Happy Birthday César Chávez
César Estrada Chávez was born on March 31, 1927, in Yuma, Arizona. He created the National Farm Workers Association, implementing nonviolent protests to fight for better pay and conditions.
Navy
Creation of Permanent U.S. Navy
On March 27, 1794, Congress passed the Naval Act, creating America’s permanent naval force. Since then, it has become one of the largest and most powerful navies in the world.
Happy Medal of Honor Day!
Medal of Honor Day has been celebrated on this day since 1991 to commemorate the awarding of the first six Medals of Honor for the Great Locomotive Chase. Those medals were awarded on March 25, 1863, for their daring actions of April 12, 1862.
Birth of Admiral Chester Nimitz
Chester William Nimitz was born on February 24, 1885, in Fredericksburg, Texas. He was a leading naval commander during World War II and an authority on submarines.
Birth of Adlai Stevenson II
Politician Adlai Stevenson II was born on February 5, 1900, in Los Angeles, California. He was a popular governor of Illinois and US ambassador to the United Nations.
Wilkes Expedition Discovers Antarctica
On January 19, 1840, US Naval captain Charles Wilkes became the first American to explore the coast of Antarctica. His two year expedition circumnavigated the globe and is credited with playing a significant role in the development of 19th-century science.
Army & Navy Issue
On December 15, 1936, the first of 10 stamps in the Army/Navy Set was issued. The stamps honor 18 military leaders from the Revolutionary War to Spanish-American War.
Birth of Richard Byrd
Richard Evelyn Byrd was born on October 25, 1888, in Winchester, Virginia. Byrd led three Antarctic expeditions and was the US Navy’s youngest admiral at the time.
Death of Herman Melville
On September 28, 1891, author Herman Melville died in his New York City home. While it was a moderate success during his lifetime, Melvile’s novel Moby-Dick is now considered a masterpiece of American literature.