...for as long as it takes
October 1998
This Month in History
(These are in order by day of the month)
Oct. 1, 1880 - John Philip Sousa, composer of the Marine Corps hymn, "Semper Fidelis, is named new director of the United States Marine Corps Band.
Oct 1, 1969 - SEAL and UDT Insignia approved.
Oct 1,1983 - SEAL Team 3 Commissioned
Oct 1, 1988 - SEAL Team 8 Commissioned.
Oct. 4, 1957 - The first earth satellite was launched into space this day by the Soviet Union. The craft circled the earth every 95 minutes at almost 2,000 miles per hour. "Sputnik I" fell from the sky on January 4, 1958.
Oct. 4, 1962 - UDT's 11-12 Recover Mercury Capsule
(Astronaut Walter M. Schirra, Jr., Captain, U.S. Navy; Earth-Orbital Mission) (Retired)
Oct. 5, 1942 - America's 'Yankee Doodle Dandy', George M. Cohan, died at age 64. Cohan was a legendary songwriter whose spirited and star-spangled tunes lit up Broadway and will be a part of Americana forever.
Oct. 5, 1947 - The U.S. first president to make use of television addressed the nation from the White House. 'Give 'Em Hell' Harry Truman accomplished the feat. In this speech, Truman requested that the American people not eat meat on Tuesdays, nor poultry on Thursdays, to save on feed grains to help the starving in Europe.
Oct. 6,1949 - President Truman signed the Mutual Defense Assistance Act establishing aid to NATO countries.
Oct. 6, 1961 - President Kennedy advised every family to build a fallout shelter.
Oct. 6, 1968 - SEALS Liberate 26 POW's Dund Island, VietNam
Oct. 7, 1942 - "TIME" magazine described "Command Performance", which debuted this day, as "...the best wartime program in radio." The show was originally produced by the U.S. War Department in cooperation with Armed Forces Radio Services specifically for those in the military overseas. It continued until 1949 and was reprised for more than three decades in syndication. "Command Performance" was hosted by Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Don Wilson and Harry Von Zell and featured just about every major Hollywood and Broadway star.
Oct. 10, 1845: The U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. opened.
Oct. 13, 1775 - The second Continental Congress gave the okay for its young country to acquire ships and form what is now the United States Navy.
Oct. 14,1960 - John Kennedy proposed the formation of the Peace Corps.
Oct. 17, 1777 - Gen. John Burgoyne's British troops surrendered to American troops in Saratoga, N.Y. in what became a turning point in the Revolutionary War.
Oct. 17, 1781 - American forces defeated Cornwallis at Yorktown.
Oct. 30, 1972 - SEAL Michael E. Thorton Awarded The Medal of Honor VietNam
Oct. 21, 1797 - The USS Constitution was launched. "Old Ironsides" is still commissioned by the Navy.
Oct. 21, 1916 - The U.S. Army formed the Reserve Officers Training Corps.
Oct. 22, 1975 - The Coast Guard Academy first allowed women to enroll.
Click on POW/MIA graphic to return to October issue