On March 13, 1942, the US Army officially launched its War Dog Program, marking the beginning of organized military service for American dogs. Today, that date is remembered as National K9 Veterans Day, honoring the loyalty, courage, and sacrifice of the dogs that have served beside US troops.
On March 12, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi began a 240-mile march to the sea to protest British control of India’s salt supply. The simple act of picking up a handful of salt would ignite nationwide civil disobedience and draw the world’s attention to India’s struggle for independence.
On March 11, 1977, the United States Postal Service issued its first se-tenant stamps in booklet form. Released at New York City’s INTERPEX stamp show, the unusual booklet combined two postal rates in a single pane and introduced the first multicolor US booklet stamp.
On March 10, 1862, the United States government issued its first widely circulated national paper money. These new notes, soon nicknamed “greenbacks,” were created during the financial strain of the American Civil War and transformed how the federal government financed itself.
On March 9, 1841, the US Supreme Court issued its final ruling in the case of United States v. Schooner Amistad. The decision ended a two-year legal battle over whether a group of kidnapped Africans were property—or free people who had fought for their liberty.
Cattle rancher Charles Goodnight was born on March 5, 1836, in Macoupin County, Illinois. One of America’s most famous cattle barons, Goodnight helped blaze a major cattle trail and is sometimes referred to as the “Father of the Texas Panhandle.”
On March 3, 1931, the United States officially adopted “The Star-Spangled Banner” as its national anthem. The decision came more than a century after the song was written, ending years of debate and finally giving the nation a single, official anthem.
On February 24, 1960, the US Navy submarine USS Triton slipped beneath the surface to begin the first fully submerged circumnavigation of the globe. The daring departure marked the start of a 60-day underwater journey that would prove just how far nuclear submarine technology had advanced during the tense years of the Cold War.
On February 23, 1942, millions of Americans were gathered around their radios listening to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s fireside chat. At almost the same moment — 7:15 p.m. Pacific time — a Japanese submarine surfaced one mile off the California coast and began shelling an oil field near Santa Barbara. The war had just arrived on the American mainland.
Benjamin Harrison, America’s 23rd president died on March 13, 1901. His administration was notable for its antitrust, financial, and foreign policy initiatives.
On March 13, 1997, the USPS issued its first triangle-shaped stamps to promote the upcoming Pacific ’97 Stamp Show.
On March 13, 1781, William Hershel discovered Uranus, the first of the planets to be discovered in modern times.
On March 13, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced the Alliance for Progress to provide economic and social aid to Latin America.
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