SFR Productions and History Adventures

24/07/2024

Historic Color Films from the Peleliu Battle. The Battle of Peleliu, Operation Stalemate II, September 15, 1944. More films to come.

https://youtu.be/fS-zIpHbojg

Historic Color Films from the Peleliu Battle. The Battle of Peleliu, Operation Stalemate II, September 15, 1944. More films to come. ...

20/07/2024

While conducting research at the National Archives for Peleliu I found these Iwo Jima photos in US Navy Aerial Reconnaissance. These photos were taken in July 1944 of Iwo Jima. These photos are of Motoyama No. 1 Airfield on Iwo Jima. If you look closely near the beach area you can spot the Japanese trenches and some of the fighting positions.

03/07/2024

The Battle of Gettysburg
July 3, 1863 the third day of battle. The fighting resumed on Culp's Hill, and cavalry battles raged to the east and south of Gettysburg, in the late afternoon a Confederate infantry assault of approximately 12,000 Confederates troops, attack the center of the Union line at Cemetery Ridge known as Pickett's Charge. The Confederate charge was repelled by Union rifle and artillery fire, leading to great Confederate losses. The following day, on the Fourth of July, Lee led his Confederate troops on the retreat from the north. Between 46,000 and 51,000 soldiers from both armies were casualties in the three-day battle, representing the most deadly battle in U.S. history.

02/07/2024

The Battle of Gettysburg
July 2, 1863 the second day - The Union line resembles a fishhook running along Cemetery Ridge. The Confederates launch a heavy attack on the Union's left flank, leading to fierce fighting at Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, Devil's Den, and the Peach Orchard. On the Union's right flank, Confederate attack up Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill. Heavy losses were suffered by both the Confederates and the Union Troops but the Union forces held their lines.

01/07/2024

The Battle of Gettysburg was a three-day battle in the American Civil War fought between Union and Confederate forces between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
July 1, 1863 - The battle begins with Confederate forces moving toward the town of Gettysburg in the early morning hours. The town of Gettysburg was initially only defended by a Union cavalry division under Brigadier General John Buford, but was soon reinforced with two corps of Union infantry. Two large Confederate corps assaulted them from the northwest and north. These attacks started collapsing the hastily developed Union lines, leading them to retreat through the streets of Gettysburg to the hills just south of the city on Cemetery Ridge.

29/06/2024

I spent a week last November on Tarawa for the 80th Anniversary. The amount of history was incredible and the relics of the battle are everywhere. I will be going back to Tarawa this November 2024.

The Battle of Tarawa was fought on 20–23 November 1943 between the United States and Japan at the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands, and was part of Operation Galvanic, the U.S. invasion of the Gilberts. Over 1000 US Marines were killed and over 2100 were wounded. The Japanese had just under 4700 killed and only 17 captured, there were also 129 Korean laborers captured.

After the battle many bunkers and wrecked equipment were left on the island. Today we are going to explore the island of Betio and look for some of these war relics.

This episode of History Adventures will be going to check out some Tarawa War Relics. The Battle of Tarawa was fought on 20–23 November 1943 between the Unit...

28/06/2024

19 years ago today, June 28, 2005, Operation Red Wings, most of you would know the operation from the movie "Lone Survivor". Take a moment today and think about these men and their families. Photos I have taken at the memorials.

27/06/2024

In the afternoon of June 27, 1862, Confederate troops attacked Union troops at Gaines’ Mill. The battle at Gaines' Mill was the second battle in a series of running battles known as the Seven Days Battles.

26/06/2024

On June 26, 1862, the Confederates initiated an offensive against the Union right flank north of the Chickahominy River. The Confederates attacked near Mechanicsville along Beaver Dam Creek. Confederate attacks were driven back with heavy casualties. Additional Confederate troops arrive on the battlefield, forcing the Union troops to withdraw to a position just beyond Gaines’ Mill. The action began a week of near-constant combat known as the Seven Days battles.

25/06/2024

June 25, 1876, today in history the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The battle would become famously known as Custer's Last Stand. The troops with Custer would all be killed on or near Last Stand Hill, the survivors of the battle would be moving with Reno and Benteen a few miles away.

I put together a video series exploring the battle field and attempting to make sense of all the stories of events. This is the last video in the series "Ford D to Last Stand Hill" from my YouTube page

https://youtu.be/BC-WvOpgEw8

22/06/2024

The Battle of Peleliu, Operation Stalemate II, September 15, 1944. US Marines in LVTs attack the shoreline of Peleliu - Amphibious tractor (LVT) waves approaching "White" and "Orange" landing beaches on the southwest side of Peleliu

20/06/2024

US Navy UDT at Peleliu - The Tarawa invasion pointed to a few problems with the lack of reconnaissance of the tide levels, reef and shoreline prior to the landings on Tarawa. Understanding these problems the US Navy developed the UDT. These men would conduct reconnaissance of invasion beaches and clear obstacles if needed. Prior to the attack on Peleliu US Navy UDT men conducted such a mission of the invasion beaches in late August 1944. This information was incredibly valuable for the US Marines that would be attacking the shoreline. Just after the initial attack and landings on Peleliu, UDT members began clearing obstacles near the shoreline and on the beaches of Peleliu.

15/06/2024

The Battle of the Little Bighorn or Custer's Last Stand took place on June 25–26, 1876, along the Little Bighorn River in Montana. Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes defeat the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the US Army. Visit our YouTube page for a tour of the Little Bighorn Battlefield in our History Adventures Series.

Full video - https://youtu.be/BC-WvOpgEw8

13/06/2024

The USS Arizona Memorial Gardens honors the men of the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Located in Scottsdale, AZ.

12/06/2024

June 15, 1864 the opening of the Battle and Siege of Petersburg, VA. Union forces failed in their attempt to take Richmond and moved to cut off Petersburg a major transportation hub supplying the Confederate Army. The siege continued for months with trench warfare that would be similar to what would be seen during World War I in Europe.

11/06/2024

Hanover County, VA - May 31 - Jun 12, 1864. As Union forces advanced toward Richmond in the spring of 1864, Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army repulsed and outmaneuvered Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s troops at Cold Harbor in a devastating two-week action that cost more than 17,000 lives.

10/06/2024

The Battle of Belleau Wood (1–26 June 1918) occurred during the German Spring Offensive in World War I, near the Marne River in France.

08/06/2024

The National Museum of the US Army at Fort Belvoir, VA and their D-Day display.

06/06/2024

80 years ago today - D-Day 80 Commemorations. Photos from the US National Archives.

04/06/2024

D-Day 80th Anniversary. Batterie D' Azeville was a German artillery battery near the French village of Azeville. During the Normandy landings it shelled the US landing beach UTAH for three days after D-Day, 6 June 1944 which was roughly 9 miles away. The battery was heavily bombed on 9 June 1944 and was captured by the Americans the same day.

03/06/2024

D-Day 80th Anniversary. There are several great museums around the Normandy area. Take some time to visit a few, they have some incredible artifacts on display.

02/06/2024

D-Day 80th Anniversary. A few then and now photos of invasion beaches Sword and Juno in Normandy.

01/06/2024

D-Day 80th Anniversary. The churches in the Normandy area are incredible and filled with history.

31/05/2024

D-Day 80th Anniversary. All around the Normandy area there are mouments and memorials commemorating the Normandy D-Day Invasion. Here are just a few in Normandy.

30/05/2024

D-Day 80th Anniversary. All around the Normandy area there is incredible stained-glass artwork commemorating the Normandy D-Day Invasion.

29/05/2024

D-Day 80th Anniversary. The Marmion Family Farm at Ravenoville, Normandy France. Several sticks of the 101st Airborne Division landed in the vicinity of the village in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944. These US Paratroopers attacked the German positions at the Marmion Farm and took control of the building. They defended themselves against German counter attacks and then moved out towards Sainte Marie du Mont a day later.

27/05/2024

This Memorial Day take a moment to remember those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for this great county. July 2, 1863, the men of B Company 16th Michigan raced to the slopes of Little Round Top as Confederate troops attempted to flank the Union Army at the Battle of Gettysburg. The men of B Company were from Ionia County Michigan and only minutes after taking up their position were attacked by Confederate troops from Texas and Arkansas. The battle raged and was close combat. The Michiganders were pressed and about to break as their right flank was being overrun. Colonel Strong Vincent rallied the Michiganders and was mortally wounded, Union reinforcements arrived to secure Little Round Top and forced the Confederate retreat from the area. One of the soldiers from Ionia Michigan was William Borden, he was killed in action during the fighting on Little Round Top Gettysburg Pennsylvania. He is buried in Ionia Michigan, he was 21. We remember.

31/03/2024

Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands - On September 27 1942 the Marines made the landing just west of Point Cruz. Munro would be leading the landing craft filled with Marines that were to land west of Point Cruz and attack the Japanese behind their lines. When the Marine attack was forced to become a withdrawal, Munro would lead his landing craft back to the beaches to safe the Marines. The Japanese were pushing towards the shores also, the Marines were taking more casualties. Coast Guardsman Douglas Munro was manning a machine gun on the bow of his boat laying down covering fire for the withdrawing Marines when he was killed in action.

For his actions in combat Douglas Munro received the Medal of Honor, the only US Coast Guardsmen to ever receive it.

Full video here - https://youtu.be/sngtvq_urSw

30/03/2024

For those heading to Normandy for the 80th Anniversary a great trip is the location of the Pegasus Bridge. On the night of 5 June 1944, a force of 181 men, led by Major John Howard, took off from RAF Tarrant Rushton in Dorset, southern England in six Horsa gliders to capture Pegasus Bridge, and "Horsa Bridge", a few hundred yards to the east, over the Orne River. The force was composed of D Company (reinforced with two platoons of B Company), 2nd Battalion, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry; 20 sappers of the Royal Engineers of 249 Field Company (Airborne); and men of the Glider Pilot Regiment. The object of this action was to prevent German armor from crossing the bridges and attacking the eastern flank of the landings at Sword Beach.