On April 9, 1921, Postmaster General Will H. Hays took an extraordinary step: he ordered the arming of postal workers who handled the nation’s most valuable mail. The order came after a sharp rise in armed robberies, when trains, mail cars, and postal employees had become targets for thieves looking for cash, securities, and registered mail.
On April 3, 1865, Union forces entered Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederacy, following their breakthrough at Petersburg. The fall of the city marked the collapse of the South’s political center and signaled that the Civil War’s end was close at hand.
On March 22, 1820, naval hero Stephen Decatur was mortally wounded in a duel with a former friend and fellow officer. The shocking encounter ended the life of one of America’s most respected naval leaders and revealed how personal rivalries could turn deadly, even among national figures.
On March 21, 1891, General Joseph E. Johnston—who had served both the United States and the Confederacy—died after a final act of respect for a former enemy. His life traced the divided loyalties of the Civil War, and even in death, it reflected a measure of reconciliation between North and South.
On March 19, 1941, the War Department ordered the creation of the 99th Pursuit Squadron, better known as the Tuskegee Airmen. What began as a reluctant experiment soon became one of the most disciplined and effective fighter programs of World War II.
On March 13, 1942, the US Army officially launched its War Dog Program, marking the beginning of organized military service for American dogs. Today, that date is remembered as National K9 Veterans Day, honoring the loyalty, courage, and sacrifice of the dogs that have served beside US troops.
Cattle rancher Charles Goodnight was born on March 5, 1836, in Macoupin County, Illinois. One of America’s most famous cattle barons, Goodnight helped blaze a major cattle trail and is sometimes referred to as the “Father of the Texas Panhandle.”
On March 3, 1931, the United States officially adopted “The Star-Spangled Banner” as its national anthem. The decision came more than a century after the song was written, ending years of debate and finally giving the nation a single, official anthem.
On February 24, 1960, the US Navy submarine USS Triton slipped beneath the surface to begin the first fully submerged circumnavigation of the globe. The daring departure marked the start of a 60-day underwater journey that would prove just how far nuclear submarine technology had advanced during the tense years of the Cold War.