On July 21, 1861, Confederate forces won the First Battle of Bull Run, also known as the Battle of First Manassas. It was the first major land battle of the Civil War and the grisly fighting led both sides to realize that the war wouldn’t be won quickly.
On July 18, 1947, the United Nations established the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) to be administered by the United States. The TTPI was founded to help these small islands recover in the wake of World War II.
Woodrow Wilson Guthrie was born on July 14, 1912, in Okemah, Oklahoma. He was a major figure in American folk music, writing over 1,000 songs, including his most famous, “This Land is Your Land.”
Naval commander John Paul Jones was born John Paul on July 6, 1747, in Arbigland, Kirkcudbright, Scotland. Jones served with distinction during the American Revolution and has been called the Father of the American navy.
David Glasgow Farragut was born in Campbell’s Station (now Farragut), Tennessee, on July 5, 1801. A Civil War naval commander, the rank of admiral was created specifically for him.
On June 28, 1778, US and British forces clashed at Monmouth Court House, New Jersey. While the battle was inconclusive, it produced one of the war’s most notable legend – Molly Pitcher.
On June 21, 1945, US troops captured Okinawa from the Japanese. It was the last major WWII battle in the Pacific and has been called the “typhoon of steel” for the fierce fighting, intense kamikaze attacks, and large number of Allied ships and vehicles that assaulted the island.
On June 19, 1934, President Franklin Roosevelt signed legislation creating the National Archives. The archives houses billions of historic documents, photographs, maps, videos, and more.
On June 15, 1942, the Post Office Department inaugurated its V-Mail service. During World War II, letters bound for service personnel were photographed and transferred to microfilm. This special process enabled letters to take up a fraction of their usual space on planes going to war zones, allowing more room for crucial supplies.