Military

  • Death of Henry Knox 

    On October 25, 1806, Henry Knox, Revolutionary War general and the first US Secretary of War, passed away near Thomaston, Massachusetts (now Maine). From hauling cannon across frozen rivers to helping shape the young nation’s military, Knox’s contributions helped secure American independence and lay the foundation for the United States we know today.

  • MacArthur’s Triumphant Return To Philippines 

    On October 20, 1944, General Douglas MacArthur fulfilled one of the most famous promises of World War II when he waded ashore on the Philippine island of Leyte and declared, “People of the Philippines, I have returned!” This moment marked the beginning of the long-awaited liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation and cemented MacArthur’s reputation as a determined and strategic military leader.

  • US Navy Utilizes Dolphins in Persian Gulf

    On October 13, 1987, the US Navy sent five bottlenose dolphins to the Persian Gulf to help with two important tasks: detecting underwater mines and guarding against enemy divers who might try to sabotage ships or naval installations. These dolphins were part of the Navy’s Marine Mammal Program (NMMP), which had been developing for decades. The deployment marked one of the first times dolphins were used in a combat—or near-combat—environment in the Gulf, during the Iran-Iraq War.

  • Founding the VFW

    On September 29, 1899, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) was founded in Columbus, Ohio. It’s grown to become the largest organization for combat veterans in the United States.

  • Siege Of Yorktown Begins

    On September 28, 1781, American forces launched the last major land battle of the Revolutionary War – the Siege of Yorktown. This decisive clash would lead to the surrender of British General Cornwallis and pave the way for American independence.

  • Death of Daniel Boone

    On September 26, 1820, famed American pioneer and explorer Daniel Boone died in St. Charles County, Missouri. Boone was a legendary American frontiersman and explorer whose daring adventures helped open the wilderness of Kentucky to early settlers.