Happy Birthday, Martha Gellhorn
One of the world’s first female war correspondents, Martha Ellis Gellhorn, was born on November 8, 1908, in St. Louis, Missouri.
One of the world’s first female war correspondents, Martha Ellis Gellhorn, was born on November 8, 1908, in St. Louis, Missouri.
Marguerite Higgins Hall was born on September 3, 1920, in Hong Kong, China. A war correspondent for World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, she was the first woman awarded a Pulitzer Prize for international reporting.
Ethel Lois Payne was born on August 14, 1911, in Chicago, Illinois. Known as the “First Lady of the Black Press,” he was the first black female war correspondent in Vietnam and the first black female commentator on a major radio and television network.
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.
The forerunner of the US Army Reserve was established on April 23, 1908. It was the nation’s first federal reserve – providing fully-trained and prepared troops in times of need. Today, there are over 815,000 reservists across all the military branches.
Gospel singer Clara Mae Ward was born on April 21, 1924, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was a talented singer who helped push gospel out of churches into nightclubs, which earned her both praise and criticism.
American diplomat Philip Charles Habib was born on February 25, 1920, in Brooklyn, New York. He was a respected peace negotiator and special envoy for 30 years and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his life’s work.
On October 18, 1997, the Women in Military Service for America Memorial (WIMSA) was officially dedicated in Arlington County, Virginia.
On July 18, 1979, the first National POW/MIA Recognition Day was observed.