Military

Les Invalides: Paris’s Golden Landmark

The Tomb of Napoleon, Les Invalides, Paris – © David H. Enzel, 2023

Built in the late 17th century under King Louis XIV, Les Invalides was originally designed as a home and hospital for war veterans. Today, it stands as one of Paris’s most iconic sites—part military museum, part monument, and the final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Located in the 7th arrondissement, Les Invalides houses the Musée de l’Armée (Army Museum), which showcases centuries of French military history, from medieval armor to World War II artifacts. The golden dome of the Dôme des Invalides is visible from across Paris, glinting in the sunlight and dominating the skyline.

The site has played a role in pivotal moments of French history. It was stormed during the French Revolution in 1789, when rioters seized weapons stored inside. In 1840, Napoleon’s remains were brought here from Saint Helena and interred beneath the grand dome—a solemn resting place fit for an emperor. In 1906, the courtyard of Les Invalides was the setting for the formal rehabilitation ceremony of Alfred Dreyfus, marking the end of one of France’s most infamous miscarriages of justice.

Courtyard, Les Invalides – © David H. Enzel, 2023

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United States Air Force Thunderbirds

USAF Thunderbirds at Joint Base Andrews – © David H. Enzel, 2022

On September 17, 2022, I saw the awe-inspiring “Thunderbirds” air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force (USAF) perform at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, the home of Air Force One. The Thunderbirds squadron was was created in 1953 and is based in Nevada.

The USAF Thunderbirds are the third-oldest formal flying aerobatic team (under the same name) in the world, after the French Air Force Patrouille de France formed in 1931 and the United States Navy Blue Angels formed in 1946.

The Thunderbirds Squadron tours the United States and beyond performing aerobatic formation and solo flying in pristine, specially marked aircraft.

The Thunderbirds have performed at over 4,000 airshows worldwide, accumulating millions of miles in hundreds of different airframes over the course of their more than fifty-four years of service. Flying high-performance fighter jets is dangerous. And when flying in extremely close formation, the danger is compounded.

In total, twenty-one Thunderbirds pilots have been killed in the team’s history. Three fatal crashes have occurred during air shows, two of them in jets.

The Thunderbirds perform aerial demonstrations in the F-16C Fighting Falcon. Over 4,600 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976. Although no longer being purchased by the U.S. Air Force, improved versions are being built for export customers.