Spirit of 76

The 4th of July – A Time for Celebration

Letter from John Adams to his daughter Abigail on July 5th about the previous day: “In the morning the Delaware frigate, several large gallies, and other continental armed vessels, the Pennsylvania ship and row gallies and guard boats, were all hawled off in the river, and several of them beautifully dressed in the colours of all nations, displayed about upon the masts, yards, and rigging. At one o’clock the ships were all manned, that is, the men were all ordered [...]

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german panzers prepare barbarossa attack soviet union

Today in Military History – Russia Attacks Germany

The Soviet attack begins. There are four front-level commands engaged in the operation, under the STAVKA direction of Marshal Zhukov (the southern wing) and Marshal Vasilevsky (the northern wing). From left to right: 1st Belorussian Front (Rokossovsky); 2nd Belorussian Front (Zakharov); 3rd Belorussian Front (Cherniakhovsky); and, 1st Baltic Front (Bagramian). The Soviet combat forces directly engaged in the offensive amount to over 1,250,000 men (in 124 divisions), over 4000 tanks and self-propelled guns, over 24,000 artillery pieces and over [...]

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Okinawa

Today in Military History – June 22nd – Okinawa Finally Falls

On Okinawa, on June 22nd, 1945, the battle ends. American forces have lost 12,500 dead and 35,500 wounded. The US Navy has had 36 ships sunk and 368 damaged. In the air, the American forces have lost 763 planes. The Japanese losses include 120,000 military and 42,000 civilian dead. For the first time in the war, there are a relatively large number of Japanese prisoners: 10,755. American reports claim the Japanese have lost 7,830 planes. Based on the American losses [...]

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Medal of Honor

Today in Military History – June 2nd – Vietnam Hero Wins Medal of Honor

Captain James A. Graham Captain James A. Graham, United States Marine Corps.  For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer, Company F, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division, in the Republic of Vietnam on 2 June 1967. During Operation UNION II, the First Battalion, Fifth Marines, consisting of Companies A and D, with Captain Graham’s company attached, launched an attack against an enemy occupied position, with two [...]

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James Lawrence

Today in Military History – June 1st – “Dont Give Up The Ship”

June 1, 1813 The Navy gets its Battle Cry!  James Lawrence was born in Burlington, New Jersey but raised in Woodbury, New Jersey, the son of John and Martha (Tallman) Lawrence. His mother died when he was an infant and his Loyalist father fled to Canada during the American Revolution, leaving his half-sister to care for him. Though he studied law, he entered the United States Navy as a midshipman in 1798. Upon his return to the United States in [...]

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