US Military History Throughout The Years

Short bits of history you know and some you may not!

• War Debt: Sunday, October 3, 2010 – 92 years after the end of WW1, Germany completes the last reparation payment for damage caused over the four years of bloody war. In order to pay the reparations Germany had to take out foreign bonds, which quickly bankrupted the country. Germany would suspend its payments during the Great Depression and Nazi Germany would again decline payments. After WW2 West Germany would restart payments, and after reunification with East Germany continue to pay off loans taken out. The reparations that Germany paid were used by Britain and France to payoff their own debt incurred by the loans they took out from the USA. The massive amounts of money that Germany was deemed responsible to pay had a part in the discontent that led to the rise of Nazi Germany and WW2. In total Germany would pay around $400 Billion in reparations to the Allies after WW1.
• USS Cassin: Monday, October 15, 1917 – USS Cassin comes under attack from a German submarine while conducting operations near Ireland during WW1. The ship would be struck by a single torpedo, which according to the ships report would have missed but after breaching the water twice made slight turns towards the ship. The USS Cassin would be struck at the port stern and several depth charges would be set off as a result. Gunners Mate First Class Osmond Ingram would see the approaching torpedo and that it was headed for the depth charges on the ship. He would run to them and start throwing them overboard so they would not be hit and damage the ship. As he was doing so the ship was hit and he was killed in the explosion. For his bravery he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Ingram was also the first US Navy enlisted sailor to be killed during WW1.
• A First of Many: Thursday, October 11, 1951 – During the Korean War the USMC would officially put helicopters to the test. After many months of small scale lifts using transport helicopters to get troops to the front lines 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines would commence Operation Bumblebee. The plan was, for the first time ever, to move an entire Marine rifle battalion to the front lines during daylight hours. Marine leadership planned the lift like an amphibious landing and planned the load outs of helicopters in great detail. At 1000 a total of 12 Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw helicopters would begin transporting 958 Marines and 11 tons of supplies. Each flight covered 15 miles to the objective, each helicopter flying in about 30 second intervals. The operation to get all the Marines to their landing zone would take just over 6 hours and a total of 156 individual flights. The operation was a complete success and paved the way for future operations where entire combat forces would be delivered to combat zones by helicopter.
• The Navy is Born: Friday, October 13, 1775 – On this day the Continental Congress authorized the purchase of two vessels to be armed for a cruise against British merchantmen. With this action the Continental Navy, later the US Navy, was officially born. Initially the Continental Navy achieved mixed results. There were a number of significant engagements against British warships and merchantmen, but to the loss of some 24 Continental ships. At one point the Continental Navy was reduced to only two active ships due to losses. At the end of the Revolutionary War Congress would sell the Alliance, the only remaining ship of the Continental Navy due to lack of funds needed to keep the Navy maintained and supported. For nearly a decade the US would not have a navy, with the predecessor to the Coast Guard, the U.S. Revenue Marine providing the sole maritime force for the US. The Naval Act of 1794 would officially bring the US Navy into existence, with six frigates being ordered by Congress to form a standing Navy. Currently the US Navy is made of of nearly 337,000 active personnel, and over 400 total ships between the active and reserve fleet.

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