Tara Ross's This Day in History

Medal of Honor Monday: Sammy Davis

On this day in 1967, a hero engages in an action that would earn him the Medal of Honor. Sammy L. Davis has been called the “real Forrest Gump” because footage from his Medal ceremony was used in the much-loved Tom Hanks movie.

“I went to war ‘cause I loved my grandpas. And I love my country,” Davis later said. “And when I got over there, the reason why we fought so hard, was because we discovered we loved each other, that we were all we had. And we became brothers.”

On November 17, 1967, then-Pfc. Davis was serving in an artillery unit at a remote fire support base near Cai Lay, Vietnam. Fighting had been ongoing all day. As night fell, the fighting ceased—at least for a little bit.

But everyone knew another attack was coming. The story continues here: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-sammy-davis-moh

This Day in History: Battle of Fort Washington

On this day in 1776, the British demand that Patriots at Fort Washington surrender. Perhaps they thought Americans were discouraged and would simply comply? After all, George Washington and his men were coming off a nearly uninterrupted string of defeats in and around the New York area.

The latest in this string of defeats had occurred at White Plains, where Washington had once again found himself in retreat.

Did he feel like he was always retreating in those days? It must have been discouraging. Also: How miraculous that Washington’s men seemed to be always escaping and living to fight again another day. General Washington’s persistence would eventually win our Revolution.

The story continues here: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-fort-washington

This Week in History: The Yorkie Doodle Dandy of WWII

At about this time in 2005, a memorial is dedicated for Smoky, the “Yorkie Doodle Dandy” of World War II. Smoky was a little Yorkshire Terrier who served alongside Corporal William “Bill” Wynne in the 5th Air Force, 26th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron.

Wynne would call her a “mighty little dog I was fortunate enough to have.”

Corporal Wynne first met Smoky when he was serving as an aerial photographer in New Guinea. Another G.I. had found the dog in an abandoned foxhole. Poor Smoky was skin and bones! Wynne ended up buying her for two Australian pounds (about $6.44). From then on, man and dog were inseparable.

Wynne taught Smoky tricks during his free time, but Smoky also hung out in the darkroom with Wynne when he was working. When air raid sirens sounded, the two would run for cover together. Many soldiers came to believe that Smoky instinctively knew which shelter was best. They began following her to the hole that she chose.

FULL STORY: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-smoky-dog

This Day in History: Non-Signers of the Constitution

On this day in 1819, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention passes away. Caleb Strong of Massachusetts attended the Convention, but he never signed the Constitution.

Have you ever thought about the men who were appointed to serve at the Convention, but who failed to sign the document?

Roughly three dozen men fall into this category of “non-signer” of the Constitution. Of these, only a small handful deliberately rejected the substance of the document. Others didn’t sign, but for different reasons.

The story continues here: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-nonsigners-constitution

This Day in History: Abraham Lincoln elected

On this day in 1860, Abraham Lincoln is elected President of the United States. Such an achievement must have seemed impossible during his early childhood years.

Lincoln was born in a tiny log cabin in Kentucky. When Abe was 7 years old, his family moved to Indiana, where they squatted on a plot of land until they finally earned enough to purchase it legally.

Unfortunately, Abe’s mom died roughly 2 years later. His dad soon remarried Sarah Bush Johnston.

Sarah proved to be a blessing. She encouraged Abe to learn. Abe still never really received much in the way of a formal education, but he taught himself as much as he could. His stepmother later recalled that “Abe read all the books he could lay his hands on—and when he came across a passage that Struck him he would write it down . . .”

The story continues here : https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-abraham-lincoln-election

This Day in History: USS Philadelphia set ablaze

On this day in 1803, the Tripolitans capture a stranded American vessel. Mere months later, Navy legend Stephen Decatur would set that same U.S. frigate ablaze. His action has been called the “most bold and daring act of the age.”

But why would a United States naval officer set an American ship ablaze?

The audacious stunt occurred during the First Barbary War, soon after USS Philadelphia ran into an uncharted reef on October 31, 1803. She was soon captured by the Tripolitans and was considered a valuable prize. Once repaired, she would be the Barbary states’ most powerful warship. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy had only one remaining ship as powerful as the one they’d lost: USS Constitution.

FULL STORY: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-burning-uss-philadelphia

This Day in History: Martha Jefferson

On this day in 1748, Martha Wayles, future wife of Thomas Jefferson, is born.

Martha “Patty” Wayles Skelton Jefferson is a bit of a mystery! We don’t even have a portrait of her, although the attached silhouette is believed to be hers. Jefferson burned all of their correspondence after her death. By all accounts, though, the two were deeply in love.

Patty was a young and wealthy widow when the two married on New Year’s Day in 1772. Their first child was born 8 months and 26 days after their wedding. They named her Martha, and they called her “Patsy.” Mrs. Jefferson would have six total children over the course of her ten year marriage to Jefferson. Only two would live to adulthood.

FULL STORY: http://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-martha-jefferson

This Day in History: Cal Poly Football Team Tragedy

On this day in 1960, a plane carrying the Cal Poly football team crashes in Ohio. The tragedy was the first airline crash involving a United States sports team.

Amazingly, 26 people survived.

The Cal Poly team had been in Ohio to play a football game, of course. That game against Bowling Green hadn’t gone very well. Afterwards, the players just wanted to get home. Surely no one was happy about the dense fog that descended upon the area. Would Cal Poly’s chartered plane be able to take off?

The pilot entrusted with the decision, it was later discovered, was flying with a suspended license. The story continues here: http://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-cal-poly-1960

Medal of Honor Monday: Lucian Adams

On this day in 1944, a hero engages in an action that would earn him the Medal of Honor. SSgt. Lucian Adams didn’t plan to serve in the military. He’d expected to be a professional baseball player.

“About the last thing I was planning on,” he later laughed, “was becoming a soldier and certainly it never occurred to me to be a hero. I was drafted, and once I got in the Army, I decided it was a job and I would do the best I could.”

Either way, his strong throwing arm would prove useful in France during World War II, as a local Texas journalist later observed, because Adams could forcefully hurl grenades at enemy machine gun nests.

FULL STORY: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-lucian-adams-moh

This Day in History: "The most dangerous moment of the Cold War”

On this day in 1962, the United States Navy spots a Russian submarine near Bermuda.  What followed was “not only the most dangerous moment of the Cold War,” historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. concludes. “It was the most dangerous moment in human history.”

Russia and America had been teetering on the brink of war for weeks, ever since Soviet missile sites were discovered in Cuba. The United States responded with a naval blockade, and the Soviets sent submarines.

Americans couldn’t then know it, but four of these submarines were carrying nuclear-tipped torpedoes. Worse, the Soviet captains were authorized to use them.

Permalink: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-vasili-arkhipov

This Day in History: Israel Bissell

On this day in 1823, Israel Bissell passes away. Was he the real hero hiding behind the oft-told story of Paul Revere?

Some people believe so.

In reality, it’s hard to be certain about too much when it comes to Israel Bissell’s life and daring ride. Indeed, when push comes to shove, even his identity is in question.

FULL STORY : https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-israel-bissell

This Day in History: George Washington vs. Pacifists

On or around this day in 1789, George Washington writes a letter to a minority religious group, the Quakers.

“The liberty enjoyed by the People of these States,” he wrote, “of worshipping Almighty God agreable to their Consciences, is not only among the choicest of their Blessings, but also of their Rights.”

The statement was significant, coming from the former American General. Remember, he was Commander-in-Chief of the army during the American Revolution, but the pacifist Quakers wouldn’t take up arms to help.

Worse, Washington suspected that some of them were actively spying for the British army.

FULL STORY: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-washington-quakers

This Day in History: Yorktown

On this day in 1781, British General Lord Charles Cornwallis raises a white flag of surrender to American General George Washington. An official surrender would come on October 19, effectively ending the American Revolution.

Americans had won an impossible victory!

Washington believed our victory would not have happened but for the hand of Divine Providence.

The story continues here: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-yorktown

This Day in History: Cuban Missile Crisis

On this day in 1962, John F. Kennedy is shown photos of Soviet nuclear missile installations, then under construction in Cuba. Russian missiles just 90 miles from Florida?  The days that followed would be tense and came to be known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.

“[T]he world came closest to blowing itself up during thirteen days in October 1962,” historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. has described. “Two superpowers overarmed with nuclear weapons challenged each other in what could have spiraled so easily into the ultimate catastrophe.”

The story continues here: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-cuban-missile-crisis

This Day in History: Coolidge on Government

On this day in 1924, Calvin Coolidge speaks at a ceremony as an equestrian statue to Bishop Francis Asbury is dedicated.

"There are only two main theories of government in the world," he concludes. "One rests on righteousness, the other rests on force."

What an interesting quote, given recent events. Don't you think?

This Day in History: The First President to Fly

On this day in 1910, Theodore Roosevelt becomes the first United States President to fly in an airplane. Presidents board airplanes on a routine basis these days, but back then, the move was viewed as inherently risky.

“Col. Roosevelt defied death late yesterday,” one 1910 newspaper blared, “when he went up in an aeroplane with Aviator Arch Hoxsey.”

Perhaps, though, Americans were used to the former Rough Rider’s love of adventure? By then, Roosevelt was an ex-President who’d spent his first months out of office on a safari in Africa and a tour of Europe.

Now he was back in the States, but his flight doesn’t appear to have been pre-planned.

The story continues here: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-roosevelt-flight

This Day in History: Airship USS Shenandoah

On this day in 1923, USS Shenandoah is christened. The rigid airship was intended for airborne surveillance, similar to what Germany achieved during World War I. Shenandoah was also the first rigid airship constructed by the United States, and the first to rely on helium, rather than the more flammable hydrogen.

Unfortunately, Shenandoah wouldn’t last long. She was caught in a storm in 1925, killing 14 of 43 men aboard, including her captain.

What a sad ending for the airship that was then said to be the “pride of the U.S. Navy.”

And who can blame the Navy for being proud? Shenandoah boasted five 300-horsepower, six-cylinder Packard engines, and she could reach a top speed of 60 mph. After her christening, she made test flights across the United States, even impressing the nation with a transcontinental flight in October 1924. She became a popular sight, and local officials began requesting flights over their cities.

The story continues here: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-uss-shenandoah