This Day in US Military History (9 March)
RTO Trainer
1728 - During the course f the Anglo-Spanish War, a military force of
English settlers from the South Carolina colony conducts an expedition
deep into Spanish controlled Florida to destroy a Yamassee Indian
village close to the Spanish settlement of St. Augustine.
1820 - Congress passes the Land Act, paving the way for westward
expansion.
1841 - The rebel slaves who seized a Spanish slave ship, the Amistad,
in 1839 are freed by the Supreme Court despite Spanish demands for
extradition.
1847 - General Winfield Scott's joint Army, Navy and Marine force of
10,000 lands near Vera Cruz . It is the most powerful fortress of its
time in the Western Hemisphere. The city cannot bear attacks from
both land and sea, and Scott will take it on 29 March. This is the
first amphibious operation undertaken by US forces.
1862 - The first and last battle between the ironclads U.S.S. Monitor
and C.S.S. Virginia ends in a draw. On 11 March the Virginia will be
blown up to prevent its capture.
1864 - General Ulysses Grant is promoted to Lieutenant General and
appointed commander-in-chief of the Union forces.
1893 - President Cleveland withdraws the Hawaiian Annexation Treaty
pending an investigation of the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in
January.
1898 - Congress unanimously appropriates $50,000,000 "for national
defense and each and every purpose connected therewith." The Navy is
already well prepared, but the Army is scandalously disorganized.
1916 - Mexican bandit Pancho Villa leads 1,500 horsemen on a raid of
Columbus, N.M. killing 17 U.S. soldiers and citizens.
1941 - Italy launches an offensive into Albania, personally commanded
by Benito Mussolini.
1942 - Admiral Harold Stark is appointed to command US naval forces in
European waters. He relives Admiral Ghormley.
1943 - Rommel leaves Africa for good. On his way home he meets with
Mussolini in Roma and with Hitler in East Prussia but is unable to
persuade either of them to withdraw from Africa.
1945 - U.S. B-29s fire-bombed Tokyo at night in the most savage air
raid in history (including later atomic bombings). 279
Superfortresses take part and over 1650 tons of incendiaries are
dropped, taking advantage of the wood and paper construction that
predominates in Japan. The death toll is estimated between 80,000 and
120,000.
1953 - Responding to press reports that U.S. pilots routinely pursued
communist jets across the Manchurian border, Commander in Chief Far
East asserted that UN pilots broke off engagements at the Yalu River
boundary, enabling many damaged MiGs to escape, although some border
violations might have occurred in the heat of combat. Informing the
U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff that air operations in Korea were conducted
strictly within limitations established by appropriate authority, he
also directed Far East Air Forces to comply with directives concerning
violation of the Manchurian border.
1968 - General William Westmoreland asks for 206,000 more troops in
Vietnam.
1975 - Iraq launches an offensive against the rebellious Kurds.
1977 - About a dozen armed Hanafi Muslims invaded three buildings in
Washington D.C., killing one person and taking more than 130 hostages.
The siege ended two days later.
1986 - Navy divers find the crew compartment of the space shuttle
Challenger along with the remains of the astronauts.
Congressional Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken this Day
CLUTE, GEORGE W.
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company I, 14th Michigan Infantry.
Place and date: At Bentonville, N.C., 19 March 1865. Entered service
at: ------. Birth: Marathon, Mich. Date of issue: 26 August 1898.
Citation: In a charge, captured the flag of the 40th North Carolina
(C.S.A.), the flag being taken in a personal encounter with an officer
who carried and defended it.
WILLIAMS, PETER
Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1831, Norway,
Accredited to: Pennsylvania. G.O. No.: 11, 3 April 1863. Citation:
Serving on board the U.S.S. Ironclad Steamer Monitor, Hampton Roads, 9
March 1862. During the engagement between the U.S.S. Monitor and the
C.S.S. Merrimack, Williams gallantly served throughout the engagement
as quartermaster, piloting the Monitor throughout the battle in which
the Merrimack, after being damaged, retired from the scene of the
battle.
*JULIAN, JOSEPH RODOLPH
Rank and organization: Platoon Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.
Born: 3 April 1918, Sturbridge, Mass. Accredited to: Massachusetts.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his
life above and beyond the call of duty as a P/Sgt. serving with the
1st Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in action against
enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo Jima in the Volcano
Islands, 9 March 1945. Determined to force a breakthrough when
Japanese troops occupying trenches and fortified positions on the left
front laid down a terrific machinegun and mortar barrage in a
desperate effort to halt his company's advance, P/Sgt. Julian quickly
established his platoon's guns in strategic supporting positions, and
then, acting on his own initiative, fearlessly moved forward to
execute a 1-man assault on the nearest pillbox. Advancing alone, he
hurled deadly demolition and white phosphorus grenades into the
emplacement, killing 2 of the enemy and driving the remaining 5 out
into the adjoining trench system. Seizing a discarded rifle, he jumped
into the trench and dispatched the 5 before they could make an escape.
Intent on wiping out all resistance, he obtained more explosives and,
accompanied by another marine, again charged the hostile
fortifications and knocked out 2 more cave positions. Immediately
thereafter, he launched a bazooka attack unassisted, firing 4 rounds
into the 1 remaining pillbox and completely destroying it before he
fell, mortally wounded by a vicious burst of enemy fire. Stouthearted
and indomitable, P/Sgt. Julian consistently disregarded all personal
danger and, by his bold decision, daring tactics, and relentless
fighting spirit during a critical phase of the battle, contributed
materially to the continued advance of his company and to the success
of his division's operations in the sustained drive toward the
conquest of this fiercely defended outpost of the Japanese Empire. His
outstanding valor and unfaltering spirit of self-sacrifice throughout
the bitter conflict sustained and enhanced the highest traditions of
the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
HARVEY, RAYMOND
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, Company C, 17th Infantry
Regiment. Place and date: Vicinity of Taemi-Dong, Korea, 9 March 1951.
Entered service at: Pasadena, Calif. Born: 1 March 1920 Ford City, Pa.
G.O. No.: 67, 2 August 1951. Citation: Capt. Harvey Company C,
distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above
and beyond the call of duty in action. When his company was pinned
down by a barrage of automatic weapons fire from numerous
well-entrenched emplacements, imperiling accomplishment of its
mission, Capt. Harvey braved a hail of fire and exploding grenades to
advance to the first enemy machine gun nest, killing its crew with
grenades. Rushing to the edge of the next emplacement, he killed its
crew with carbine fire. He then moved the 1st Platoon forward until it
was again halted by a curtain of automatic fire from well fortified
hostile positions. Disregarding the hail of fire, he personally
charged and neutralized a third emplacement. Miraculously escaping
death from intense crossfire, Capt. Harvey continued to lead the
assault. Spotting an enemy pillbox well camouflaged by logs, he moved
close enough to sweep the emplacement with carbine fire and throw
grenades through the openings, annihilating its 5 occupants. Though
wounded he then turned to order the company forward, and, suffering
agonizing pain, he continued to direct the reduction of the remaining
hostile positions, refusing evacuation until assured that the mission
would be accomplished. Capt. Harvey's valorous and intrepid actions
served as an inspiration to his company, reflecting the utmost glory
upon himself and upholding the heroic traditions of the military
service.
JACOBS, JACK H.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army, U.S. Army Element, U.S.
Military Assistance Command, Republic of Vietnam. Place and date: Kien
Phong Province, Republic of Vietnam, 9 March 1968. Entered service at:
Trenton, N.J. Born: 2 August 1945, Brooklyn, N.Y. Citation: For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his
life above and beyond the call of duty. Capt. Jacobs (then 1st Lt.),
Infantry, distinguished himself while serving as assistant battalion
advisor, 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, Army of
the Republic of Vietnam. The 2d Battalion was advancing to contact
when it came under intense heavy machine gun and mortar fire from a
Viet Cong battalion positioned in well fortified bunkers. As the 2d
Battalion deployed into attack formation its advance was halted by
devastating fire. Capt. Jacobs, with the command element of the lead
company, called for and directed air strikes on the enemy positions to
facilitate a renewed attack. Due to the intensity of the enemy fire
and heavy casualties to the command group, including the company
commander, the attack stopped and the friendly troops became
disorganized. Although wounded by mortar fragments, Capt. Jacobs
assumed command of the allied company, ordered a withdrawal from the
exposed position and established a defensive perimeter. Despite
profuse bleeding from head wounds which impaired his vision, Capt.
Jacobs, with complete disregard for his safety, returned under intense
fire to evacuate a seriously wounded advisor to the safety of a wooded
area where he administered lifesaving first aid. He then returned
through heavy automatic weapons fire to evacuate the wounded company
commander. Capt. Jacobs made repeated trips across the fire-swept open
rice paddies evacuating wounded and their weapons. On 3 separate
occasions, Capt. Jacobs contacted and drove off Viet Cong squads who
were searching for allied wounded and weapons, single-handedly killing
3 and wounding several others. His gallant actions and extraordinary
heroism saved the lives of 1 U.S. advisor and 13 allied soldiers.
Through his effort the allied company was restored to an effective
fighting unit and prevented defeat of the friendly forces by a strong
and determined enemy. Capt. Jacobs, by his gallantry and bravery in
action in the highest traditions of the military service, has
reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
Play more with Claymore!
SPC Robert White
31U, OKARNG, 45th eSB
Always Forward!
From "The West Wing"
"I don't recall having to explain to Italians why we had a problem with Mussolini!"
--Toby Ziegler, White house Communications Director