...for as long as it takes
December 1998
This Month in History
(These are in order by day of the month)
Dec. 1, 1989 - 1941 - The Director of Civilian Defense, former New York Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia, signed a formal order creating the CAP on this day in 1941 -- one week before Pearl Harbor. A thankful nation recognized the vital role CAP played during the war and felt that it could continue to provide invaluable help to both local and national agencies. On July 1, 1946, U.S. President Harry S Truman signed "Public Law 476" incorporating the CAP as a benevolent, nonprofit organization. And on May 26, 1948, Congress passed "Public Law 557", permanently establishing the CAP as the Auxiliary of the new U.S. Air Force.
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Dec. 2, 1952 - Keeping his campaign promise, President-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived in Korea to promote a settlement to end hostilities in that war-ravaged country.
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Dec. ? 1775 - The first official U.S. flag raising took place aboard naval vessel
Alfred.
Dec. 5, 1985 - Walter Pleate, America’s oldest military veteran, died on this day at age 108. He was one of a dozen living veterans of
the Spanish-American War (1898).
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Dec. 7, 1941 -
Pearl Harbor Day - This day is remembered as "a date which will live in infamy". Thousands of lives were lost, a major portion of America’s Pacific fleet was in pieces and the U.S. was catapulted into war in the Pacific. Today, at the onshore "USS Arizona" Memorial Visitor Center, we can see displays of World War II naval history and wartime Hawaii; and view a film about the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. A ferry shuttles back and forth between the visitor center and the memorial where one can actually stand right above the "Arizona". In fact, the rusted remains of the "Arizona" are clearly visible under the waters of Pearl Harbor. The memorial to the 1,100 men, entombed forever within the sunken, once mighty, battleship, straddles the "USS Arizona". One wall of the structure bears their names.
Dec. 7, 1972 - Apollo 17, the sixth and last U.S. moon mission, blasted off from Cape Canaveral. Flight Commander Eugene Cernan was the last man on the moon.
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Dec. 8, 1941- The United States entered World War II as Congress declared war against Japan, one day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
Dec. 11, 1941 - The Japanese attacked Wake Island. Germany and Italy declared war on the United States; the U.S. responded in kind.
Dec. 12, 1800 - Washington, D.C., was established as the capital of the United States.
Dec. 12, 1953 - Test pilot Chuck Yeager reached Mach 2.43 in his Bell X-1A
rocket plane.
Dec. 12, 1995 - By only three votes, the Senate killed a constitutional
amendment giving Congress authority to outlaw flag burning and other forms of desecration against Old Glory
Dec. 15, 1944 - As World War II raged, news spread of the loss of an airplane somewhere over the English Channel between England and Paris. On board the ill-fated aircraft was Major Glenn Miller on his way to lead his Air Force Band in a Christmas concert.
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Dec. 16, 1773 - Nearly 350 chests of tea were dumped into Boston Harbor as Colonial patriots, disguised as Indians, protested taxation without representation and the monopoly granted the East India Company (among other complaints against the British regime). They secretly boarded three British ships in the harbor and dumped their cargo into the sea.
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Dec. 16, 1944 - The Battle of the Bulge, the final major German counteroffensive in World War II, began. Initially, the Nazi commanders were able to thrust deep into Allied territory in North and East Belgium, a 75-mile front, choosing a time when foggy, rainy weather prevailed. The Allies were taken by surprise, but recovered and repulsed the Nazi offensive by January 1945.
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Dec. 17, 1903 - The first, successful, powered-airplane flight took place near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. First Orville, then Wilbur Wright kept their invention flying ... each flight lasted just under one minute.
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Dec. 19,1959 - Walter Williams, said to be the last surviving veteran of the Civil War, died in Houston, Texas this day. Mr. Williams was 117 years old.
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Dec. 20, 1963 - The Berlin Wall was opened for the first time. It remained open for the holiday season, but closed again on January 6, 1964. 4,000 people crossed over to visit relatives during this period.
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Dec. 21, 1620 - The "Mayflower", and its passengers, pilgrims from England, landed at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts.
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Dec. 23, 1919 - The first ship designed to be used as an ambulance for the transport of sick and wounded patients was launched. The hospital ship was named "USS Relief" and had 515 beds.
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Dec. 23, 1942 - Bob Hope agreed to entertain U.S. airmen in Alaska. It was the first of his many, famous Christmas shows for American armed forces around the world. The tradition continued for more than three decades.
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Dec. 23, 1986 - Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager became the first airplane pilots to make a non-stop trip around the world without refueling; 216 hours of continuous flying; breaking their own record of 111 hours set a year and a half earlier. The couple guided their "Voyager" on the record-setting, but harrowing and uncomfortable, flight to and from Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California
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Dec. 24, 1968 - The crew of the U.S. Navy ship, "Pueblo", walked across the Bridge of No Return (between North and South Korea), following their release by North Korea. The Captain of the "Pueblo", Commander Lloyd M. Bucher, and 82 of his crew had
been held for 11 months after the ship was seized by North Korea because of suspected spying by the Americans.
Click on POW/MIA graphic to return to December issue