In 1943, North Africa had been liberated and the next planned invasion was Sicily. There was legitimate concern about how bloody that invasion could be, especially if the Germans reinforced the island. Convincing them that the invasion would occur elsewhere would greatly enhance the chances of success and greatly Read more…
Today is the anniversary of the birth of the last American Revolution figure to be President. So, in honor of the man holding the flag in the painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware” here are some interesting facts and trivia about the only candidate to get all but one of the Read more…
On March 15, 1951, United Nations forces recaptured Seoul (for the second and last time) and pushed northward to establish a defensive line protecting the capital. The UN army was stretched thin and relied on holding hills to prevent a Chinese breakthrough. In April, the British 29th Infantry Brigade Read more…
Shoichi Yokoi was 26 years old when he left his job as a tailor because he had been drafted into the Japanese army in 1941. He was sent to China and then transferred to Guam. He rose to the rank of sergeant and was a good soldier. When the Read more…
At 9:56 P.M. on April 20, 2010, a massive explosion occurred on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. It resulted in 11 deaths and the worst maritime oil spill in history. What happened and why? The well was operated by the oil company B.P. Read more…
At 5:13 A.M. on Tuesday April 18, 1906, San Francisco was hit by an earthquake that has been estimated to be an 8.5 on the Richter scale. It was felt 730 miles away. It destroyed electric lines, trolley tracks, water pipes, bridges, and buildings. Communications, transportation, and medical services Read more…
The Great Roman Fire started on the night of June 18, 64 A.D. It most likely started either in an apartment building or a shop. Poor Romans lived in multi-story apartment buildings called insulae. People cooked in their apartments. Some of the shops sold fast food or sold flammable Read more…
In 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union divided Poland. Within two years, Hitler broke their nonaggression pact and invaded Russia. By 1943, the Red Army was pushing German forces back into Eastern Europe. On April 13, 1943, the Germans uncovered mass graves in the Katyn Forest near Smolensk Read more…
William Pitsenbarger was 21 when he sacrificed his life for others. He was born in Ohio on July 8, 1944. As a high school junior, he tried to enlist in the Marines, but his parents refused to sign off. After graduating, he enlisted in the Air Force and volunteered Read more…
So how did we get a rabbit associated with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ? In the Neolithic Age into the Iron Age, some cultures buried people with a rabbit as a symbol of rebirth. The ancient Greeks associated rabbits with Aphrodite and her son Eros was sometimes depicted holding Read more…