry, and elements of 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines (an artillery unit) resulted in over 4,300 Japanese killed.

For their actions during the 15-hour Japanese attack, three men of the 105th Infantry were awarded the Medal of Honor – all posthumously. Numerous others fought the Japanese until they were overwhelmed by the largest Japanese Banzai attack in the Pacific War .

Many hundreds of Japanese civilians committed suicide in the last days of the battle, some jumping from “Suicide Cliff” and “Banzai Cliff”. Efforts by U.S. troops to persuade them to surrender instead were mostly futile.

Widespread propaganda in Japan portraying Americans and British as “devils” who would treat POWs barbarically, deterred surrender (see Japanese Military Propaganda (WWII)).

In the end, about 22,000 Japanese civilians died. Almost the entire garrison of troops on the island — at least 30,000 — died.

For the Americans, the victory was the most costly to date in the Pacific War. 2,949 Americans were killed and 10,364 wounded, out of 71,000 who landed.

The Tank was probably off-loaded from an Landing Ship, Tank or LST (not so jokingly referred to as Large Slow Targets). It is also possible that the LST was disabled by Japanese shelling.

The tank crew may have tried to make a mad dash to the beach but it was just too far away. The water was shallow enough that the crew probably escaped without drowning, but, the withering rain of bullets, artillery and mortar fire may have killed them.

This tank was about 300 meters off the beach. There were 3 but not really close to each other and this one is turned and looks to be engaged with a pillbox on the shore and has a nasty antitank round below the water line on the starboard side right behind the driver/front gunner.

Being the typical tourists we couldn’t resist swimming out and getting close to it and checking it out. I will see if I can find the interior shots of it. What was really neat is the barrell is actually pointing at a bunker/pillbox that had taken a shot and collapsed.

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Amazing armor of Henry II, king of France (16th century)

Henry II, also known as Duke d’ Orleans, was a great monarch of the House of Valois and was King of France from 1547 until 1559.

He was a competent administrator who was an active suppressor of Protestants in his territory. Like his father, Francis I, Henry favored the arts, and he was a patron of Renaissance culture. The King was involved in projects which were begun by Francis I, including the reconstruction of Louvre, and his major project was the chateau of Anet. He also loved literature, especially poetry, and wherever he appeared, he was beautifully dressed in the latest fashion.

Married to Catherine de’ Medici and the father of future monarchs Francis II, Henry III, and Charles IX and seven other children, King Henry fell in love with the beautiful aristocrat Diane de Poitiers when he was 16 and remained in love with her until the day he died. Diane was 20 years his senior.

One of his most magnificent items of dress was the Parade Armor which today can be seen on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is believed that this fabulous armor dates back to the 16th century (1553-1555) and it was intricately decorated by Etienne Delaune, a French goldsmith and engraver. He had a great style which was based on the style of the Little Masters of Germany.

he armor was one of the king’s ceremonial costumes and is embossed on the breastplate and back with figures that reflect his great military achievements. The whole armor is adorned with images of human and fantastical characters.

At the center of the breastplate is a figure of a Roman warrior receiving a tribute of arms from a group of ladies who are kneeling, and above them, on the shoulders, the god Apollo can be seen chasing the nymph Daphne.

There is also a carving of Apollo on the back of the armor, but in this depiction, he is slaying the monster Python. Henry’s badge, in the shape of a crescent moon, appears in several places.

Many historians and art critics believe that the armor is one of the most elaborate of its kind in France. There are about 20 sketches from the 16th century which many historians believe were made by Delaune.

Henry II died after a jousting accident. A fragment of a splintered lance drove into his eye and he contracted septicemia. It is not known what armor he wore at the joust.

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The only complete viking helmet ever found - Gjermundbu

When most people think about Vikings, they imagine fierce warriors donning horned helmets charging into battle. This image has been deeply ingrained in popular culture — from movies to cartoons — but it’s actually a myth. Despite countless artistic portrayals, no Viking helmet with horns has ever been found by archaeologists.

In fact, there is only one complete Viking helmet ever discovered — and it tells a very different story.

The Historic Discovery at Gjermundbu, Norway

On March 30, 1943, a farmer named Lars Gjermundbo was digging on his property near the Gjermundbu farm in southern Norway when he uncovered something extraordinary: a large burial mound. This discovery caught the attention of archaeologists, including Marstrander and Blindheim, who began an excavation the following month.

The mound measured approximately 25 meters long, 8 meters wide at its broadest, and 1.8 meters tall at the center. Mostly composed of stones and soil, the mound’s interior featured a carefully paved stone layer. Beneath this, about one meter below the surface, archaeologists discovered a grave believed to belong to a petty king from the Ringerike region.

Artifacts Reflecting Viking Life and Warfare

Known as Grav I, the burial contained dozens of personal items linked to daily activities such as fighting, archery, horse riding, gaming, and cooking. Among these artifacts were two exceptionally rare pieces — a chain mail armor and the helmet that would become world-famous.

The Gjermundbu Viking Helmet: A Spectacle of Craftsmanship

The Gjermundbu helmet is the only complete Viking helmet ever found, making it an invaluable artifact for understanding Viking warfare and armor design. Made of iron, the helmet features a distinctive peaked cap formed from four plates.

Its construction includes a “spangen” — a horizontal band coupled with two vertical strips forming the framework, to which the iron plates are riveted. This design belongs to the category of Viking spectacle helmets, named after the protective eye guards that resemble spectacles.

This helmet offers solid face protection while maintaining a wide field of vision, essential for battle. It shares several design traits with earlier helmets from the Vendel period, including the rounded cap and chain mail aventail that protects the neck.

Today, the Gjermundbu helmet is preserved and displayed at the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo, drawing interest from historians, archaeologists, and Viking enthusiasts worldwide.

Debunking the Horned Helmet Myth

The idea that Vikings wore horned helmets likely originated in 19th-century romanticized artwork and theatrical costumes rather than historical fact. The Gjermundbu helmet clearly shows that Viking helmets were practical and designed for protection, not decoration.

Why the Gjermundbu Helmet Matters

This rare find not only sheds light on Viking armor but also helps historians better understand Viking burial customs and social hierarchy. It offers an authentic glimpse into the life of a Viking warrior, helping to dispel myths and bring Viking history into clearer focus.

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Explore More Viking History

If you’re fascinated by Viking history, armor, and archaeology, the Gjermundbu helmet is a must-see artifact. For those planning a trip to Norway, the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo offers an incredible chance to witness this rare piece of Viking heritage firsthand.

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One of the oldest diving suits in existence - called Wanha Herra

THE 'OLD GENTLEMAN' OF RAAHE -the oldest surviving diving suit in the world.

The best-known item in Raahe Museum is "the Old Gentleman", a diving suit from the early 18th century. This rarity was donated to the museum by Captain Leufstadius in 1860s.

The maker of the suit has mastered the latest achievements of the diving technology that made huge progress in the 18th century. The Old Gentleman is therefore regarded as a unique crossover form made from leather in the transition from the diving bell to the actual heavy diving suit.

The Old Gentleman is mostly made of cow leather. The seams are sewn with a waxed thread and sealed with pitch. The diving suit was made waterproof by sealing it with a mixture of pork fat, tar and pitch. The hood-shaped head is reinforced from the inside with a wooden framework. In the upper part of the hood is an opening for a wooden air pipe.

The diver wriggled himself into the diving suit through an opening in front of the body, which is closed by pressing the pitched mouth part together. This "sack mouth" was rolled on the belt and was attached to the diver's waist. The air was pumped to the diver through wooden pipes that were mutually connected with leather, either using a piston pump or bellows. The air was discharged through a shorter pipe on the backside.

Diving lasted for a short time, since the suit was not completely watertight and could not withstand high pressure. However, the diving suit did offer its user the opportunity of checking the condition of hulls without having to tilt the vessels or to bring them into dry dock.

The diving suit is presumably of Finnish origin, since the top parts of the boots remind one of the traditional short-shanked boots with laces, while the gloves are similar to those typical of Finnish foresters. A drawing from 1727, discovered in the Admiralty’s material held in the Swedish National Archive, depicts a diving suit that is similar to the Old Gentleman. This drawing has helped to date the time at which the Old Gentleman was manufactured.

The Old Gentleman visited exhibitions around the world, the last time being at the 1998 World Exposition in Lisbon. Its longest trip was to Philadelphia, in the United States. In connection with the Sea Finland exhibition that was held in London in 1985, the diving suit was playfully nicknamed the venerable Old Gentleman of Raahe, a name by which this gem of the people of Raahe is still known around the world.

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Viking axe from Mammen

In 1868 a farmer began to dig into the mound Bjerringhøj at Mammen near Viborg. During this work he chanced upon an unusually richly-furnished grave, which has become known as the grave from Mammen. A magnate was buried in the grave during the winter of 970-71 AD. He was given an expensive costume, a ceremonial axe with inlaid silver decoration and a large wax candle.

The buried man lay upon a bed of down cushions in a coffin placed in a wooden chamber – a so-called chamber-grave. At his feet lay two axes. On the coffin lid a bronze bucket, two wooden buckets and a large wax candle had been placed. The man wore costly clothing decorated with purple and red silk, as well as embroideries in red and blue. It is not known whether the deceased was Christian or pagan. The motifs on the one axe can be interpreted as both of these, but the large candle is probably a Christian symbol. The fine quality of the furnishings shows that the deceased presumably belonged to the circle around King Harald Bluetooth.

 One of the most magnificent finds from the Viking Age is one of the axes from the grave at Mammen. It is made of iron with silver inlay. The axe is decorated in the so-called Mammen style, which is named after this particular find. The style arose in the 900s and it survived until around 1000. The motifs on the axe can be interpreted as both Christian and pagan.

On one side a tree motif can be seen. It may symbolise the Christian Tree of Life or the pagan tree Yggdrasil. On the other side is an animal figure – perhaps the rooster Gullinkambi (Old Norse “golden comb”) or the Phoenix. According to Norse mythology Gullinkambi sits on top of the tree Yggdrasil. Here it wakes the Viking warriors every morning and it will crow at the beginning of Ragnarok (the end of the world). The Phoenix is a Christian mythological animal and a symbol of re-birth.

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Roman walls of Lugo

Remarkably intact Roman stone fortifications encircled this Spanish city for centuries. Built sometime around the 3rd century, the ring of towers and walls which now surround the city of Lugo were originally constructed to protect a Roman city from barbarians, and they continue to contain the world’s only city that is completely surrounded by ancient Roman walls. 

Making a bulbous circuit around the border of the town, the ancient walls stand almost 40 feet tall at their highest point, with curved lookout towers bulging out of the wall at irregular intervals. The top of the wall stays a consistent 14 or so feet in width which can still be walked in a complete circuit. Ten gates were built into the wall, and of them, five are still the Roman originals.

Though the walls were built to fend off the Germanic hordes, originally being joined by moats and interior defenses, those same hordes are now welcomed as tourists. Visitors are encouraged to stroll atop the wall from which they can see the entire town of Lugo and beyond.   
The walls consist of internal and external stone facing the core of the earth. It's a mixture of pebbles, gravel and worked Roman stone, cemented with water. The walls have been rebuilt over the centuries, but their shape has never been changed. Even many of the wall’s staircases are original.

The Roman Walls of Lugo still have 10 gates. Five of them are dated to the Roman times, but the other five were added after 1853 due to the expanding town population. Among the five original gates, the best preserved are the Porta Falsa and the Porta Miña. The second one is located near the only original vaulted arch set. The most popular gate is Porta Miña, which is on the way for pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela.

After the fall of Roman control in 409 AD, Galicia became the independent Kingdom of Gallecia (known also as Galliciense Regnum). The old Roman capital of Galicia, Braga (currently in Portugal), became the new capital of the Kingdom controlled by the Germanic tribe Suebi.

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Hiroshima shadows

At 8:15 on the morning of August 6, 1945, a person sat on a flight of stone stairs leading up to the entrance of the Sumitomo Bank in Hiroshima, Japan. Seconds later, an atomic bomb detonated just 800 feet away, and

the person sitting on the stairs was instantly incinerated. Gone like that. But not without leaving a mark. By a flash of the heat rays with temperatures well over a 1,000 degrees or possibly 2,000 degrees centigrade, that person was incineratied on the stone steps. Up to about 10 years after the explosion, the shadow remained clearly on the stones, but exposure to rain and wind has been gradually blurring it. So, when the bank was newly built, the stone steps were removed and are now preserved at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.

Somewhere between 150,000 and 240,000 people died from the atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many tens of thousands died in the days, weeks and years that followed. More died instantly. In Hiroshima, between 60,000 and 80,000 people were killed, literally incinerated into nothing, in a moment’s time. In Nagasaki, 40,000 people vanished in just one second.Somewhere between 150,000 and 240,000 people died from the atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many tens of thousands died in the days, weeks and years that followed. More died instantly. In Hiroshima, between 60,000 and 80,000 people were killed, literally incinerated into nothing, in a moment’s time. In Nagasaki, 40,000 people vanished in just one second.

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