Operation Pierce Arrow
On August 5, 1964, the US launched Operation Pierce Arrow in response to the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. The operation marked the start of US air operations over North Vietnam.
Military
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Creation of the U.S. Coast Guard
On August 4, 1790, President George Washington passed a new Tariff Act that created the United States Revenue Cutter Service, the forerunner of the US Coast Guard. The Revenue Cutter Service was America’s only armed maritime service until the Navy was formed in 1798.
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Operation Tidal Wave
On August 1, 1943, US Army Air Forces bombed oil refineries in Ploesti, Romania. It was part of the Allies’ oil campaign, to cut off Germany’s petroleum supply during World War II.
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The Battle of the Crater
On July 30, 1864, Union forces launched the surprise Battle of the Crater. They dug tunnels under Confederate positions and set off explosives to catch them by surprise, but poor decisions led the battle to turn against them.
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Opening of Korean War Veterans Memorial
The Korean War Veterans Memorial was officially dedicated on July 27, 1995, the 42nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War. This stamp was issued eight years later and led to a federal court case!
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Birth of Henry Knox
Henry Knox was born on July 25, 1750, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was George Washington’s right-hand man during the American Revolution and participated in most of the war’s major battles.
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First Battle of Bull Run
On July 21, 1861, Confederate forces won the First Battle of Bull Run, also known as the Battle of First Manassas. It was the first major land battle of the Civil War and the grisly fighting led both sides to realize that the war wouldn’t be won quickly.
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Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
On July 18, 1947, the United Nations established the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) to be administered by the United States. The TTPI was founded to help these small islands recover in the wake of World War II.
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Birth of Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson Guthrie was born on July 14, 1912, in Okemah, Oklahoma. He was a major figure in American folk music, writing over 1,000 songs, including his most famous, “This Land is Your Land.”
