Editor’s Note: This article was first published last December. It&#8217;s a good holiday story, so we’re bringing it back.
* * *
In 1955, Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup had a very important job. It was the height of the Cold War, and Shoup was working at the Continental Air Defense Command — now known as the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
One December day, his phone rang, but it wasn&#8217;t his regular phone. It was the red phone — the phone that had a <a href="https://kdvr.com/news/local/wrong-number-started-norad-santa-tracker/">number so secret</a> that only he and a four-star general at the <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/disney-hires-obama-era-pentagon-spokesperson-to-build-on-companys-strong-reputation/">Pentagon</a> knew of its existence. But when he answered the phone, a child was on the other end.
&#8220;Is this Santa Claus?&#8221; the child asked. <a href="https://www.coloradoan.com/story/life/2018/12/21/santa-tracker-creator-norad-colonel-christmas/2369617002/">Shoup</a>, according to his children — Terri Van Keuren, Rick Shoup, Pam Farrel — was initially surprised and annoyed, but when the child began to cry, he quickly changed his tone. He said, &#8220;Ho, ho, ho,&#8221; and asked the child whether he had been good — and then he asked to speak to a parent.
<a href="https://www.npr.org/2014/12/19/371647099/norads-santa-tracker-began-with-a-typo-and-a-good-sport">NPR reported</a>:
<blockquote>His children remember Shoup as straight-laced and disciplined, and he was annoyed and upset by the call and thought it was a joke — but then, Terri says, the little voice started crying.
&#8220;And Dad realized that it wasn&#8217;t a joke,&#8221; her sister says. &#8220;So he talked to him, ho-ho-ho&#8217;d and asked if he had been a good boy and, &#8216;May I talk to your mother?&#8217; And the mother got on and said, &#8216;You haven&#8217;t seen the paper yet? There&#8217;s a phone number to call Santa. It&#8217;s in the Sears ad.&#8217; Dad looked it up, and there it was, his red phone number. And they had children calling one after another, so he put a couple of airmen on the phones to act like Santa Claus.&#8221;
&#8220;It got to be a big joke at the command center. You know, &#8216;The old man&#8217;s really flipped his lid this time. We&#8217;re answering Santa calls,&#8217; &#8221; Terri says.</blockquote>
The joke took another turn when, on Christmas Eve of 1955, several of the Airmen under Shoup&#8217;s command drew a sleigh and eight reindeer on the glass board that they normally used to track the paths of airplanes over U.S. and Canadian airspace.
According to Terri, Shoup saw the drawing and asked, &#8220;What is that?&#8221;
The airmen said it was just a joke, apologizing and offering to take it down.
&#8220;Dad looked at it for a while, and next thing you know, Dad had called the radio station and had said, &#8216;This is the commander at the Combat Alert Center, and we have an unidentified flying object. Why, it looks like a sleigh.&#8217; Well, the radio stations would call him like every hour and say, &#8216;Where&#8217;s Santa now?'&#8221; Terri told NPR, adding, &#8220;And later in life he got letters from all over the world, people saying, &#8216;Thank you, Colonel,&#8217; for having, you know, this sense of humor. And in his 90s, he would carry those letters around with him in a briefcase that had a lock on it like it was top-secret information. You know, he was an important guy, but this is the thing he&#8217;s known for.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s probably the thing he was proudest of, too,&#8221; her brother agreed.
In the years since, NORAD has embraced the tradition. Call centers are operational and children can call from all over the world to see where Santa is as he makes his grand journey delivering gifts around the world in a single night.
Santa&#8217;s 2024 journey is already underway and can be tracked on X at @NORADSanta.
https://x.com/NoradSanta

US-CANADA-MILITARY-HOLIDAY-CHRISTMAS-OFFBEAT-GOVERNMENT

‘The Santa Colonel’: The Air Force Officer Who Turned A Sears Ad Typo Into A Holiday Tradition

'The Santa Colonel': The Air Force Officer Who Turned A Sears Ad Typo Into A Holiday Tradition

Air Force

Christmas

Military

Santa Claus

U.S.

Editor’s Note: This article was previously published on December 20, 2023. Since &#8220;It&#8217;s A Wonderful Life&#8221; remains a holiday classic, we’re bringing it back.
* * *
Months after his return from combat, actor James &#8220;Jimmy&#8221; Stewart was still adrift — unmoored in the Hollywood he had previously called home, living with fellow veteran Henry Fonda, and waiting for film offers that just weren&#8217;t coming in.
After a couple of months had gone by, director Frank Capra — who had worked with Stewart before in 1936&#8217;s &#8220;You Can&#8217;t Take It With You&#8221; — first pitched &#8220;It&#8217;s a Wonderful Life.&#8221; A meeting was set, and <a href="https://guideposts.org/positive-living/entertainment/movies-and-tv/guideposts-classics-james-stewart-on-its-a-wonderful-life/">Capra described the story</a> to Stewart and his agent Lew Wasserman.
Stewart, who had been adamant about doing a comedy upon his return to Hollywood, was reportedly taken aback at first. &#8220;You want me to do what?&#8221; he asked, and according to Capra&#8217;s notes walked out of his initial pitch meeting. But Capra believed in the strength of the story — and he was equally adamant that Stewart was not just the right person to play George Bailey, he was the only person who could do it.
Stewart eventually sat down to listen to Capra&#8217;s pitch in full, and he recalled the director&#8217;s awkward description of the story in a <a href="https://guideposts.org/positive-living/entertainment/movies-and-tv/guideposts-classics-james-stewart-on-its-a-wonderful-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1987 interview</a> for Guideposts.
&#8220;&#8216;Now, listen,&#8217; Frank began hesitantly. He seemed a little embarrassed. &#8216;The story starts in heaven, and it’s sort of the Lord telling somebody to go down to earth because there’s a fellow who’s in trouble, and this heavenly being goes to a small town, and … Well, what it boils down to is, this fella who thinks he’s a failure in life jumps off a bridge. The Lord sends down an angel named Clarence, who hasn’t earned his wings yet, and Clarence jumps into the water to save the guy. But the angel can’t swim, so the guy has to save him, and then … This doesn’t tell very well, does it?'&#8221;
The actor said his response was simple: &#8220;Frank, if you want to do a picture about a guy who jumps off a bridge and an angel named Clarence who hasn’t won his wings yet coming down to save him, well, I’m your man!&#8221;
<div id="attachment_478827" style="width: 777px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478827" class="size-large wp-image-478827" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707423-767x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 20: The movie &quot;It's a Wonderful Life&quot;, produced and directed by Frank Capra. Seen here from left, Henry Travers as Clarence and James Stewart as George Bailey. Premiered December 20, 1946; theatrical wide release January 7, 1947. Screen capture. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)" width="767" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707423-767x576.jpg 767w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707423-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707423-768x577.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707423.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 767px" />&#8220;It&#8217;s a Wonderful Life&#8221;, produced and directed by Frank Capra. Seen here from left, Henry Travers as Clarence and James Stewart as George Bailey. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)</div>
For Capra and Stewart both, the film was a do or die project. For Stewart, it was his chance to prove that he still had something to give to fans. And Capra — who had also been away from Hollywood making movies for the War Department — believed so much in the story that he put everything on the line, even forming a new independent studio (Liberty Films) to produce it. But making the film was not without its difficulties. As actress Donna Reed — who played Mary Bailey to Stewart&#8217;s George Bailey — put it, &#8220;This was not a happy set.&#8221;
At one point, an agitated Stewart complained about the superficiality of Hollywood and acting in general, prompting veteran actor Lionel Barrymore — who plays the movie&#8217;s villain Mr. Henry F. Potter — to scold him: &#8220;So, are you saying it&#8217;s more worthwhile to drop bombs on people than to entertain them?&#8221;
<div id="attachment_478823" style="width: 777px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478823" class="size-large wp-image-478823" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707402-767x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 20: The movie &quot;It's a Wonderful Life&quot;, produced and directed by Frank Capra. Seen here from left, Lionel Barrymore as Henry F. Potter, Frank Hagney (in background) as Potter's Bodyguard and James Stewart as George Bailey. Premiered December 20, 1946; theatrical wide release January 7, 1947. Screen capture. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)" width="767" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707402-767x576.jpg 767w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707402-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707402-768x577.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707402.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 767px" />&#8220;It&#8217;s a Wonderful Life&#8221;, produced and directed by Frank Capra. Seen here from left, Lionel Barrymore as Henry F. Potter, Frank Hagney (in background) as Potter&#8217;s Bodyguard and James Stewart as George Bailey. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)</div>
As Matzen explained in a <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-jimmy-stewart-book-mov-1202-20161201-column.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2016 interview</a> with The Chicago Tribune, Stewart appeared to funnel all the bottled up rage, anxiety, anger, fear, and frustration into the role — making his portrayal of a man on the brink truly blur the line between fiction and reality.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a scene in the movie where he questions his sanity and he&#8217;s got this wild look about him. That&#8217;s one scene that really struck me, watching it on the big screen. And the other scene that always made me uncomfortable, but now means so much more to me, is when he&#8217;s in his living room and he&#8217;s throwing things and screaming at his kids — and his wife and children look at him like, &#8216;Who is this man? Who is this monster?'&#8221; Matzen explained. &#8220;And that is so reflective of what millions of families faced, looking at these strangers who came back from the war with this rage. Stewart played it beautifully. He just lets it out.&#8221;
Stewart recalled a similar moment in the <a href="https://guideposts.org/positive-living/entertainment/movies-and-tv/guideposts-classics-james-stewart-on-its-a-wonderful-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Guideposts interview</a>, when George Bailey turned to God in desperation — completely unaware that his entire town was also praying for him in the same moment.
&#8220;In agony I raise my eyes and, following the script, plead, &#8216;God … God … dear Father in heaven, I’m not a praying man, but if you’re up there and you can hear me, show me the way. I’m at the end of my rope. Show me the way, God …'&#8221; Stewart said, adding, &#8220;As I said those words, I felt the loneliness, the hopelessness of people who had nowhere to turn, and my eyes filled with tears. I broke down sobbing. This was not planned at all, but the power of that prayer, the realization that our Father in heaven is there to help the hopeless, had reduced me to tears.&#8221;
Capra, who loved spontaneity in his films, kept the powerful moment in the final cut — he even sacrificed some of the film quality to turn a wide shot into a close-up so that the audience could better see &#8220;George Bailey&#8217;s&#8221; pain.
The film was a resounding flop when it was released in 1947 — bringing in less than half of the expected box office haul — but still managed to impress the Academy. In addition to two technical nominations, Stewart received another Best Actor nod, Capra was nominated for directing, and the film was nominated for Best Picture. All five lost — and Capra&#8217;s newly-formed studio <a href="https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,793760,00.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Liberty Films quickly went under</a>.
<div id="attachment_478828" style="width: 775px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478828" class="size-large wp-image-478828" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707436-765x576.jpg" alt="LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 20: The movie &quot;It's a Wonderful Life&quot;, produced and directed by Frank Capra. Seen here from left, Donna Reed as Mary Hatch Bailey, James Stewart as George Bailey and Karolyn Grimes as Zuzu. Premiered December 20, 1946; theatrical wide release January 7, 1947. Screen capture. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)" width="765" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707436-765x576.jpg 765w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707436-300x226.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707436-768x578.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1187707436.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 765px) 100vw, 765px" />&#8220;It&#8217;s a Wonderful Life&#8221;, produced and directed by Frank Capra. Seen here from left, Donna Reed as Mary Hatch Bailey, James Stewart as George Bailey and Karolyn Grimes as Zuzu. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;By the end of 1947 the film was quietly put on the shelf,&#8221; Stewart <a href="https://guideposts.org/positive-living/entertainment/movies-and-tv/guideposts-classics-james-stewart-on-its-a-wonderful-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recalled</a>, adding, &#8220;But a curious thing happened. The movie refused to stay on the shelf. Those who loved it loved it a lot, and they told others. They wouldn’t let it die any more than the angel Clarence would let George Bailey die. When it began to be shown on TV, a whole new audience fell in love with it.&#8221;
The fact that the movie appeared on television was actually the result of a probable <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2TYK2NfhJ6pmDqW8rfT4LCf/its-a-wonderful-life-from-festive-flop-to-christmas-classic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clerical error</a> that resulted in Republic Pictures — who owned the rights after Liberty Films collapsed — failing to apply for a copyright renewal in 1974. Because it was public domain, television studios quickly added it to their holiday line-ups. A Supreme Court decision nearly two decades later determined that the owner of the short story it was based on — &#8220;The Greatest Gift&#8221; — actually owned the copyright, and to this day, NBC is the only network licensed to show the movie on television.
But those twenty years meant that millions of people saw that film — and many of them came to love it and come back to it every year.
Stewart explained that he believed the thing that had truly resonated with the audience was the thing that had resonated with him all those years ago — revealing that of the 80-or-so films he had made in his career, &#8220;It&#8217;s a Wonderful Life&#8221; remained his favorite.
&#8220;Today, after some 40 years, I’ve heard the film called an American cultural phenomenon,'&#8221; Stewart told Guideposts. &#8220;Well, maybe so, but it seems to me there is nothing phenomenal about the movie itself. It’s simply about an ordinary man who discovers that living each ordinary day honorably, with faith in God and a selfless concern for others, can make for a truly wonderful life.&#8221;
* * *
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jimmy-stewart-a-world-at-war-and-why-its-a-wonderful-life-was-almost-less-wonderful-part-i">Jimmy Stewart, A World At War, And Why &#8216;It&#8217;s A Wonderful Life&#8217; Was Almost Less Wonderful: Part I</a>

One of the Final Scenes from Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life

Jimmy Stewart, A World At War, And Why ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ Was Almost Less Wonderful: Part II

Jimmy Stewart, A World At War, And Why 'It's A Wonderful Life' Was Almost Less Wonderful: Part II

Celebrities

Entertainment

Hollywood

PTSD

World War II

Editor’s Note: This article was previously published on December 24, 2023. We’re bringing it back.
* * *
Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe and his men — many from the 101st Airborne Division, along with some stragglers from Pennsylvania&#8217;s 28th Infantry Division (known as &#8220;The Bloody Bucket&#8221;) and the 9th Armored &#8220;Phantom&#8221; Division — spent Christmas of 1944 in the Belgian city of Bastogne, surrounded by an ever-encroaching enemy and greatly outnumbered.
On December 22, the German commander sent word to McAuliffe, informing him that he and his troops were surrounded and demanding that they surrender. He warned the American general that if he did not surrender, the attack would be swift and merciless — and he promised that the inevitable civilian casualties would be blamed on the Americans.
McAuliffe responded to the German threat with just one word: &#8220;Nuts!&#8221; And, as promised, the German army began to tighten its grip on <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/watch-world-war-ii-veteran-breaks-into-song-during-ceremony-honoring-his-service-in-belgium/">Bastogne</a>. Machine-gun fire and approaching tanks met any American soldier who approached the perimeter, and Junkers Ju 88 bombers flew over the city as visibility allowed. The Germans also blanketed the area with pamphlets promising relief from the hunger and frigid conditions to anyone who surrendered.
And so it was that on Christmas Eve, McAuliffe sent a letter to rally his troops:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
75 years ago this Christmas Eve, Gen. Anthony McAuliffe wrote this letter to his troops during the Battle of the Bulge. Today we remember the service members who served during the holidays both then and now and wish you a Merry Christmas! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoVeteranEverDies?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NoVeteranEverDies</a> <a href="https://t.co/VuYyhYqqVj">pic.twitter.com/VuYyhYqqVj</a>
— National Cemeteries (@VANatCemeteries) <a href="https://twitter.com/VANatCemeteries/status/1209458808587784192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2019</a></blockquote>
McAuliffe&#8217;s letter began with the heading &#8220;Merry Christmas&#8221;:
<blockquote>What’s Merry about all this, you ask? We’re fighting — it’s cold, we aren’t home. All true but what has the proud Eagle Division accomplished with its worthy comrades the 10th Armored Division, the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion and all the rest? Just this: We have stopped cold everything that has been thrown at us from the North, East, South and West. We have identifications from four German Panzer Divisions, two German Infantry Divisions and one German Parachute Division. These units, spearheading the last desperate German lunge, were headed straight west for key points when the Eagle Division was hurriedly ordered to stem the advance. How effectively this was done will be written in history; not alone in our Division’s glorious history but in World history. The Germans actually did surround us, their radios blared our doom. Their Commander demanded our surrender in the following impudent arrogance:
To the U. S. A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.
The fortune of war is changing. This time the U. S. A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Ourthe near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompres-Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands.
There is only one possibility to save the encircled U. S. A. Troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.
If this proposal should be rejected the German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U. S. A. Troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hour’s term.
All the serious civilian losses caused by this Artillery fire would not correspond with the well known American humanity.
The German Commander
The German Commander received the following reply:
22 December 1944
“To the German Commander:
N U T S !
The American Commander”
Allied Troops are counterattacking in force. We continue to hold Bastogne. By holding Bastogne we assure the success of the Allied Armies. We know that our Division Commander, General Taylor, will say: “Well Done!”
We are giving our country and our loved ones at home a worthy Christmas present and being privileged to take part in this gallant feat of arms are truly making for ourselves a Merry Christmas.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
73 years ago, the US <a href="https://twitter.com/101stAASLTDIV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@101stAASLTDIV</a> was surrounded at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bastogne?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bastogne</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Belgium?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Belgium</a> over the Christmas time during the December 1944 Battle of the Bulge. Here is Gen. McAuliffe&#8217;s historic Christmas letter <a href="https://t.co/BHR6MsHjMj">https://t.co/BHR6MsHjMj</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/WW2Nation?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WW2Nation</a> <a href="https://t.co/IEpjyM3fmv">pic.twitter.com/IEpjyM3fmv</a>
— Pascal Heyman (@PascalHeyman) <a href="https://twitter.com/PascalHeyman/status/945012709669703680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
That night, the Junkers dropped one-ton bombs on the city of <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/12/23/christmas-eve-snow-turned-red-with-blood/">Bastogne</a>. They destroyed a makeshift hospital, killing dozens of wounded soldiers, nurses, and medics. But McAuliffe&#8217;s men held the city, earning for the 101st Airborne Division the nickname &#8220;The Battered Bastards of Bastogne.&#8221;
General George S. Patton arrived the day after Christmas, bringing with him the necessary strength to break the siege and relieve McAuliffe&#8217;s men.

Band Of Brothers Movie Still

Read The Letter General Anthony McAuliffe Sent Exhausted, Surrounded Men At The Battle Of The Bulge

Editor’s Note: This article was previously published on December 20, 2023. Since &#8220;It&#8217;s A Wonderful Life&#8221; remains a holiday classic, we’re bringing it back.
* * *
The beloved Christmas classic film &#8220;It&#8217;s a Wonderful Life&#8221; was the movie that brought a beleaguered and combat-weary actor James &#8220;Jimmy&#8221; Stewart back to fans after the war — but it may have also been the movie that brought a desperate man back from the brink.
<a href="https://www.life.com/people/jimmy-stewart-photos-of-a-world-war-ii-hero-homecoming-1945/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Maitland Stewart</a> was preparing to go to war for several years before he was drafted in 1941. He earned a civilian pilot&#8217;s license in the hopes that the Army would let him fly — and he even took a trip to Europe in 1939 to get a feel for the landscape, knowing that it was likely he would end up there at some point.
By the time the Empire of Japan launched its surprise attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Stewart had already attempted to join the Army. Rejected once in 1940 because he was underweight, the always-slim actor attempted to pack on a few pounds and ultimately turned to a doctor for a note explaining that he was just genetically predisposed to be thin.
Biographer Robert Matzen — who wrote &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mission-Jimmy-Stewart-Fight-Europe/dp/0996274057/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=jimmy+stewart+and+the+fight+for+europe&amp;qid=1621538823&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight for Europe</a>&#8221; — explained, &#8220;Step by step, he set himself up to end up in England in a bomb group. One of those steps was taken years before he was drafted, and that was when he became a star in Hollywood and bought a plane that was an army trainer and proceeded to learn to fly and train, and log hours on that plane so that he could be a pilot when the war came.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_478319" style="width: 461px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478319" class="size-large wp-image-478319" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1337627840-451x576.jpg" alt="Portrait of American actor lieutenant colonel James Stewart (1908 - 1997), 1944. He had just been named chief of staff of a Liberator bomber combat wing, and recently had been awarded both the Oak Leaf Cluster and the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service. (Photo by US Army/PhotoQuest/Getty Images)" width="451" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1337627840-451x576.jpg 451w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1337627840-235x300.jpg 235w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1337627840-768x982.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-1337627840.jpg 801w" sizes=" (max-width: 451px) 100vw, 451px" />Portrait of American actor lieutenant colonel James Stewart (1908 &#8211; 1997), 1944. US Army/PhotoQuest/Getty Images.</div>
Stewart&#8217;s determination — and his pre-war preparations — did not pay off immediately, however. The actor, who was fresh off his Best Actor win in 1940&#8217;s &#8220;The Philadelphia Story,&#8221; was initially drafted to appear in film reels and enlistment propaganda films — but eventually he demanded to see combat alongside his other draftees.
Stewart eventually got what he asked for, rising through the ranks from buck private to major in just four years and earning a spot in the cockpit of a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber known as Dixie Flyer. He flew dozens of missions over Germany, some as command pilot, and earned both a Distinguished Service Medal and a Distinguished Flying Cross.
But toward the end of the <a href="https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/person/james-maitland-stewart">8th Air Force&#8217;s Big Week</a> in early 1944 — a six-day mission in late February originally named Operation Argument and designed to decimate the German Luftwaffe in preparation for the D-Day invasion — things <a href="https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/jimmy-stewart-ww2-mission-air-force/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">went sideways</a>. Stewart was on his 10th mission as a leader and serving as co-pilot when his plane was hit. The German flak left a sizable hole in the fuselage of his plane — just inches from his feet. And while he and his pilot were able to recover, when the smoke cleared from the cockpit, they had to watch as another in their squadron took a similar strike, lost a wing, and plummeted toward the ground.
Stewart was not the same after that and was eventually grounded. At the time, his condition was referred to as &#8220;flak-happy,&#8221; &#8220;shell-shock,&#8221; or &#8220;combat fatigue&#8221; — but today&#8217;s doctors might have diagnosed the decorated pilot with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
&#8220;He wasn&#8217;t afraid of bombs or bullets. He was afraid of making a mistake and causing someone to die. That was his endless stress, and that&#8217;s what ended up grounding him,&#8221; Matzen wrote.
<div id="attachment_478808" style="width: 744px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478808" class="size-large wp-image-478808" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-515219828-734x576.jpg" alt="(Original Caption) 9/1/1945-New York, New York-Just like any serviceman returning from the war, Colonel James Stewart was greeted by his proud parents, who journeyed from Indiana, PA, to see their son after his arrival aboard the Queen Elizabeth. A veteran of a year and a half overseas with the 8th Air Force, Colonel Stewart, in his last command, was senior officer over approximately 9,000 men. Here he is shown with his parents at the St. Regis Hotel." width="734" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-515219828-734x576.jpg 734w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-515219828-300x236.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-515219828-768x603.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-515219828.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 734px) 100vw, 734px" />(Original Caption) 9/1/1945-New York, New York-Just like any serviceman returning from the war, Colonel James Stewart was greeted by his proud parents, who journeyed from Indiana, PA, to see their son after his arrival aboard the Queen Elizabeth. Getty Images.</div>
He returned home to his proud parents in Pennsylvania. On the outside, he was a war hero; on the inside, he was nearly broken.
Surviving on little more than peanut butter and ice cream — he struggled to keep any solid foods down — Stewart&#8217;s already thin frame became painfully so. Still, he decided after a short time at home that what he really needed was to get back to work.
&#8220;I have to go back and face Hollywood. I&#8217;ve been away for five years, other people are taking my roles,&#8221; he said — but when he got there, he quickly realized that the landscape had changed and so had he. Stewart ended up sharing an apartment with fellow actor Henry Fonda, who had also recently returned after serving in the Pacific.
<div id="attachment_478811" style="width: 427px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478811" class="size-large wp-image-478811" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-103354640-417x576.jpg" alt="Lt. Henry Fonda (1905 - 1982) during his military service on board the USS Bearss, summer 1945. (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images)" width="417" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-103354640-417x576.jpg 417w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-103354640-217x300.jpg 217w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-103354640.jpg 742w" sizes=" (max-width: 417px) 100vw, 417px" />Lt. Henry Fonda (1905 &#8211; 1982) during his military service on board the USS Bearss, summer 1945. (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;I had been away from the film business, my MGM contract had run out and, frankly, not knowing how to get started again, I was just a little bit scared,&#8221; Stewart described the precarious nature of his situation in a 1987 interview with Guideposts. &#8220;Hank Fonda was in the same boat, and we sort of wandered around together, talking, flying kites and stuff. But nothing much was happening.&#8221;
Stewart got only one offer in those early weeks. His former boss and MGM exec Louis B. Mayer <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/first-teaser-trailer-jimmy-stewart-170732188.html">proposed a biopic</a> capitalizing on the star&#8217;s military service. &#8220;Let&#8217;s do &#8216;The Jimmy Stewart Story&#8217; — we can show you flying over Frankfurt, we can show you as a military hero,&#8221; Mayer said. Stewart&#8217;s answer was an unequivocal &#8220;No,&#8221; and he flatly refused to discuss the matter further.
Director Frank Capra, an Italian immigrant who had been naturalized after serving in World War I, had also spent <a href="https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/director-frank-capra-goes-to-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">time away from Hollywood</a> during the war. As soon as Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Marshall got wind of Capra&#8217;s enlistment, he had him commissioned as a major and assigned to report to him personally.
<div id="attachment_478955" style="width: 782px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-478955" class="size-large wp-image-478955" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-931704116-772x576.jpg" alt="Italian-American film director Frank Capra (1897 - 1991) as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the US Army, during a stay in London, World War II, 19th August 1943. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)" width="772" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-931704116-772x576.jpg 772w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-931704116-300x224.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-931704116-768x573.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/12/GettyImages-931704116.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 772px) 100vw, 772px" />Italian-American film director Frank Capra (1897 &#8211; 1991) as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the US Army, during a stay in London, World War II, 19th August 1943. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;To win this war we must win the battle for men’s minds,&#8221; Marshall told Capra in one of their early meetings. &#8220;I want to nail down with you a plan to make a series of documented, factual-information films – the first in our history – that will explain to our boys in the Army why we are fighting, and the principles for which we are fighting.&#8221;
Capra protested, explaining that he had never made any film that could be considered a &#8220;documentary.&#8221;
Marshall responded with the gruff bluster that he was known for, saying, &#8220;Capra, I have never been chief of staff before. Thousands of young Americans have never had their legs shot off before. Boys are commanding ships today, who a year ago had never seen the ocean before.&#8221;
&#8220;I’m sorry, sir. I’ll make you the best damned documentary films ever made,&#8221; was Capra&#8217;s reply.
But when it was all over, Capra returned to Hollywood in much the same state as Stewart: adrift, and wondering if he still had what it took to deliver what the fans wanted.
* * *
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jimmy-stewart-a-world-at-war-and-why-its-a-wonderful-life-was-almost-less-wonderful-part-ii">Jimmy Stewart, A World At War, And Why &#8216;It&#8217;s A Wonderful Life&#8217; Was Almost Less Wonderful: Part II</a>

It’s A Wonderful Life

Jimmy Stewart, A World At War, And Why ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ Was Almost Less Wonderful: Part I

Jimmy Stewart, A World At War, And Why 'It's A Wonderful Life' Was Almost Less Wonderful: Part I

Movies

President Trump announced on Monday that the United States Navy will begin building massive battleships for the first time since 1944, to join the “Golden Fleet.”
Trump announced that the new Trump-class battleships will include two ships to be built immediately, with the first named USS Defiant. He said the vessels will be 100 times more powerful than the Iowa-class battleships from WWII and will be equipped with missiles, hypersonic weapons, railguns, high-powered lasers, nuclear-armed cruise missiles, and AI technology.
“There’s never been anything like these ships,” Trump said. “These are the best in the world. They will be the fastest, the biggest, and by far 100x more powerful than any battleship ever built.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: President Trump announces that he approved a plan for the construction of two new battleships.
He says they will be larger than ever and have “100x the power&#8221; of the Iowa-class battleships.
The last battleship (USS Missouri) was built in 1944 decommissioned in 1992. <a href="https://t.co/TDylUGasWK">pic.twitter.com/TDylUGasWK</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2003232951228866969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
The Golden Fleet is the Navy’s “bold investment to revitalize America’s maritime industrial base,” according to the initiative’s <a href="https://www.goldenfleet.navy.mil/">newly launched website</a>.
&#8220;America’s next battleship, the USS Defiant, will be part of a new class of large surface combatants with the most destructive fire power of any surface ship to ever sail — having the ability to strike an adversary at 80x the range of the previous class,&#8221; the website states. &#8220;The Trump-class Battleship will be the first-ever guided missile battleship with the ability to deploy with nuclear and hypersonic missiles.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1018777" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1018777" class="size-large wp-image-1018777" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/USS_Defiant_Munitions_v4-2048x1017-1-1024x509.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="509" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/USS_Defiant_Munitions_v4-2048x1017-1-1024x509.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/USS_Defiant_Munitions_v4-2048x1017-1-300x149.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/USS_Defiant_Munitions_v4-2048x1017-1-768x381.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/USS_Defiant_Munitions_v4-2048x1017-1.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo: U.S. Navy</div>
The USS Defiant is expected to take 2.5 years to build and is projected to measure 840 to 880 feet long, with a beam of 105 to 115 feet and a draft of 24 to 30 feet, displacing over 30,000 to 40,000 tons. The ship is designed to reach speeds greater than 30 knots and will accommodate 650 to 850 crew members.
While two ships will begin to be built immediately, Trump said the planned class size for the fleet is 20 to 25 ships.
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<a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2025/12/19/us-navy-to-develop-new-class-of-smaller-more-agile-combatant-ships/">According to the Military Times</a>, a Government Accountability Office report detailed two decades of poor performance at U.S. shipyards, citing low production, significant schedule delays, and issues with faulty functionality.
Trump said the new ships will be built with steel in modernized American shipyards, creating thousands of jobs, and that he will personally weigh in on the design as a “very aesthetic person.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Trump says he is going to help design the new U.S. Navy Battleships because he is &#8220;a very aesthetic person.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/K78rteOSMp">pic.twitter.com/K78rteOSMp</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2003248689587093891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
“The US Navy will lead the design of these ships along with me because I&#8217;m a very aesthetic person alongside our partners in American industry,” Trump said. “The construction will create thousands of American jobs.”
Trump said the new fleet will be a restoration of American naval power, pointing to the great ships of the past, including President Theodore Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet to the USS Missouri, which played an important role in WWII, including hosting the Japanese surrender.
“America&#8217;s battleships have always been unmistakable symbols of national power,” Trump said. “We stopped making them for whatever reason, I don&#8217;t know.”
Trump added that 15 submarines are under construction and he plans to order more warships to join the Golden Fleet, including destroyers and a new class of aircraft carriers.
“This is American industrial power returning,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “Generations of Americans will be grateful for it.”
The USS Missouri, built in 1944, was the last U.S. battleship to enter service and remained active until its decommissioning in 1992. It is now a museum ship at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-1018779" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/The_Golden_Fleet_Silhouettes-2048x402-1-1024x201.png" alt="" width="1024" height="201" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/The_Golden_Fleet_Silhouettes-2048x402-1-1024x201.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/The_Golden_Fleet_Silhouettes-2048x402-1-300x59.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/The_Golden_Fleet_Silhouettes-2048x402-1-768x151.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/The_Golden_Fleet_Silhouettes-2048x402-1-1536x302.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/The_Golden_Fleet_Silhouettes-2048x402-1.png 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
<div id="attachment_1018781" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1018781" class="size-large wp-image-1018781" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/The_Golden_Fleet_Silhouettes-2048x402-2-1024x201.png" alt="" width="1024" height="201" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/The_Golden_Fleet_Silhouettes-2048x402-2-1024x201.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/The_Golden_Fleet_Silhouettes-2048x402-2-300x59.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/The_Golden_Fleet_Silhouettes-2048x402-2-768x151.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/The_Golden_Fleet_Silhouettes-2048x402-2.png 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />The Golden Fleet (U.S. Navy)</div>
Battleships were largely abandoned after WWII as aircraft came to increasingly dominate naval warfare. These slow, heavily armored ships were designed to fight other vessels, making them easy targets for air attacks — a weakness made clear at Pearl Harbor, where the USS Arizona, USS Oklahoma, USS California, and USS West Virginia were sunk in 1941.
In the decades since, aircraft carriers, submarines, and missile-armed warships have replaced battleships in the U.S. Navy.
Secretary of the Navy John Phelan said the Trump-class battleships will be essential to the Navy, will have the most modern weapons systems, and serve as a flagship for commanders to oversee naval forces far out at sea.
“Not only is the president’s idea a good one, it’s something the Navy desperately needs and now has a formal requirement for,” he said. “The future Trump-class battleship the USS Defiant will be the largest, deadliest, and most versatile and best-looking warship anywhere on the world’s oceans.”
<div id="attachment_1018783" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1018783" class="size-large wp-image-1018783" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-22-at-7.17.35-PM-1024x438.png" alt="" width="1024" height="438" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-22-at-7.17.35-PM-1024x438.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-22-at-7.17.35-PM-300x128.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-22-at-7.17.35-PM-768x328.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-22-at-7.17.35-PM-1536x657.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Screenshot-2025-12-22-at-7.17.35-PM-2048x875.png 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Specifications for the Trump-class Battleships. (U.S. Navy)</div>
He added that the ships will give the United States a “new leg” in nuclear deterrence for the “first time in generations” because the battleships will carry the nuclear armed sea-launched cruise missile.
“We are going to make battleships great again,” Phelan said. “The USS Defiant battleship will inspire awe and reverence for the American flag whenever it pulls into a foreign port.”
The battleship announcement comes as the Navy <a href="https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/4364538/navy-announces-new-small-surface-combatant/">expands its fleet</a> with a new class of smaller, agile warships. The FF(X) small surface combatant, based on the U.S. Coast Guard’s Legend-class, will be a highly-adaptable vessel, with the first ship expected to enter service in 2028.

Trump Battleships

Trump Announces New ‘Golden Fleet’ Of ‘Trump-Class’ Battleships

Communist China

Donald Trump

U.S. Navy

President Donald Trump said a potential war with Venezuela remains on the table as tensions escalate in the region.
&#8220;I don’t rule it out, no,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-not-ruling-war-venezuela-rcna250012" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> NBC News in a phone interview Thursday.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-orders-complete-blockade-of-sanctioned-oil-tankers-moving-in-and-out-of-venezuela?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Orders+%E2%80%98Complete+Blockade%E2%80%99+Of+Sanctioned+Oil+Tankers+Moving+In+And+Out+Of+Venezuela">initiated</a> “a total and complete blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela on Tuesday.
“Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America. It will only get bigger, and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before — Until such time as they return to the United States of America all of the Oil, Land, and other Assets that they previously stole from us,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115731908387416458" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Truth Social Tuesday night.
The Department of War also continues air strikes on alleged drug boats, which have taken out more than two dozen vessels and over 100 alleged smugglers.
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Trump, however, told NBC that he doesn&#8217;t &#8220;discuss&#8221; whether his actions could result in an all-out war.
When pressed further on the subject, he acknowledged that war is possible, adding that the U.S. will certainly seize more oil tankers. Last week, the U.S. seized a Venezuelan oil tanker.
&#8220;As you probably know, we’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large — largest one ever seized, actually,” the president <a href="https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1998847332616421875">said</a> at the time.
Trump didn&#8217;t offer an exact time frame for the current conflict, saying, &#8220;It depends. If they’re foolish enough to be sailing along, they’ll be sailing along back into one of our harbors.&#8221;
Trump has also accused Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro of overseeing what he&#8217;s designated as a terrorist government. He has also placed a $50 million bounty on information that leads to the socialist leader’s arrest.
The president has also labeled Maduro as the leader of Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles, which he designated a terrorist organization.
But Trump declined to say whether his goal was to oust Maduro. The two leaders had a phone call last month to discuss the possibility of a meeting in Washington, D.C., <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/us/politics/trump-maduro-venezuela.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The New York Times.
The White House has remained tight-lipped about what else was discussed during the call.
&#8220;He knows exactly what I want,&#8221; Trump told NBC of Maduro. &#8220;He knows better than anybody.&#8221;
Meanwhile, the president of Belarus has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/russian-ally-offers-maduro-a-way-out-as-u-s-ramps-up-pressure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offered</a> Maduro sanctuary in his country if he decides to cave to the pressure.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Trump Says He’s Not Ruling Out War With Venezuela

Department of War

Venezuela

Whoopi Goldberg claimed on Thursday that President Donald Trump&#8217;s plan to give monetary bonuses to members of the military was effectively a bribe to ensure that they&#8217;d obey the president&#8217;s orders even if they were not necessarily lawful.
Goldberg, during Thursday&#8217;s broadcast of ABC&#8217;s &#8220;The View,&#8221; first questioned whether or not troops would actually ever see that money — and then immediately insinuated that if they did see it, it would be solely because Trump was using it to buy their loyalty.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Whoopi doubts Trump is going to pay the troops his announced $1,776 bonus, but then claims it&#8217;s a bribe for them to back his plots: 
&#8220;What he&#8217;s doing is, he&#8217;s thinking, &#8216;if I make sure that the soldiers have what they need they&#8217;ll back me and what I want, see?&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/DBmKx6IfEN">pic.twitter.com/DBmKx6IfEN</a>
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/2001698071189614604?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Cohost Alyssa Farah Griffin began by saying she&#8217;d actually like to give Trump credit for offering bonuses — &#8220;warrior dividends&#8221; — to troops, but Goldberg quickly interrupted.
&#8220;Let&#8217;s see if they get the — I want to see them get it first,&#8221; Goldberg said.
Griffin went on to say that she&#8217;d prefer to see &#8220;smart policies&#8221; rather than &#8220;handouts,&#8221; and argued that it was unfair for money to only go to members of the military — particularly if the money was, as Trump said, coming from tariff revenue — that all Americans were hurting and in need of assistance.
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Goldberg then pivoted to suggest that the reason Trump was singling out members of the armed forces had nothing to do with the notion that they&#8217;d earned it in service to the country, but rather because she believed they&#8217;d be more likely to do anything Trump wanted if he greased the wheels with a Christmas bonus.
&#8220;What he&#8217;s doing is, he&#8217;s thinking, &#8216;If I make sure that the soldiers have what they need, they&#8217;ll back me in what I want, see?'&#8221; she said.

SNL50: The Homecoming Concert

Whoopi Says Trump Will Use Military Bonus To Buy Loyalty From Service Members

Media

Pete Hegseth

Politics

The View

Whoopi Goldberg

The United States Military on Monday took out three more boats in the Eastern Pacific determined to be “engaged in narco-trafficking,” officials said. 
The strikes killed eight men that authorities said were members of Designated Terrorist Organizations. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who is expected to brief lawmakers on Tuesday about the Trump administration’s drug boat strikes, authorized the attack. 
“On Dec. 15, at the direction of [Secretary of War] Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters,” U.S. Southern Command posted on X, alongside a video of the strikes. “Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking. A total of eight male narco-terrorists were killed during these actions—three in the first vessel, two in the second and three in the third.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
On Dec. 15, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known… <a href="https://t.co/IQfCVvUpau">pic.twitter.com/IQfCVvUpau</a>
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2000756230252314901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Since September, the military has <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-hits-3-more-alleged-drug-boats-in-pacific-killing-8-military-says/">carried</a> out strikes on 25 boats, killing around 95 suspected drug traffickers. In a memo to Congress in October, President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-congress-u-s-in-armed-conflict-with-terrorist-drug-cartels">wrote</a> that he “determined” that the United States is in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels that he has designated as terrorist organizations. Violent gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS-13 have been <a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-international-cartels">designated</a> as foreign terrorist organizations by the State Department. 
Democrat lawmakers have criticized the strikes, arguing that the Trump administration has not provided enough evidence to justify the attacks. Last week, Admiral Frank Bradley was questioned by the Senate Intelligence Committee about a second strike carried out on survivors of an earlier strike that had already destroyed a vessel operated by alleged members of Tren de Aragua.
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Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK) said after the briefing that the strikes were “entirely lawful and needful.”
&#8220;These are narco-terrorists, Foreign Designated Terrorist Organizations, who are bringing drugs to our shores that have killed millions of Americans and thousands of Arkansans,&#8221; Cotton told reporters. “It&#8217;s my expectation and my deep hope that these strikes will continue.&#8221;
Last week, the House passed the annual National Defense Authorization Act with a provision that would force Hegseth to turn over footage of strikes on suspected drug boats or face cuts to his travel budget. Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are scheduled to meet with lawmakers on Tuesday to discuss the strikes and the American strategy with Venezuela.

MixCollage-16-Dec-2025-07-14-AM-7646

U.S. Strikes 3 More Suspected Drug Boats, Takes Out 8 ‘Narco-Terrorists’

drug boat

drug trafficking

Pacific Ocean

U.S. Military

The Department of War has escalated a review of Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly to an “official Command Investigation.”
“The Office of the Secretary of War, in conjunction with the Department of War&#8217;s Office of the General Counsel, is escalating the preliminary review of Captain Mark Kelly, USN (Ret.), to an official Command Investigation. Retired Captain Kelly is currently under investigation for serious allegations of misconduct. Further official comments will be limited to preserve the integrity of the proceedings,” a department official told The Daily Wire.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofWar</a> official tells <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a> that DOW is escalating its preliminary review of Senator Mark Kelly to an “official Command Investigation.”
“Retired Captain Kelly is currently under investigation for serious allegations of misconduct,” official says. “Further…
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2000709725726347348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
Last week, the U.S. Navy sent a report to War Secretary Pete Hegseth on a review of Kelly’s actions warning military members against following “illegal orders.” The Office of General Counsel for the War Department is providing advice and legal review of the investigation into Kelly.
The department <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/war-department-reviewing-serious-allegations-against-sen-mark-kelly-after-dem-military-message">initiated</a> a review of Kelly, a U.S. Navy combat veteran and retired astronaut, in November after the senator joined five other Democratic lawmakers in a video urging military members to disobey “illegal orders.” The Arizona Democrat is under consideration to be recalled to active duty to undergo “court-martial proceedings or administrative measures.”
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“The Department of War reminds all individuals that military retirees remain subject to the [Uniform Code of Military Justice] for applicable offenses, and federal laws such as 18 U.S.C. § 2387 prohibit actions intended to interfere with the loyalty, morale, or good order and discipline of the armed forces. Any violations will be addressed through appropriate legal channels,” the department said in a statement at the time.
At the time of the video, Hegseth denounced it in a <a href="https://x.com/PeteHegseth/status/1993008532187148582">post</a> on X, saying that message put out by the “seditious six” lawmakers is “despicable, reckless, and false.”
“Encouraging our warriors to ignore the orders of their Commanders undermines every aspect of ‘good order and discipline.’ Their foolish screed sows doubt and confusion — which only puts our warriors in danger,” said Hegseth.

Mark Kelly

Hegseth’s War Department Escalates Review Of Mark Kelly Over ‘Seditious Six’ Video

Congress

Department of Defense

President Donald Trump vowed that the United States would &#8220;retaliate&#8221; after news broke on Saturday that two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter — also American — had been killed in Syria by ISIS.
Trump responded to the news in a post first shared via his Truth Social platform, warning the perpetrators that the Syrian government shared the outrage felt by the United States.
&#8220;We mourn the loss of three Great American Patriots in Syria, two soldiers, and one Civilian Interpreter,&#8221; Trump posted. &#8220;Likewise, we pray for the three injured soldiers who, it has just been confirmed, are doing well.&#8221;
&#8220;This was an ISIS attack against the U.S., and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them. The President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, is extremely angry and disturbed by this attack. There will be very serious retaliation. Thank you for your attention to this matter!&#8221; Trump continued.
Outside the White House, Trump promised retribution as he spoke with reporters before leaving for the annual Army-Navy football game.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 JUST IN: President Trump, while leaving the White House, PROMISES to avenge the deaths of U.S. forces in Syria
“We mourn the loss of 3 great patriots in Syria&#8230; we pray for them, and their parents, and their loved ones&#8230; and we WILL retaliate.” <a href="https://t.co/11Oh2Lyljj">pic.twitter.com/11Oh2Lyljj</a>
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/1999920500647272958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;We mourn the loss of three great patriots in Syria — you know how it happened, an ambush,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Terrible. We still have three wounded that seem to be doing pretty well. But we mourn the loss, these are great — these are three great people, and just a terrible thing.&#8221;
&#8220;Syria, by the way, was fighting along with us. The president, the new president of Syria, as they told me &#8230; is devastated by what happened. This was an ISIS attack on us and Syria,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;We pray for them, and their parents, and their loved ones, very, very sad &#8230; and we WILL retaliate.&#8221;
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The president&#8217;s response came after Pentagon spokesman and Army Ranger veteran Sean Parnell shared a few details about the attack — holding back the identities of those killed in order to allow for their loved ones to be notified.
&#8220;Today in Palmyra, Syria, two United States Army soldiers and one civilian U.S. interpreter were killed, and three were wounded. The attack occurred as the soldiers were conducting a key leader engagement,&#8221; Parnell posted via X. &#8220;Their mission was in support of on-going counter-ISIS / counter-terrorism operations in the region.&#8221;
&#8220;The soldiers’ names, as well as identifying information about their units, are being withheld until 24 hours after the next of kin notification. This attack is currently under active investigation,&#8221; he added.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth responded as well, warning as Trump had that the United States would ensure that the guilty party had already faced lethal consequences for the attack.
&#8220;The savage who perpetrated this attack was killed by partner forces,&#8221; Hegseth declared in a follow-up post. &#8220;Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you.&#8221;

Trump Promises To Retaliate After U.S. Troops Killed By ISIS In Syria

Global Politics

ISIS

Syria

Terrorism

terrorist attack

World

With the 126th Army-Navy Game fast approaching, the prerequisite social media trash talk has already begun to ramp up between Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Navy Secretary John Phelan.
Kick-off for the 2025 Army-Navy Game, between West Point&#8217;s Black Knights and the Naval Academy&#8217;s Midshipmen, is at 3:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 13, at M&amp;T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.
Army comes into the game at a disadvantage, with a 6-5 season compared to Navy&#8217;s 9-2 showing, but that did not stop Driscoll from taking the first shot with an X post calling out West Point&#8217;s longtime rivals.
&#8220;@SECNAV, hope you brought your life vest! The Black Knights are about to sink @NavyFB on Saturday. @WestPoint_USMA’s spirit rally on Friday is the appetizer and Saturday’s game is the main course&#8230; and @USNavy is on the menu,&#8221; Driscoll posted on Sunday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SECNAV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SECNAV</a>, hope you brought your life vest! 🛟🌊The Black Knights are about to sink <a href="https://twitter.com/NavyFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NavyFB</a> on Saturday. <a href="https://twitter.com/WestPoint_USMA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WestPoint_USMA</a>’s spirit rally on Friday is the appetizer and Saturday’s game is the main course&#8230; and <a href="https://twitter.com/USNavy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USNavy</a> is on the menu. 🍽️🛳️ <a href="https://t.co/7xsxrnlsxE">pic.twitter.com/7xsxrnlsxE</a>
— Secretary of the Army (@SecArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecArmy/status/1998549463775023160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Phelan shot back, &#8220;I brought you tissues, a pacifier and diapers. Unfortunately you will need them Saturday, not for your kids, for yourself! GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecArmy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecArmy</a>, I brought you tissues, a pacifier and diapers. Unfortunately you will need them Saturday, not for your kids, for yourself! GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY! <a href="https://t.co/c8G1GAQKYm">https://t.co/c8G1GAQKYm</a>
— Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan (@SECNAV) <a href="https://twitter.com/SECNAV/status/1998600237515202903?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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And then he followed up with another, adding, &#8220;Let me know if you need my corpsman’s information. Always happy to help the Army patch up after Saturday. GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecArmy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecArmy</a> , let me know if you need my corpsman’s information. Always happy to help the Army patch up after Saturday.
GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY!<a href="https://twitter.com/USNavy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USNavy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/USMC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USMC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NavalAcademy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NavalAcademy</a> <a href="https://t.co/NBFnehtQK3">pic.twitter.com/NBFnehtQK3</a>
— Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan (@SECNAV) <a href="https://twitter.com/SECNAV/status/1999091817657360852?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Both teams on the field will be wearing uniforms designed to honor 250 years of service to country.
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The Army described the uniforms in a thread posted one month prior to game day, saying in part, &#8220;For the past 250 years, the United States Army has stood as America’s enduring symbol of service and sacrifice. Born in the desperate conditions of the American Revolution, the Army’s legacy is one of steadfast commitment to the defense of liberty, reflected in its motto, &#8216;This We’ll Defend.'&#8221;
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For the past 250 years, the United States Army has stood as America’s enduring symbol of service and sacrifice.
Born in the desperate conditions of the American Revolution, the Army’s legacy is one of steadfast commitment to the defense of liberty, reflected in its motto, “This… <a href="https://t.co/s02t82uDtq">pic.twitter.com/s02t82uDtq</a>
— U.S. Army (@USArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/USArmy/status/1988924807681868043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Navy&#8217;s team followed five days later with their own uniform unveiling.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Every detail was taken into consideration when <a href="https://twitter.com/UnderArmour?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UnderArmour</a> made these uniforms <a href="https://t.co/168T92kRln">https://t.co/168T92kRln</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoNavy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoNavy</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Navy250?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Navy250</a> <a href="https://t.co/UIfdjjmWgb">pic.twitter.com/UIfdjjmWgb</a>
— Navy Athletics (@NavyAthletics) <a href="https://twitter.com/NavyAthletics/status/1990823195344048371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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And of course, the rivalry has infected Capitol Hill. Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) announced a friendly wager with Sens. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) — a former Navy SEAL &#8212; Todd Young (R-IN), and West Point graduate Jack Reed (D-RI).
&#8220;We’re 2 days away from America’s Game. I’m team Army, but @TimSheehyMT and @SenToddYoung are Navy fans. @SenJackReed and I challenge our colleagues to a friendly wager. If Navy wins, we’ll wear Navy gear. If (and when) Army wins, Senators Young and Sheehy will have to wear Army gear. Looking forward to a great game. Go Army, Beat Navy!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We’re 2 days away from America’s Game. I’m team Army, but <a href="https://twitter.com/TimSheehyMT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TimSheehyMT</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/SenToddYoung?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenToddYoung</a> are Navy fans. <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJackReed?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenJackReed</a> and I challenge our colleagues to a friendly wager. If Navy wins, we’ll wear Navy gear. If (and when) Army wins, Senators Young and Sheehy will have to wear Army… <a href="https://t.co/I6NYBf0s31">pic.twitter.com/I6NYBf0s31</a>
— Senator Dave McCormick (@SenMcCormickPA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMcCormickPA/status/1999226325182349365?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Even the United States Secret Service got into the rivalry with a video of two agents — one a West Point alumnus and one who&#8217;d graduated from the Naval Academy.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Army–Navy rivalry brings incredible energy when <a href="https://twitter.com/GoArmyWestPoint?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GoArmyWestPoint</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/NavyAthletics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NavyAthletics</a> meet on the field. Alumni and veterans in the Secret Service carry that friendly rivalry into their work. This year we will secure the December 13 game in Baltimore.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArmyNavy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArmyNavy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArmyNavyGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArmyNavyGame</a> <a href="https://t.co/pPIFR3zzN5">pic.twitter.com/pPIFR3zzN5</a>
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecretService/status/1998509418569150828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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President Donald Trump said in late November that he <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/trump-moore-crime-baltimore-army-navy-football-president/">planned to attend</a> the game.

Army Officials Testify In Senate Hearing On Defense Authorization Request For 2026

Army-Navy Hype Heats Up As Leaders Trade Pre-Game Jabs

Football

U.S. Army

Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) defended a recent video — during which she encouraged members of the military to question orders in real time — by tossing those same service members under the bus.
Slotkin, a former CIA analyst, had joined five military veterans in making the video that circulated a few weeks earlier. In it, they called on service members to remember that they had the right and the responsibility to refuse to act on unlawful orders — all while heavily implying that such orders either would be or had already been given by President Donald Trump or War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
During a recent interview, Slotkin claimed that she&#8217;d only made the video because an overwhelming number of military members had reached out to ask about it.
WATCH:
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Elissa Slotkin claims Democrats made the ‘illegal orders’ video because a slew of military personnel were coming to them with concerns for months:
“I don&#8217;t know if this is legal. I don&#8217;t know if I&#8217;d be held accountable later after this administration. I can&#8217;t get a straight… <a href="https://t.co/Fe2AMPvMRg">pic.twitter.com/Fe2AMPvMRg</a>
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) <a href="https://twitter.com/WesternLensman/status/1998136904961937700?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I mean, we made that video three weeks ago or whatever it was, certainly not thinking that the president would go high and right as we say at the Pentagon on it like that,&#8221; Slotkin said, suggesting that Trump&#8217;s response — to a video telling service members to potentially ignore his orders — had been the one thing that was out of line.
&#8220;There was so many people coming to us who were on active duty, recent veterans, family members of service members, who were coming to us individually and saying two things,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;One, &#8216;I&#8217;m concerned I&#8217;m going to be sent in uniform to an American city — you know, like L.A., Chicago, Memphis — and I&#8217;m going to be asked to do things I either don&#8217;t think are legal, or I&#8217;m not trained for, and what do I do?'&#8221;
&#8220;And then this fall, it really turned, and it became a lot of people who were involved in the operations around the Caribbean asking those same things,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;&#8216;I don&#8217;t know if this is legal? I don&#8217;t know if I&#8217;d be held accountable later after this administration. I can&#8217;t get a straight answer about whether this is legal or not. What do you think we should do?'&#8221;
“We were hearing that for months,&#8221; she added, &#8220;So that’s why we made the video.&#8221;
Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), who also participated in making the video, is facing additional scrutiny for his role since he is the only one who is a retired service member and therefore still subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) Gives The Democratic Response To President Donald Trump’s Address To Congress

Slotkin Throws Military Under The Bus In Defense Of Video Calling Them To Question Orders

Slotkin Tosses Military Under The Bus In Defense Of Video Calling Them To Question Orders

Democrats

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