Episode #1.9

The 105 MM CANNON: A battle tank is only as effective as its gun, and for the Stryker vehicle, that’s the M68 105mm cannon. A tube of forged steel will be hammered into the one of the most powerful and famous cannons in modern warfare – a mighty weapon which played a large role in the liberation of Kuwait from Saddam Hussein in the Gulf War, among countless other military stages.The PARACHUTE: The idea of a parachute is simple: a canopy traps a large volume of air, creating enough resistance to dramatically reduce your terminal velocity. So, you can jump out of a plane and land softly on the ground. But at the Spekon factory in Germany, stitching several sheets of lightweight material together can create an air-resistant canopy that can drop a fighting force out of the sky and turn the tides of war. On a single day in March 1945, 16,000 British and American infantry were dropped onto the Eastern banks of the Rhine as part of Operation Varsity. Securing strategic towns and bridges they played a pivotal role in the Allied Victory.The SACRIFICE MEDAL: The thousand-ounce bars of pure silver bullion used to manufacture this prestigious honour are worth $30,000 apiece. But some of Canada’s bravest have paid a much higher price. The Sacrifice Medal was created in 2008 and is manufactured at the Royal Canadian Mint in Canada’s capital city, Ottawa. Today, it’s been awarded to 780 Canadians wounded or killed in the service of their country. In Afghanistan in 2007, a deadly IED blast wounded a young soldier named Simon Mailloux. As a result, his left leg had to be amputated. 2 years later, Simon was awarded the Sacrifice Medal and became the first Canadian amputee to be returned to active duty.The YELLOW JACKET STRETCHER: In search and rescue, getting the victims swiftly and safely to medical attention is critical. But sometimes a traditional stretcher, which consists of 2 poles and a piece of canvas, does more harm than good. Now the Yellow Jacket