World War II

On January 1, 1911, Henry Benjamin Greenberg was born in New York City, New York. One of the greatest sluggers in baseball history, he put his career on hold to serve 47 months with the Army during World War II, the most of any major league player.

On December 22, 1941, US and British leaders met at the White House for the first time to discuss military strategy for World War II. The Arcadia Conference, as it was known, established Allied goals for the war and laid the groundwork for the United Nations.

On December 1, 1941, the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), was established in Washington, DC. Unpaid volunteers formed the Civil Air Patrol, using privately owned aircraft and their own funds to support the military.

On November 21, 1905, Einstein published a paper that presented one of the world’s most famous formulas — E=mc2.

Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr was born on November 18, 1923, in Derry, New Hampshire. He was the first American (second person after Yuri Gagarin) to travel into space and the fifth person to walk on the Moon.

On November 11, 1954, America first observed Veterans Day, previously known as Armistice Day.  Initially a day set aside to honor the veterans of World War I, it was expanded in 1954 to pay tribute to all veterans.   

On November 4, 1986, the Northern Marianas became a territory of the United States. Having previously been a UN Trust Territory of the United States, this change made eligible residents US citizens.

On October 25, 1940, Benjamin O. Davis Sr. was appointed the first African American general in US Army. He was a driving force behind the desegregation of the Army, which was finally achieved just days after his retirement.

On October 18, 1867, Alaska became part of America in a move dubbed “Seward’s Folly.”