On April 21, 1962, the Seattle World’s Fair, also known as the Century 21 Exposition, opened to the public. The fair’s themes of space and the future helped to make it a tremendous success – one of the few to turn a profit.
On April 4, 1968, the USPS issued a $1 stamp that, when combined with a parcel post stamp, was used to send mail and packages to American service members overseas.
On January 21, 1968, one of the most controversial and highly publicized battles of the Vietnam War began at Khe Sanh Combat Base (KSCB) in South Vietnam.
On November 13, 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was officially dedicated in Washington, DC. It stands as a tribute to the thousands of Americans who gave their lives in the conflict.
Dean Gooderham Acheson was born on April 11, 1893, in Middletown, Connecticut. Serving in the state department for over a decade, he was influential in many of the United States’ World War II and post-war initiatives, including the Lend-Lease Act, Marshall Plan, and NATO.
On January 27, 1973, the Paris Peace Accords ended US involvement in the Vietnam War. It marked the end of a decade of US presence in Vietnam, though the fighting would continue for two more years.
America’s 36th President, Lyndon Baines Johnson, was born on August 27, 1908, in Stonewall, Texas. President Johnson promoted a “Great Society” and signed many initiatives into law aimed at civil rights, public broadcasting, health, education, the arts, and public services.
On July 18, 1979, the first National POW/MIA Recognition Day was observed. It’s a day to honor past and present POW/MIAs, rededicate efforts to bring them home, and care for the families still waiting on their return home.
Leslie Lynch King Jr., better known as Gerald Rudolph Ford, was born on July 14, 1913, in Omaha, Nebraska. He was the only US president not elected to the presidency or vice presidency.