Downfall & Survivial
Category: This Week in Army History
The Army Is Here
Overlord US Military History
Sabre Supremacy📚US Military History
Atomic Annie US Military History
Jet Ace & The Regulators US Military History
The Last Battle
Geronimo & Ace of Aces
Doolittle Raid
18 APR 1942 – In the first operation to strike the Japanese home islands during WW2, a strike group of 16 B-25 medium bombers takes off from the deck of the USS Hornet to attack several Japanese cities. The Doolittle Raid, or Tokyo Raid, was led and planned by LTC James Doolittle of the US Army…
Entering WW1 & Leaving The Civil War
Operation Pegasus & Leaving Vietnam
29 MAR 1973 – With the signing of the Paris Peace Accords months before in January, the last American troops leave Vietnam. American involvement in Vietnam began in the years after WW2, aiding the French as they sought to remain in power within the country. It was in 1965 that the first ground troops, 3,500 Marines,…
Andrews Raid & USS Hornet
23 MAR 1775 – During the Second Virginia Convention Patrick Henry responds to increasingly oppressive British rule. In his speech he would famously exclaim “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”. After the signing of the Declaration of Independence he would be appointed the…
A Generation Ends & Reporting To Duty
15 MAR 1916 – In response to a perceived lack of preparedness, Congress passed the National Defense Act of 1916. The law was an update of the Militia Act of 1903 and saw the expansion of both the US Army and National Guard. It also created a reserve Officers’ and Enlisted Reserve Corps and the Reserve Officers’…
Super Dreadnought & Eisenhower
7 Mar 1994 – For the first time in the US Navy’s history women are assigned orders aboard a combatant ship, the USS Eisenhower. The historic assignment came as military and civilian leaders reassessed the overall involvement of women in combat after the Gulf War. Later that year in October the Eisenhower would depart for a…
Operation Rolling Thunder & Grants Promotion
29 FEB 1944 – The Office of Price Administration announces that in 1943 the black market made over 1 billion dollars due to war time rationing. Goods and food such as meat, sugar and car tires were all rationed and at times unavailable on the civilian market during the war. As a result, many citizens turned to…
Burning the Philadelphia & ROE
14 FEB 1778 – The USS Ranger, under command by John Paul Jones, arrives in France. The USS Ranger was flying for the first time, to a foreign port, the recently adopted Stars and Stripes. This marks the first time the US flag was recognized by a foreign vessel, after a French Admiral rendered a 9 gun…
The Stars and Stripes and Eagle Fury
08 FEB 1918 – The unofficial newspaper, Stars and Stripes, of the US Armed Forces begins publication for the second time near the end of WW1. The paper began in 1861 during the Civil War as Union troops occupying Bloomfield, Missouri found all the newspaper shops in the town empty. The paper went out of print during…
Go For Broke & Yankee Racehorse
1 FEB 1800 – During the Quasi-War with France the USS Constellation engaged the French Navy’s La Vengeance. The La Vengeance was a slightly lighter ship but was more heavily armed on its broadsides. During a tense 5 hour battle the two ships would twice come close enough that boarding parties would be called forward, with each time…
The Noble Train of Artillery & SOG
24 JAN 1964 – The Studies and Observation Group, known also as MACV-SOG is officially created. The group was a highly secretive and classified group of special operations forces from across the US Military and CIA that conducted covert unconventional warfare operations during and prior to the Vietnam War. The group had a shaky start as US special operations forces were…
Air Attacks & New Slogans
11 JAN 2001 – In an unexpected move the US Army unveils its newest slogan. After criticism of only advertising during male only televised sports, the Army broadcast its newest commercial during the airing of a new Friends episode. The move was to engage a wider audience, and to help shake to image of an all male fighting force. The…