On this day in 1972, a pilot faces an impossible choice: One path offers his best hope of survival. The other gives a fellow serviceman a fighting chance to live. Naturally, Captain Steven Bennett chose to help his fellow man. Perhaps his family would have expected nothing less. “He was a fine young fella,” Bennett’s uncle would later reminisce, “who came from a modest family and came up from moderate means. He worked his way through school. . . . He was a first-class citiz

On this day in 1927, the United States Marine Corps adopts a mascot: the English bulldog. Did you ever wonder why Marines are sometimes called “Devil Dogs” and why their mascot is a bulldog? There’s more uncertainty surrounding the issue than you might think. As the story goes, the phrase “Devil Dogs” came into use after the World War I Battle of Belleau Wood. It’s said that Marines fought so ferociously that the Germans called them “Teufel Hunden” or “Devil Dogs.” The Ge

On this day in 1929, a project born from floods, ruined farms, and an accidental inland sea takes a major step forward. The Colorado River had long been a problem for Americans in the Southwest, but soon a dam—known today as “Hoover Dam”—would provide some relief. The project had been a long time coming. Roughly 25 years earlier, the Colorado River had flooded. There was so much water that an inland sea was accidentally created: the Salton Sea. Needless to say, farms in t

On this day in 1784, the first American “aviator” takes to the skies. Would you believe that this individual was none other than a 13-year-old boy? The young teenager made history when he climbed into a hot air balloon and floated into the sky—the first American ever to do so. But how did a 13-year-old boy come to be in that position? The Montgolfier balloon ascending in Paris (November 21, 1783) It all started because Americans were then fascinated by balloons. Late in 178

On this day in 1780, the Battle of Springfield is fought. The conflict was “one of the crucial turning points of the War for Independence,” as noted by historian Thomas Fleming, despite the fact that it has been “largely ignored by most historians of the American Revolution.” To be honest, Americans should have lost the battle, and the Revolution probably should have ended right there. But the Patriots got a lucky break! It turns out that British General Henry Clinton was a b

On this day in 1918, the World War I Battle of Belleau Wood continues. Gunnery Sergeant Fred Stockham was right in the thick of it, ultimately earning a Medal of Honor for his actions. His heroism revolved around a unique feature of the Great War: poisonous gases. Stockham was perhaps an unlikely hero. Orphaned when he was young, he was raised in foster care. Did his childhood leave him with an urge to rescue others? Or did he develop an urge to rush toward danger? Mayb

On this day in 1996, a heroine passes away. Cordelia “Betty” Cook Fillmore is best known for her service in the U.S. Army: She was the first American woman to be awarded both the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. The Kentucky native had served in World War II as a combat nurse, leaving behind her new husband to do it. She’d married Army officer Capt. Harold E. Fillmore just one short month before being deployed. The two would not see each other for 21 months! They were

On this day in 1775, George Washington writes his wife, Martha. He called her “my dear Patcy.” Only a handful of letters between George and Martha still survive. This letter is one of them. The two wrote more often than that, of course. And, if any of those letters could be recovered, they would contain a treasure trove of information for historians. Unfortunately, Martha burned all the correspondence between herself and George after his death. Despite his long life in public

On this day in 1775, the Battle of Bunker Hill is fought. It was technically a British victory—but only technically. Instead, the battle proved to be a morale booster for Americans who discovered that they could hold their own against the renowned British army. What a feat! It could easily have gone the other way, especially given the events of the day before. Death of General Warren at Bunker Hill, by John Trumbull Late on June 16, Colonel William Prescott had been dispatche

On this day in 1775, roughly 1,000 American provincial soldiers gather at Cambridge. They received a blessing from the Reverend Samuel Langdon, then departed with a wagon full of tools. The hard-fought Battle of Bunker Hill would follow the next day. Oddly, that battle wasn’t fought on Bunker Hill. Instead, the conflict occurred nearby, on Breed’s Hill. Why the confusion? The answer can be found in a decision made by Colonel William Prescott on the evening of June 16. Or mayb

On this day in 1945, a cavalryman is awarded a Medal of Honor. Jack L. Knight’s bravery came in the China-Burma-India Theater of World War II, the so-called “Forgotten Theater” of the war. He is the only ground combat soldier to receive a Medal of Honor in that theater. Knight’s little brother, Bill, remembers the day that his three oldest brothers, including Jack, left to join the Texas National Guard. It was November 1940, and the boys did not think they would be gone f

At about this time in 1943, a Marine arrives at Camp Lejeune. You may know Bea Arthur for her Hollywood success and roles on Maude and The Golden Girls, but did you know she was also a Marine during World War II? She wasn’t Bea Arthur back then. When she applied to the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve, her name was Bernice Frankel. She’d applied just five days after the Marines announced the creation of the Women’s Reserve on February 13, 1943. “I was supposed to start work y

On this day in 1944, a soldier engages in an action that would earn him the Medal of Honor. Lt. Col. Robert G. Cole was then serving as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division. Perhaps you know that division for its well-known nickname: the “Screaming Eagles.” Mere days before, on D-Day, Cole had been among those invading Normandy. In fact, his unit was making its first combat jump that day—and Cole had the honor of being the first to jump out of the lead plane. Unfo

On this day in 1919, American aviatrix Ruth Law breaks an altitude record. It was just one of many records that she’d break. Indeed, Law was so well-known during her day that reporters used to call her Angel Ruth or Queen of the Aces. And yet most Americans today have never heard of this daring pioneer. Law bought her first airplane from Orville Wright in 1912. She hoped he’d teach her to fly, but he refused to do it. He thought women were not mechanically inclined. Law was

On this day in 1772, the “first bold blow” of the American Revolution occurred. Maybe you thought the “shot heard ‘round the world” carried that honor? Well, not exactly. An earlier blow was dealt in the so-called Gaspee Affair. This blow was dealt by the independent-minded Rhode Island, which was sometimes called Rogue’s Island. Perhaps it is unsurprising that the state would take the first hit at Britain?! Burning of the Gaspee Schooner by W. W. May Rhode Island merchants s

On this day in 1923, a son is born to an Italian-American family in Waynesburg, Ohio. Joseph J. Cicchetti would go on to earn a Medal of Honor for his service during World War II. Cicchetti didn’t have to serve. He had a breathing problem that prevented him from meeting the Army’s physical standards. Some might have seized upon the excuse, but not Cicchetti. Instead, he underwent surgery to correct the nasal problem. Perhaps he was just that sort of a selfless young man.

On this day in 1756, the so-called “Patriot-Artist of the Revolution” is born in Connecticut. You may know of John Trumbull’s many famous paintings, but did you also know that he was arrested as a prisoner of war during the American Revolution? The paintings in the collage are: The Signing of the Declaration of Independence, Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, General George Washington Resigning His Commission to Congress, and The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker’s H

On this day in 1942, the Battle of Midway is fought. The Japanese had taken Americans by surprise at Pearl Harbor mere months before. Now the United States would strike a decisive blow of its own. Americans entered battle with a priceless advantage: They’d recently broken a Japanese naval code. The U.S. Navy had a pretty good idea of when, where, and how the Japanese would attack. Torpedo bombers prepare for takeoff. They’d barely figured out the “where.” As cryptanalysts l

On this day in 1794, George Washington appoints six captains for the new United States Navy. One of these men, John Barry, would later be named Commodore. Is Barry rightfully called the Father of the Navy or should the title go to John Paul Jones? You will hear arguments made for both men. The Army & Navy, Genl. Washington presenting Captain Barry with his Commission, by Alfred M. Hoffy Barry came from poor beginnings in Ireland, where he learned a love of ships from his un

On this day in 1731, future First Lady Martha Washington is born. History has relegated Martha to a simple label: George’s wife. What a shame! Martha was a vivacious, bright, capable woman with her own story to tell. “She is both famous as the first First Lady and completely unknown,” her biographer Patricia Brady concludes. The future Mrs. Washington’s given name at birth was Martha Dandridge—but her family called her “Patsy.” The Dandridges were modestly successful plantati