Battle of Monmouth
On June 28, 1778, US and British forces clashed at Monmouth Court House, New Jersey. While the battle was inconclusive, it produced one of the war’s most notable legend – Molly Pitcher.
Military
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U.S. Captures Okinawa
On June 21, 1945, US troops captured Okinawa from the Japanese. It was the last major WWII battle in the Pacific and has been called the “typhoon of steel” for the fierce fighting, intense kamikaze attacks, and large number of Allied ships and vehicles that assaulted the island.
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The Founding of the National Archives
On June 19, 1934, President Franklin Roosevelt signed legislation creating the National Archives. The archives houses billions of historic documents, photographs, maps, videos, and more.
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Start of V-Mail Service
On June 15, 1942, the Post Office Department inaugurated its V-Mail service. During World War II, letters bound for service personnel were photographed and transferred to microfilm. This special process enabled letters to take up a fraction of their usual space on planes going to war zones, allowing more room for crucial supplies.
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Birth of Gustaf Mannerheim
Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was born on June 4, 1867, in Askainen, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire. A soldier, statesman, Marshal and President of Finland, Mannerheim led his countrymen though multiple wars, and is sometimes called the father of modern Finland.
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Aleutian Islands Campaign
One June 3, 1942, Japanese forces kicked of the 14-month Aleutian Islands Campaign. The campaign’s two Japanese invasions were the only ones on US soil during the war.
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Birth of “Wild Bill” Hickok
James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok was born on May 27, 1837, in Homer, Illinois (present-day Troy Grove). A soldier, scout, lawman, gambler, showman, expert marksman, and gunfighter, he was a legend in his own time.
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Birth of John L. Hines
General John Leonard “Birdie” Hines was born on May 21, 1868, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. During World War I, Hines successively commanded a regiment, brigade, division, and corps in combat. He was the first person to do that since the Civil War.
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First Public Performance of “Stars and Stripes Forever”
On May 14, 1897, John Philip Sousa’s band officially debuted his march “Stars and Stripes Forever” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It quickly became a hit, with calls for it to replace the “Star Spangled Banner” as the national anthem. Instead, it was made the national march in 1987.
