Executive Order 9981
On July 26, 1948, President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981, calling for the end of racial discrimination in the US armed forces.
Army
Birth of US Army’s Medal of Honor
On July 12, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation creating a Medal of Honor to be awarded to members of the Army. Of the more than 3,500 medals of honor awarded since then, 1,520 were for Civil War service.
Union Wins the Battle of Gettysburg
On July 3, 1863, Union forces turned the tide of the Civil War with their victory at the Battle of Gettysburg. It helped to raise morale in the North and was a major turning point in the war.
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army was established as the East London Christian Mission on July 2, 1865. Now operating 133 countries, they’re currently assisting over four million people worldwide with over $57 million in donations.
Birth of George Washington Goethals
US Army general and civil engineer, George Washington Goethals was born on June 29, 1858, in Brooklyn, New York. Under his leadership, the Panama Canal was completed two years ahead of schedule.
Battle of Sullivan’s Island
On June 28, 1776, South Carolina patriots won their first decisive victory of the Revolutionary War at Sullivan’s Island.
GI Bill
On June 22, 1944, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, also known as the GI Bill, into law.
Arkansas Becomes 25th State
On June 15, 1836, Arkansas was admitted as the 25th state of the Union. Statehood was hotly debated for 25 hours before being approved and signed into law by President Andrew Jackson.
Allies Storm Normandy On D-Day
On June 6, 1944, some 155,000 Allied troops stormed the shores of Normandy on D-Day, the start of Operation Overlord.