Category History
B-29 BOMBER’S MAIDEN FLIGHT 79 YEARS AGO, WITH HISTORY TO FOLLOW
On this day in 1942, the first B-29 Superfortress bomber made its maiden flight in Seattle. Built by Boeing and the brainchild of General Henry H. “Hap’ Arnold, this plane was a modern marvel. (Incidentally, Arnold learned to fly at the hands of the Wright brothers, but that’s another story.) It was the first U.S. […]
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: FUTURE PRESIDENT FED UNION TROOPS UNDER FIRE
On this day in 1862, Union commissary Sergeant William McKinley braved enemy fire to feed Union troops during the Battle of Antietam – the single bloodiest day on American soil – and earned the praise of Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes. McKinley, then just 19 years old and serving in the 23rd Ohio Volunteers, drove a […]
CALIFORNIA’S VETERANS CAN HELP AFGHAN REFUGEES BEGIN LIVES ANEW
The 20-year war in Afghanistan is over. More than 2,400 American military personnel died fighting there. Four Californians were among the 13 servicemembers who perished in the evacuation operation’s final days. The war also claimed the lives of more than 3,600 civilian contractors and tens of thousands of Afghans since 2001. Many Americans who served […]
ADMIT IT: CALIFORNIA BECAME 31ST STATE 171 YEARS AGO TODAY
On September 9, 1850, California became the 31st state in the union, just two years removed from Mexican control and joining a nation in expansion mode. After Spain ruled Mexico and the West for 300 years, Mexico gained its independence in 1821 and with it, control of California among its realm. With the United States […]
REMINDERS OF THE LABORS ON LABOR DAYS PAST FOR U.S. MILITARY
As we celebrate Labor Day weekend, here’s a bit of background on the holiday, how it came to be, and some events that happened on Labor Days throughout history. In the spring of 1894 – and after several years of growing labor unrest across the nation – workers of the Pullman Palace Car Company in […]
THANKING WW II VETERANS FROM THE OPEN COCKPIT OF A BI-PLANE
NAPA – Bob Bischoff climbed into the front seat of a 1943 Boeing Stearman bi-plane earlier this week for a joyride over the Napa Valley’s vineyards and neighborhoods. Referring to pilot Andrew Lohmar, Bischoff said “He would turn like this,” then turned his hands downward as if an airplane. The 95-year-old U.S. Army veteran continued, […]
TWO PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS WHO RISKED THEIR HIDES FOR FREEDOM
Some 1.8 million brave souls have received Purple Heart Medals in the 246-year history of the American military. On this National Purple Heart Day, count among them a pair of four-legged sergeants who earned two each. Yes, two animals have received Purple Hearts for their wartime wounds: A dog named Sergeant Stubby during World War […]
79 YEARS AGO TODAY, GENE AUTRY JOINED THE MILITARY WITH GREAT FANFARE AND WITH FANS LISTENING IN
79 YEARS AGO TODAY, GENE AUTRY JOINED THE MILITARY WITH GREAT FANFARE AND WITH FANS LISTENING IN In 1942, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor drew the United States into World War II, celebrities from entertainers to athletes enlisted or were drafted into the military. Few, however, went in with the fanfare – and […]
HAPPY 245th BIRTHDAY TO ‘US’, AND OTHER STUFF THAT HAPPENED ON OTHER FOURTHS
The United States of America turns 245 years old today — with a healthy dose of Old Glory, bunting and barbecues, parades and picnics, fifes and fireworks. On July 4, 1776, 56 men including John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress, and Secretary Charles Thomson signed those fighting words known as the Declaration of Independence. […]
WORLD WAR I BEGAN ON JUNE 28 107 YEARS AGO AND ENDED, OFFICIALLY, EXACTLY FIVE YEARS LATER
Without question, November 11, 1918, became the single most recognized date associated with World War I. On the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour that year, the armistice took effect and the fighting ended. Armistice Day ultimately became Veterans Day in the United States, and is among our most cherished holidays. […]
