This day in U.S. military history, July 21st: 1861: The U.S. and C.S. Armies meet in Northern Virginia at their first major battle, Known as "Bull Run" or "Manassas." Confederate Gen. Thomas J. Jackson earned the nickname "Stonewall" at this battle. Though the Union Army met initial successes, by the latter stages of the battle, the Confederates turned the tide, setting the U.S. forces to retreat back to D.C., in what became known as "The Great Skedaddle." 1877: The Maryland Militia fires on strikers and citizens in street battles that had begun the day before when citizens of Baltimore and strikers from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad attacked them. 1918: The German submarine U-156 surfaced off Orleans, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and shelled U.S. vessels and the shoreline. A tugboat and four barges were sunk, and the submarine departed, her raid successful. 1944: Troops of the US 3rd Amphibious Corps land on Guam. The 3rd Marine Division establishes a beachhead at Asan, west of Agana. The 1st Marine Division comes ashore at Agat. 1950: Maj. Gen. William F. Dean was reported missing in action as his 24th Infantry Division fought its way out of Taejon. During that action, he set the example by single-handedly attacking a T-34 tank with a grenade and directing the fire of others from an exposed position. As his division withdrew, he remained with the rearguard, rounding up stragglers and aiding the wounded. It was learned later that he had been captured about 35 miles south of Taejon on Aug. 25. Since the communists kept his capture a secret, he was presumed dead. In early 1951, President Truman presented the Medal of Honor to his wife in a White House ceremony. He was the only general officer and, at 51, the oldest man to receive the Medal of Honor during the Korean War. 1997: The U.S.S. Constitution, "Old Ironsides," which defended the United States during the War of 1812, set sail with 216 crew members under its own power for first time in 116 years, leaving its temporary anchorage at Marblehead, Mass., for a one-hour voyage marking its 200th anniversary. The actual anniversary was the following October. It was built in 1797 and was never defeated in 42 battles. Prior to this launch her Navy crew received training in sailing a square rigger aboard the Coast Guard’s Eagle. The Coast Guard then enforced security and safety zones around the Navy frigate during her brief voyage around the harbor. More than 800 Coast Guard personnel, 10 cutters, three helicopters and 81 small boats were involved in the operation.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 16:49:25 +0000
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