Don’t learn your history from Disney. Actually, the movie “Pocahontas” did not invent the legend. The tale of Pocahontas saving John Smith’s life is almost surely a myth. In the famous story, Smith had been captured by her father Powhatan’s tribe and he was to be executed. As his Read more…
17 astronauts have died in the space program. The first three perished in an accident on Jan. 27, 1967. Virgil Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee were training for the first Apollo mission. It was scheduled for Feb. 21. “Gus” Grissom was the team leader. He was one of Read more…
In military terminology, “Broken Arrow” is an accident involving a nuclear bomb that does not result in detonation. From 1950-1980, there were 21 declassified incidents where nuclear bombs were lost, accidentally dropped, ejected from a plane for safety reasons, or on planes that crashed. Probably the most serious of those Read more…
Several phrases we use today originated in the Royal Navy in the days of wooden warships. “chock-a-block” – this refers to the blocks used on pulleys to raise cargo onto the ship. When the two blocks got next to each other, the pulley would jam and could not be Read more…
A typical seaman in the Royal Navy in the early 19th Century was awakened at 3:40. He and his mates gathered on the deck for muster and inspection and then morning watch began. Each tar (as the sailors were called) had a job to do. Some would scrub and Read more…
On Jan. 23, 1968, the U.S. surveillance ship USS Pueblo was on routine duty 16 miles off the coast of North Korea. The ship’s job was to monitor North Korea for intelligence information as part of Operation Clickbeetle. Suddenly, North Korean warships approached with evil intent. Capt. Lloyd Blucher Read more…
One of the most famous battles in British history took place on Jan. 22, 1879. The Battle of Rorke’s Drift took place during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. The war was brought about because of British desire to expand its South African colony into Zululand. They manufactured a threat Read more…
Today is the anniversary of the birth of Thomas Jackson, a man who was a much better general than teacher. Here is a cute story from his teaching career. Stonewall Jackson was one of the greatest generals in American History, but he was one of the worst teachers, too. Read more…
On January 20, 1870, Victoria Woodhull and her sister open the first stock brokerage firm run by women. Victoria Woodhull had a tough childhood. Her father was a small-time criminal and the family lived in poverty. At age 13, she and her sister would conduct seances and turn the money Read more…
Iva Toguri D’Aquino was born to Japanese immigrants in 1916 in Los Angeles. In 1941, she reluctantly went to Japan to care for an ailing relative. Although she did not intend to stay, she was caught in Japan when Pearl Harbor occurred. She was 25 years old. Pressured by Read more…