Chasing Magellan…Submerged

Today in History, April 25: 1960 – The first circumnavigation of the Earth – Submerged. The nuclear submarine USS Triton, SSRN 586, commanded by Capt. Edward L. Beach, began and ended the trip at the St. Peter and Paul Rocks in the mid-Atlantic and completed the trek in 60 days, entirely submerged. Beach had taken part in the Battle of Midway and commanded several submarine patrols during WWII, an experience he used to become a best-selling author, including “Run Silent, Run Deep” in 1958 which was turned into a Clark Gable movie. Operation Sandblast generally followed the route that Ferdinand Magellan had taken between 1519 and 1522 in the first circumnavigation of the Earth.

The Importance of Petersburg, VA…in the Revolutionary War

Today in History, April 24: 1781 – British General William Phillips and British General Benedict Arnold, traitor formerly of the American Continental Army, begin a march on Petersburg, Virginia with 2,500 troops. The city was defended by 1,000 scantly trained militia led by Major General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, who had trained General Washington’s soldiers at Valley Forge and General Peter Muhlenberg. Phillips and Arnold were sent to Virginia, which had been left mostly alone previously, to divert Washington’s attention from offenses in the north. von Steuben and Muhlenberg knew they could not prevail with their much smaller, poorly trained forces, so they retreated from the city, setting up defenses in surrounding cities until they could be joined by Continental regulars. What was supposed to lead to American defeat actually were the first steps in the south that would lead to the defeat of the British.

The Man in the Arena

Today in History, April 23: 1910 – “The Man in the Arena” speech. After his presidency, President Theodore Roosevelt went on safari in Africa, collection countless specimens for the Smithsonian. He then took a tour of Europe and was received with great fanfare and accolades, both from the common man and royalty. On this date he gave a 35 page speech entitled “Citizenship in a Republic” about the responsibilities involved at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. A segment on page 7 became an inspirational and historic passage. “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” I have this passage framed and posted on the wall in my office to remind me to maintain my fortitude on those days when people or events seem determined to break my will to do what is right. Thank you Mr. President. 

Sooners!

Today in History, April 22: 1889 – The Oklahoma Land Run…each person that managed to stake out a 160 acre area on this date, and promised to improve it, would have that land for free in “Indian Territory”. Many snuck in early…why we are called “Sooners”. Amazingly, before the end of the day…the streets of Guthrie and Oklahoma City would be laid out…and their population would exceed 10,000 each.

Battle of San Jacinto

Today in History, April 21: 1836 – During the Battle of San Jacinto, Texian militia led by Gen. Sam Houston surprises and routs the army of professional Mexican soldiers led by Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna. Santa Anna was captured and held as a prisoner of war, soon agreeing to a treaty that ostensibly recognized Texas as an independent nation. Houston was an instant national (Texas and America) hero. Usually history is seen as snapshots in time, but there are so many stories expanding from here. As for Santa Anna, he was like a cat…he seemed to have 9 lives and repeatedly came back from defeat. Fast forward about 25 years and Houston was Governor of the State of Texas…and would resign the post rather than swear allegiance to the Confederacy, perhaps because he had fought so long and hard to make Texas part of the Union. Today, you can visit the battlefield at San Jacinto, and while you’re at it tour the USS Texas, the only remaining battleship to have served in both WWI and WWII.

How Can I Draw My Sword Upon Virginia?

Today in History, April 20: 1861 – “Mr. Blair, I look upon secession as anarchy. If I owned the four millions of slaves in the South I would sacrifice them all to the Union; but how can I draw my sword upon Virginia, my native state?” Robert E. Lee was the son of a Revolutionary War hero (Light Horse Harry Lee). He was a graduate of West Point, and would serve as superintendent of the USMA (West Point). He was a hero of the Mexican-American War, and was respected as the best officer, the best engineer, in the US Army. The Administration offered him the command of the defenses around Washington, but he turned it down, he could not raise his sword against his “country” of Virginia. On this date, Lee resigned his commission in the US Army and went home, after 32 years of service to the US Army. 3 days later he would accept a command in the Virginia militia, surprising even his family. Lee is such an enigma. He was a dedicated servant to his country, but served with the same dedication to the Confederacy. After the war, he acted as a gentleman in efforts to bring the nation back together. Whether we approve of his decisions or not, we can only see Robert E. Lee as an American. 

Sometimes Endings are Actually Beginnings

Today in History, April 19: 1876 – Wyatt Earp is not “rehired” by the Wichita Police Department. Earp had already had a storied career as a lawman and sometimes horse thief. He took a job as an officer in Wichita, and out of loyalty to the man that hired him, beat the laundry off of a competing candidate for the Sheriff’s job.  A commission voted not to renew Earp’s employment….he moved to Dodge City and became a lawman there before moving to Tombstone, Arizona and into legend. One of his fellow officers was his friend Bat Masterson.

Avenging Pearl Harbor…Again

Today in History, April 18: 1943 – One year to the day after US forces avenged the attack on Pearl Harbor by bombing the Japanese mainland, including Tokyo, they carried out “Operation Vengeance”, a plan to assassinate the high level IJN Admiral who had planned the assault on Pearl Harbor, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. Yamamoto had studied in the US before the war, and had seen our incredible industrial capacity, and seen Americans as most Japanese had not. The 1970 movie Tora, Tora, Tora quotes him as saying after the attack, “I fear all that we have done is to awake a sleeping giant, and fill him with a terrible resolve”. The quote cannot be verified, but his belief in the statement can; as his comrades celebrated in the days after Pearl Harbor, he was nearly despondent. When American cryptographers discovered that he would be at Rabaul on a trip to improve morale after the loss of Guadalcanal, orders from the highest levels of American government and forces, (FDR – Nimitz – Halsey) ordered his demise. A squadron of long range P-38 Lightning twin engine fighters ambushed Yamamoto’s Betty bomber and sent it flaming into the jungle below while his Zero escort looked on helplessly.

Brazil Attacks!

Today in History, April 17: 1945 – After a three day battle, Montese, Italy is liberated by…Brazilian Army forces. The Brazilians fought valiantly against German Nazis to gain control of the Italian city. It had been a long trek to this point. When the war started, Brazil, led by an almost fascist leader, was “neutral”. After several Brazilian ships were sunk by U-Boats, the Brazilian public made it impossible for the government to remain neutral…Brazil first cut off diplomatic relations with the Axis powers, and then declared war on them. The Brazilian Army, Air Force, and Navy fought primarily in the Italian campaign.