Because Bulgarian dissident, Georgi Markov was born this week, on March 1, 1929, I thought today would be a good say to tell his compelling, if tragic story.

While waiting at a bus stop in London, he was stabbed with an umbrella that inserted a ricin-filled pellet. He died several days later. It’s believed that the KGB was behind the assassination at the request of the Bulgarian Secret Service, but no one has ever been charged with his murder.

Markov originally worked as a novelist, screenwriter, and playwright in Bulgaria, eventually defecting and relocating to London in 1968. He worked there as a broadcaster and journalist criticizing the Bulgarian regime.

After relocating to London, he worked as a broadcaster and journalist for the BBC World Service, the US-funded Radio Free Europe, and West Germany's Deutsche Welle. Markov used such forums to conduct a campaign of sarcastic criticism against the incumbent Bulgarian regime, which, according to his wife at the time he died, ev...

Whenever I'm in Normandy, I always make a point to visit the Dick Winter's Leadership Monument.  You can't miss it.  It's right off the causeway on your way to Utah Beach.  In many ways, I believe it represents all of the values and principles of leadership that should be recognized during any visit here, and in any study of D-Day and the Battle for Normandy.  Here's a quick video from that monument to the young leaders who fought and won this monumental battle.

Paratroopers from 2d Battalion, 506th PIR loading for their Albany mission, 
intended to jump on the DZ "C" in Hiesville at 0120 hours. 

This photo was taken on Upottery airfield in Devon on the evening of June 5, 1944. 
The aircraft is a C-47 (#42-93004 from 94th Squadron - 439th Troop Carrier Group - 
Chalk number # 78 - serial # 12). The pilot (back) is 2nd Lt. Martin N. Neill. 
2nd Lt.  Carl E. George (co-pilot) helps the paratroopers to board.  


William G. Olanie, Frank D. Griffin, Robert J. Noody, Lester T. Hegland

The 506th PI...