On April 28, 1948, Fort Sumter National Monument was established to preserve the site where the opening shots of the Civil War were fired. Twelve years later, nearby Fort Moultrie was added to the protected area. Together, they honor and preserve generations of American seacoast defense from the American Revolution to World War II.
American musician and songwriter Tito Puente was born on April 20, 1923, in New York City, New York.
On April 11, 1900, the US Navy acquired the USS Holland, their first modern commissioned submarine.
Naval officer John Barry was born on March 25, 1745, in Tacumshane, Ireland. A hero of the Revolutionary War, he’s been called the “Father of the American Navy.”
On February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth aboard his Friendship 7 capsule.
On February 16, 1945, the first of 7,000 American troops arrived at Corregidor, ready to retake the important Pacific outpost. A total of 174,000 soldiers would join in the battle, securing the island in 10 days.
George Dewey, the only man to hold the rank of Admiral of the Navy, died on January 16, 1917. He was a hero of the Civil War and the Spanish-American War.
On January 12, 1962, American forces participated in their first major combat of the Vietnam War – Operation Chopper.
On January 2, 1952, the US Post Office Department issued a commemorative stamp honoring Betsy Ross, one day after her 200th birthday. The stamp pictures Ross presenting the flag to George Washington and the Flag Committee.