A History of Fort Campbell
Part of the Military series
The mission at Fort Campbell has changed over the past seventy-five years, and the city has grown and adapted to meet new challenges. It was conceived before Pearl Harbor as the Tennessee-Kentucky Armor Camp and has progressed in recent years to meet changing national security needs and the transformation of the U.S. Army. The fort is home to the army's most elite air assault and airborne units. It is also the largest employer in Tennessee and Kentucky and puts $2.6 billion into the local economy each year. Author and post historian John O'Brien details the historic ride that took Fort Campbell from a "Giant Bachelor City" to a "World-Class Army Home."
Hoosier Aviator Paul Baer
America's First Combat Ace
Part of the Military series
Indiana native Paul Baer was an American pilot of many firsts. Born into a modest midwestern family in the late 1800s, Baer grew up short and shy in Fort Wayne. Not short on ambition, he volunteered to join a new breed of combatant: the fighter pilot. Dogfighting in the skies over France during World War I, Baer earned a giant reputation as the first-ever American to shoot down an enemy plane and the first to earn the title of "combat ace" for earning five victories-before being shot down himself. Author Tony Garel-Frantzen celebrates the 100th anniversary of Baer's aerial heroics with rarely seen images, a previously unpublished POW letter from Baer himself and a look at the restless raptor's life of roaming.
Revolution in the Lymes
From the New Lights to the Sons of Liberty
Part of the Military series
The Revolutionary War in the Lymes started as a rebellion of ideas. From its origins in the Cromwellian Saybrook Colony, Lyme (today's Lyme, Old Lyme, East Lyme and Salem) prospered under the free hand of self-governance and spurned King George III's efforts to rein in the wayward colonies. In 1765, Reverend Stephen Johnson wrote incendiary missives against the Stamp Act. A few years later, the town hosted its own Tea Party, burning one hundred pounds of British tea near the town green. When the alarm came from Lexington in 1775, Lyme's citizens were among the first to answer. Historians Jim Lampos and Michaelle Pearson explore how local Patriots shaped an epic revolt.
Captain Charles Rawn and the Frontier Infantry in Montana
by Robert M. Brown, Ph. D.
Part of the Military series
Stationed in Montana during the height of the Indian Wars, Captain Charles Rawn proved an unlikely hero and an indispensable leader in numerous battles. He took command from a drunken Major Baker at the Battle of Pryor's Creek, saving the 400 soldiers from possible annihilation at the hands of 1,000 Sioux. As commander of Fort Missoula, he led 35 soldiers and 200 volunteers in an attempt to halt 850 Nez Perce warriors. When Colonel Gibbon suffered an injury at the Battle of the Big Hole, Rawn's experience and leadership of the 7th Infantry helped prevent another Custer debacle. Author Robert M. Brown catalogues the career of this outstanding officer and the transformation of the frontier army from a Civil War legacy into an elite fighting force.
World War II and the Delaware Coast
Part of the Military series
Within weeks of Pearl Harbor, German U-boats arrived off the Delaware coast and attacked numerous ships along the vital shipping lanes to Philadelphia and Wilmington. On February 28, 1942, two German torpedoes hit the destroyer Jacob Jones, which was carrying more than one hundred American sailors. It sank in less than an hour. A center for military activity, Lewes became a refuge for many survivors from such attacks. The dunes along Cape Henlopen hid the massive artillery batteries of Fort Miles. Residents of the beachfront communities rallied amid the blackout regulations and air raid drills with rationing and scrap drives. Spotters watched for enemy warships in concrete towers that still line the coast. Author Michael Morgan tells the remarkable story of a coast at war.
Pennsylvania World War II and Chester County
Part of the Military series
Regiments from Chester County fought bravely in all theaters of World War II, while locals at home took extraordinary measures to support the Allies. West Chester resident G. Raymond Rettew developed a process to mass produce vitally needed penicillin while a peaceful farm transformed into the bustling Valley Forge General Hospital in 1943. Women entered labor positions at companies, including Lukens Steel, to meet production demands. The Coatesville YMCA created and distributed a newsletter to soldiers so the boys on the front had the news from back home. Author Marion Piccolomini celebrates the resilience and perseverance of Chester County residents in the midst of total war.
World War I and Jefferson County, West Virginia
Part of the Military series
Fifty years after Jefferson County found itself wedged between the Union and the Confederacy, President Woodrow Wilson declared war on Germany and the Central Powers. Suddenly towns like Shepherdstown, Charles Town and Harpers Ferry once again prepared for war, this time an ocean away. Civilians supported the cause by donating to the Red Cross, and the county's large agricultural community produced food during rationing. More than five hundred Jefferson County natives enlisted, while more than three hundred additional soldiers came from college institutions within the county. Historian James Francis Horn recounts the struggles and triumphs of local communities during the Great War.
The Virginia Navy in the Revolution
Hampton's Commodore James Barron and His Fleet
Part of the Military series
The Virginia Navy, led by Commodore James Barron, raised more than fifty vessels to aid the fight against the British Empire. The ships kept open vital trade passages to the West Indies that allowed for goods and supplies to reach American shores despite English blockades. Barron defended his birthplace at the Battle of Hampton, suffered near-destruction at the hands of Benedict Arnold and supported the French navy in the decisive victory at Yorktown. Author James Tormey reveals these stories and more in a maritime adventure through the history of the Virginia Navy in the Revolutionary era.
Central Coast Aviators in World War II
Part of the Military series
During World War II, thousands of volunteer combat aviators trained at places like Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and Hancock Field in Santa Maria. Some air cadets and WASPs--young women pilots--lost their lives in training accidents. The graduates would go on to fight in both the Pacific and European theaters. They faced flak bursts and collisions that resulted in horrifying explosions and were sent on strafing runs that made them targets in a lethal shooting gallery. Downed airmen encountered both unexpected kindness and cruel deprivation as prisoners of war. Through interviews and official records, Jim Gregory tells the stories of heroic Central Coast veterans who fought a war that stretched from New Guinea to North Africa.
World War II Rhode Island
Part of the Military series
Rhode Island's contribution to World War II vastly exceeded its small size. Narragansett Bay was an armed camp dotted by army forts and navy facilities. They included the country's most important torpedo production and testing facilities at Newport and the Northeast's largest naval air station at Quonset Point. Three special, top-secret German POW camps were based in Narragansett and Jamestown. Meanwhile, Rhode Island workers from all over the state-including, for the first time, many women-manufactured military equipment and built warships, most notably the Liberty ships at Providence Shipyard. Authors from the Rhode Island history blog smallstatebighistory.com trace Rhode Island's outsized wartime role, from the scare of an enemy air raid after Pearl Harbor to the war's final German U-boat sunk off Point Judith.
World War II Nebraska
Part of the Military series
The fight against the Axis required sacrifice and dedication, and Nebraskans proudly answered the call. Three ordnance plants and two naval munitions depots brought employment and economic opportunities but also housing shortages and racial disturbances. The U.S. Army Air Corps established eleven air bases here, leading to community engagement through USOs and war bond drives. In central Nebraska, the North Platte Canteen welcomed thousands of service members en route to war on troop trains. Henry Doorly's successful scrap campaign became a model for a nationwide operation. Local farmers fed the nation, K-9 war dogs trained at Fort Robinson and native sons Ben Kuroki and Andrew Higgins affected the war in very different ways. Through detailed archival research, author Melissa Amateis tells the remarkable story of the Cornhusker State's homefront.
Cold War Kansas
Part of the Military series
Kansas played an outsized role in the Cold War, when civilization's survival hung in the balance. Forbes Air Force Base operated nine Atlas E intercontinental ballistic missile launch sites. Schilling Air Force Base was the hub for twelve Atlas F ICBMs. McConnell Air Force Base operated eighteen Titan II ICBMs. A Kansas State University engineering professor converted a discarded Union Pacific Railroad water tank into his family's backyard fallout shelter. A United States president from Kansas faced several nuclear war scares as the Cold War moved into the thermonuclear age. Landry Brewer tells the fascinating story of highest-level national strategy and how everyday Kansans lived with threats to their way of life.
Charlotte And The American Revolution
Reverend Alexander Craighead, the Mecklenburg Declaration and the Foothills Fight for Independence
Part of the Military series
Charlotte was a hotbed of Revolutionary activity well before the fervency of revolt reached its boiling point in New England. Considered a wild frontier region at the time, Mecklenburg County welcomed the Reverend Alexander Craighead with ready hands for battle. Craighead's fiery rhetoric inspired the people of the region to action. What resulted was the creation of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, the first such document in the nation, and although the county had less than 3 percent of the colony's population, its Patriots accounted for over one-quarter of North Carolina's Revolutionary troops. Join author Richard P. Plumer as he reveals how the Queen City played an integral role in the formation of a proud and free America.
Frontier Rangers of Colonial New England
From King Philip's War To The American Revolution
Part of the Military series
Warfare in the Wilderness
Few images reflect the character of hardy New Englanders like that of the eighteenth-century colonial ranger. Rugged characters such as Robert Rogers, Israel Putnam and John Stark spent much of their lives carving a living out of the harsh wilderness of the region, while later proving themselves in battle against seasoned Abenaki warriors. The Wright and Porter families fought throughout western New England, from skirmishes in Charlestown, New Hampshire, to climactic battles on Lake Champlain and Lake George. From the bloody King Philip's War battlefields of Massachusetts to the fight for the wilderness of New Hampshire and Vermont, author Anthony Blasi explores the journey from frightened homesteader to toughened wilderness warrior.
The Secret Genesis of Area 51
Part of the Military series
The man "who has done more than anyone to lift the veil of secrecy ... about what's unfolded out there in the desert" reveals the origins of Area 51 (KLAS 8 News Now).
In 1955, the Central Intelligence Agency established a clandestine base of operations in the Nevada desert with a mission to protect the United States from a growing communist threat. Special projects at Area 51 were shrouded in mystery, and the first was one of the world's most famous spy planes, the U-2. It fueled half-truths, rumors and legends for more than half a century. Now with many details of that endeavor declassified, the real story can finally be told. Author and Area 51 veteran TD Barnes sifts fact from fiction in one of America's most protected origin stories.
Georgia POW Camps in World War II
Part of the Military series
During World War II, many Georgians witnessed the enemy in their backyards. More than twelve thousand German and Italian prisoners captured in far-off battlefields were sent to POW camps in Georgia. With large base camps located from Camp Wheeler in Macon and Camp Stewart in Savannah to smaller camps throughout the state, prisoner reeducation and work programs evoked different reactions to the enemy. There was even a POW work detail of forty German soldiers at Augusta National Golf Course, which was changed from a temporary cow pasture to the splendid golf course we know today. Join author and historian Dr. Kathryn Roe Coker and coauthor Jason Wetzel as they explore the daily lives of POWs in Georgia and the lasting impact they had on the Peach State.
Cold War Montana
Part of the Military series
Home to some of the most powerful nuclear missile systems in the world, Montana played an indispensable role in the war against Communism. Utilizing the Lend-Lease pipeline, Soviet spies ferried stolen nuclear and industrial secrets, loaded in diplomatic pouches, from Great Falls to the Soviet Union. Army nurse Lieutenant Diane Carlson served as "an angel of mercy" at the Pleiku Evacuation Hospital in the Central Highlands in Vietnam. Young Montana smokejumper "Hog" Daniels joined the CIA's secret war in Southeast Asia, becoming the principal advisor to General Vang Pao in his desperate fight against Communists. Captain Ken Robison (U.S. Navy, Ret.), award-winning author and Cold Warrior, reveals tales of Montanans who made their mark on this titanic struggle.
The American Revolution on Long Island
Part of the Military series
A history of the Revolutionary War and British occupation in this part of New York, from the Culper spy ring to the prison ships where thousands died.
The American Revolution sharply divided families and towns on New York's Long Island. Washington's defeat at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776 started seven years of British occupation-and Patriot sympathizers were subject to loyalty oaths, theft of property, and the quartering of soldiers in their homes.
Those who crossed the British were jailed on prison ships in Wallabout Bay in Brooklyn, where an estimated eleven thousand people died of disease and starvation. Some fought back with acts of sabotage and espionage-and Washington's famed Culper spy ring in Oyster Bay, Setauket, and other areas successfully tracked British movements. In this book, historian Joanne S. Grasso explores the story of an island at war.
Denville in World War II
Part of the Military series
The bucolic small-town life of Denville in the 1940s would change forever with the outbreak of World War II. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the town mobilized, creating the Denville Local Defense Council, designating air wardens to watch the skies and establishing air raid sirens. Schoolchildren gathered around home radios to learn if there were enough supplies to heat the school, and families learned to live within the confines of a ration book. The Denville Salvage Committee proclaimed "Bomb 'em with Junk!" as it collected waste goods for the war effort. Hundreds of Denville men served valiantly in all theaters of the war, some earning prestigious military accolades and many tragically never returning. Author Peter Zablocki covers the history of World War II Denville, including interviews with members of the town's "Greatest Generation."
Martha's Vineyard in the American Revolution
Part of the Military series
As an isolated island outpost, Martha's Vineyard faced some unique challenges during the American Revolution. Neutrality was maintained at the start of the war due to the impact of the British regulations on the fishing and whaling industries. While political expediency may have dominated the day, Vineyard Patriots protected their homeland against the Royal Navy and contributed to the revolutionary effort against marauding British redcoats. In 1778, two key events-one involving three young women and the second an armada of forty naval ships-crystalized the opinion of Vineyarders that they should no longer remain neutral to British incursions on the Island and, more broadly, on American soil. Join local author Tom Dresser as he reveals the unheralded contributions of islanders to the fight for freedom.
World War II in Medina County, Ohio
At Home & Overseas
Part of the Military series
For the first time in the lives of many Medina County residents, places across the world became real, not just dots on a map. With the outbreak of World War II, men and women who had never left their corner of Ohio were encircling the globe. They were at Pearl Harbor and the Canal, Anzio and the Bulge. They built atomic bombs and bought millions in war bonds. Discover not one great hero but an entire generation of heroism. Eli R. Beachy traces the sublime story of one small community in a great, united effort-those most remarkable people of Medina County, Ohio.
World War II Aeronautical Research at Langley
Part of the Military series
The effort to win the war began at home-and for the researchers at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, enhancing America's military aviation arsenal was the key to victory.
Formed in 1915, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics established itself over the next 25 years as one of the world's finest research organizations. When World War II began in 1939, the NACA employed a mere 500 workers and maintained a budget slightly in excess of $4 million. To meet the demands of the war, a special partnership was quickly forged between NACA researchers, industry designers, and military planners. The Langley laboratory possessed world class aeronautical research facilities and flight research operations, making it ideally suited to help America win the war.
Military historian Mark Chambers tells the story of the monumental task of developing the planes that spurred Allied victory in World War II.
Maryland in the French & Indian War
Part of the Military series
It is true, Maryland did not... contribute its proportion, but it was, in my opinion, the fault of the Government, and not of the people. ~Benjamin Franklin During the French and Indian War the American colonies contributed to the imperial war effort like never before, Maryland included. Maryland's involvement in the war saw colonial governor Horatio Sharpe and the elected delegates of the Lower House in near constant struggle over Maryland's role. They battled over the deployment of Maryland's militia, over raising troops, and over wartime funding. Meanwhile, frontier settlements burned and Maryland's soldiers joined the effort to defend Great Britain's claims to lands west of the Appalachians. Britain's colonies in North America expanded substantially as a result. Local historian Tim Ware details the political as well as the military conflicts Maryland faced in this unique war.
Virginia POW Camps in World War II
Part of the Military series
Tour the camps, learn stories of the daily lives of the POWs, and discover the impact they had on the Old Dominion.
During World War II, Virginians watched as German and Italian prisoners invaded the Old Dominion. At least 17,000 Germans and countless Italians lived in over twenty camps across the state and worked on five military installations. Farmers hired POWs to pick apples. Fertilizer companies, lumber yards, and hospitals hired them. At first a phenomenon of war in Virginia's backyard, these former enemy combatants became familiar to many-often developing a rapport with their employers. Among them were die-hired Nazis and Fascists, but they benefited from double standards that placed them in better jobs and conditions than African Americans.
Historians Kathryn Coker and Jason Wetzel tell a different story of the Old Dominion at War.
World War II Indiana Landmarks
Part of the Military series
World War II Indiana Landmarks features places throughout the state that played significant roles during World War II. Many of these locations memorialize those who fought as well as those who contributed to the war effort. These places of remembrance include historical sites, monuments, markers, museums, surviving buildings, a surviving Navy ship, a surviving plane, and more. Author Ronald P. May explores the rich historical backgrounds surrounding each location and tells the personal stories of veterans and civilians related to many of these locations.
Long Island City in 1776
The Revolution Comes to Queens
Part of the Military series
1775 belonged to Boston but after April of 1776, the Revolutionary War's focus became New York City and the highly strategic Long Island, from Brooklyn's terminal moraine high ground to Queens's Hell Gate. 1776 was the year when revolution came to Long Island, and in particualr the future Long Island City. The failures, defeats and eventual occupation of the area at the hands of the British forged the resolve and strength of character that would later ensure Patriot victories on distant battlegrounds throughout the rest of the colonies. The British did not evacuate western Queens county until November of 1783, but the events of 1776 would not soon be forgotten during the seven long years of occupation afterword. Join author Richard Melnick as he charts the military, political and cultural history 1776 in Long Island City.
World War II in North State California
Part of the Military series
On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941 the world changed for the North State-and the nation.
A national call to arms by President Franklin D. Roosevelt after the bombing of Pearl Harbor spurred local residents to action, and the normal rhythm of life immediately and dramatically changed. By Christmas of that year, everyone understood their roles. Those who could enlist served in Army and Navy operations in the Pacific and Europe. The rest gave their all to support the war from the home front. Residents volunteered their time and skills, served as Red Cross workers, airplane spotters and scrap metal collectors. Local factories and canneries ramped up production. And building the Shasta Dam to provide power became a crucial part of the war effort.
Author Al M. Rocca recounts the determination and tribulations of North State citizens during World War II.
The Medal of Honor at Gettysburg
Part of the Military series
Above and Beyond the Call of Duty
In early summer, 1863 Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia began moving northward. As Lee moved toward Maryland, the Union army followed, taking a parallel path on the opposite side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. From June 9 to the beginning of July the two armies skirmished at various locations along the route. Then, from July 1 through July 3, they clashed in the epic Battle of Gettysburg. Throughout the Gettysburg Campaign, seventy-two men earned the Medal of Honor, the highest honor in the American military. Discover the harrowing narratives of those who served to keep a nation united with the highest valor. Including the story of the unknown soldiers awarded the medal, these profiles showcase some of the most intense moments of the most important battle in the Civil War.
Author James Gindlesperger presents the Medal of Honor at Gettysburg.
Chippewa Falls World War II Hero Harry W. Kramer
Part of the Military series
Chippewa Falls' First World War II Casualty Young Harry Wellington Kramer was looking for adventure and a leg up in Depression-era Wisconsin. He found both aboard the Navy battleship USS California . Traveling across the western United States and the Pacific Ocean, Harry was quick to share his experiences with family and friends in Chippewa Falls. As he realized his dreams and served his country, his parents anxiously followed the developments that would lead to America's involvement in World War II. All of these events converged with the attack on Pearl Harbor, in which Harry was tragically killed fulfilling his duties. Though gone, Harry W. Kramer is not forgotten. Compiling thirty-three letters between Harry and home, local author and history teacher John E. Kinville tells the story of a life cut short but well lived.
New Jersey and the Medal of Honor
A History
Part of the Military series
Awarded by the President of the United States in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor commemorates those who have shaped our nation's history and continue to inspire its future with their acts of valor, humanity, patriotism, and sacrifice.
New Jersey has been credited with ninety-three honors in the state's military history. Robert Augustus Sweeney was the recipient of two non-combatant medals when he jumped into stormy waters to save a fellow sailor twice becoming one of only nineteen double Medal of Honor recipients of all time and the only African American to do so. On the infamous day of December 7, 1941, Peter Tomich, serving on the USS Utah, sprung to action when it became evident his ship would capsize from the two Japanese torpedoes, staying behind to man the fireroom to ensure the boilers were secured to prevent an internal fire and saving countless additional deaths.
Author Peter Zablocki reveals the harrowing stories of New Jersey's most valorous moments in the defense of our nation and freedom around the world.
World War Ii Richmond, Virginia
Part of the Military series
The effects of the war raging across Europe were visible in Richmond as early as 1939, and Richmonders are always ready to fight for their cause. In that year, the city saw its first parking meters on the streets and began to collect aluminum scrap for use in war industries. In 1940, pursuant to the new draft law, Richmond's sons between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-five registered for the draft. While bomb shelters were put up all over the town, dances were held to maintain local morale. Even as local German families faced discrimination, Richmonders strived for a sense of unity and solidarity. Author and historian Walter Griggs Jr. revives this conflicted spirit, memorializing the sorrow and celebrating the triumphs of a resilient southern city through world war.
St. Lawrence County in the War of 1812
Folly And Mischief
Part of the Military series
The fledgling United States struggled to keep its freedom from Great Britain during the War of 1812, but St. Lawrence County in upstate New York played a divided role. The region shared a border--as well as close personal and business associations--with British Canada and opposed the American embargo that disrupted these relationships. While some St. Lawrence men fought bravely for America, smuggling was a common way of life. Several small battles and skirmishes took place along the river, and a local merchant even influenced President Madison's decision-making. Local historian John Austin recounts these and other events, as well as the fascinating North Country characters who influenced them, in this book on St. Lawrence County in the War of 1812.
Pittsylvania County and the War of 1812
Part of the Military series
Rural Pittsylvania County and Danville, Virginia, remained far from the fields of conflict during the War of 1812. Yet its sons served valiantly along the Canadian frontier and in the defense of Richmond, Norfolk and Baltimore as British forces plundered villages up and down the Chesapeake Bay. General Andrew Jackson's wife, Rachel, a county native, celebrated the victory at the Battle of New Orleans with him. The homefront endured economic tribulations yet stood faithfully by its soldiers. Author and historian Larry G. Aaron reveals how Pittsylvania County served, suffered and sacrificed during the nation's second war of independence.
Chippewa Falls World War Ii Hero Harry W. Kramer
Part of the Military series
Chippewa Falls' First World War II Casualty Young Harry Wellington Kramer was looking for adventure and a leg up in Depression-era Wisconsin. He found both aboard the Navy battleship USS California . Traveling across the western United States and the Pacific Ocean, Harry was quick to share his experiences with family and friends in Chippewa Falls. As he realized his dreams and served his country, his parents anxiously followed the developments that would lead to America's involvement in World War II. All of these events converged with the attack on Pearl Harbor, in which Harry was tragically killed fulfilling his duties. Though gone, Harry W. Kramer is not forgotten. Compiling thirty-three letters between Harry and home, local author and history teacher John E. Kinville tells the story of a life cut short but well lived.
World War I Army Training by San Francisco Bay
The Story Of Camp Fremont
Part of the Military series
In 1917, Stanford University leased a portion of its land to allow the creation of Camp Fremont, headquartered in present-day Menlo Park. That brought the war into the Bay Area's backyard. Soldiers received a welcome reception, and locals embraced the potential economic opportunities. However, the military presence also revealed the conflict Americans felt over the war. Residents threatened conscientious objectors within their community, while the government mollified fears of the vice that often followed troops in training. Armistice came earlier than expected, and many soldiers trained for combat they never saw. But all contributed to the growth and change that arrived with the modern era. Author Barbara Wilcox tells Camp Fremont's story of adaptability, bravery and extraordinary accomplishment during the Great War.
New Haven in World War I
Part of the Military series
During World War I, New Haven was a hive of wartime activity. The city hummed with munition production from the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, while food conservation campaigns, canning kitchens and book drives contributed to the war effort. Meanwhile, Walter Camp, father of American football, whipped recruits and city residents into shape with his fitness programs. The Knights of Columbus were also busy preparing their "Everyone Welcome! Everything Free!" huts. And one hero--a brown-and-white dog, Sergeant Stubby--first made his appearance at Camp Yale, home of the 102nd Regiment of the Yankee Division. Using library and museum collections, author Laura A. Macaluso demonstrates how the Elm City contributed its time and money, men and women and one special dog to the first global war of the twentieth century.
Revolution in the Lymes
From The New Lights To The Sons Of Liberty
Part of the Military series
The Revolutionary War in the Lymes started as a rebellion of ideas. From its origins in the Cromwellian Saybrook Colony, Lyme (today's Lyme, Old Lyme, East Lyme and Salem) prospered under the free hand of self-governance and spurned King George III's efforts to rein in the wayward colonies. In 1765, Reverend Stephen Johnson wrote incendiary missives against the Stamp Act. A few years later, the town hosted its own Tea Party, burning one hundred pounds of British tea near the town green. When the alarm came from Lexington in 1775, Lyme's citizens were among the first to answer. Historians Jim Lampos and Michaelle Pearson explore how local Patriots shaped an epic revolt.
Pittsburgh Remembers World War Ii
Part of the Military series
Enormous sacrifice on the battlefields and tireless effort on the homefront� Pittsburgh answered the call to duty after the news of Pearl Harbor hit local airwaves that infamous afternoon. With its high enlistment rates and booming war industries, the city was instrumental in the Allied victory. Duquesne University professor Joseph F. Rishel has compiled the memories of seventeen residents who lived through the war years, from GIs serving overseas to real-life Rosie the Riveters who kept the mills and factories in operation. From stories of daring in all theaters of combat and hardships at home to recollections of schoolchildren collecting scrap metal, USO dances and wartime sweethearts, Pittsburgh Remembers World War II celebrates the city�s perseverance and patriotism.
The Virginia Navy in the Revolution: Hampton's Commodore James Barron and His Fleet
Hampton's Commodore James Barron and His Fleet
Part of the Military series
The Virginia Navy, led by Commodore James Barron, raised more than fifty vessels to aid the fight against the British Empire. The ships kept open vital trade passages to the West Indies that allowed for goods and supplies to reach American shores despite English blockades. Barron defended his birthplace at the Battle of Hampton, suffered near-destruction at the hands of Benedict Arnold and supported the French navy in the decisive victory at Yorktown. Author James Tormey reveals these stories and more in a maritime adventure through the history of the Virginia Navy in the Revolutionary era.
Pittsburgh in World War I
Arsenal Of The Allies
Part of the Military series
When the whole of Europe went to war in 1914, Pittsburgh watched the storm clouds gather at home. Yet Pittsburgh was a city of immigrants--the large Polish community urged leaders to join the side of the Allies, while German immigrants supported the Central powers. By the time the country entered World War I in 1917, Pittsburghers threw their support into the war effort united as Americans. With over 250 mills and factories, the Steel City and Allegheny County produced half of the steel and much of the munitions used by the Allies. Pittsburgh gave more than steel--sixty thousand men went to war, and women flocked to the front lines as nurses. One of the first gas masks on the western front was developed at the Mellon Institute, while the city's large Red Cross provided tireless support on the homefront. Historian Elizabeth Williams traces the remarkable story of Pittsburgh during the Great War.
Captain Charles Rawn and the Frontier Infantry in Montana
by Robert M. Brown Ph. D.
Part of the Military series
Stationed in Montana during the height of the Indian Wars, Captain Charles Rawn proved an unlikely hero and an indispensable leader in numerous battles. He took command from a drunken Major Baker at the Battle of Pryor's Creek, saving the 400 soldiers from possible annihilation at the hands of 1,000 Sioux. As commander of Fort Missoula, he led 35 soldiers and 200 volunteers in an attempt to halt 850 Nez Perce warriors. When Colonel Gibbon suffered an injury at the Battle of the Big Hole, Rawn's experience and leadership of the 7th Infantry helped prevent another Custer debacle. Author Robert M. Brown catalogues the career of this outstanding officer and the transformation of the frontier army from a Civil War legacy into an elite fighting force.
Virginia in the American Revolution
Part of the Military series
Portraits of Valor
The stories of the passions and personalities that placed Virginia in the forefront of the Revolutionary War were replete with grief and sacrifice. The breakup of families over political differences was common. Bereavement spared few, as evidenced by the death of George Washington's stepson. But courageous characters persisted, from the "Paul Revere of Virginia" to the enslaved man turned American spy who helped ensure the Continental Army's final victory at Yorktown. Author and TV host Chuck Mills documents the human side of the Revolution in the Old Dominion, including chronicles of battles, leaders and the impact of war on ordinary men and women.
Marblehead in World War I
At Home And Overseas
Part of the Military series
The small seacoast town of Marblehead, in eastern Massachusetts, was the first to answer the call to arms during both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Throughout World War I, Marblehead was affected, and the town influenced the outcome. Boasting of the fifth and final naval militia in history, the Tenth Deck Division, Marblehead�s men stood on the front line as the first shots rang out, aimed at the Germans in 1917. It was a town that pulled together, rallied behind their own family and friends while they fought in the trenches of war and stood shoulder to shoulder in their diligent commitment. Historian Margery A. Armstrong delves into the past through articles and letters from those overseas that were first published in the Marblehead Messenger.
Niagara Falls in World War II
Part of the Military series
Niagara Falls, both a natural wonder and a tourist destination, played a prominent role on the homefront during the Second World War. Many men and women worked diligently stateside in wartime industrial plants. One of the area's largest employers, Bell Aircraft, produced P-39 Airacobras and P-63 Kingcobra fighter planes. The company also contributed to more than thirty thousand aircraft for America and its Allies. Other residents, including Mayor Edward W. Mirrington Jr., were called to serve. Through numerous personal interviews, photos and wartime recipes, author and local historian Michelle Ann Kratts honors the World War II efforts of locals both at home and abroad.
Arsenal of History
The Powder Magazine Of South Carolina
Part of the Military series
The Powder Magazine was completed circa 1713 as an arsenal to safely store munitions in the South Carolina colonial capital of Charles Town, serving continuously in defense through the 1740s and periodically until the 1820s. Rescued from destruction in 1902, the building has served as a museum for more than a century, inspiring countless other historic conservation efforts. Museum Director Alan Stello presents the story of the state's oldest public building by establishing connections between the arsenal and the significant episodes it has witnessed. Readers will enjoy an introductory look at South Carolina colonial military history while gaining an appreciation for this icon of history and preservation.
New Jersey and the Medal of Honor
A History
Part of the Military series
Awarded by the President of the United States in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor commemorates those who have shaped our nation's history and continue to inspire its future with their acts of valor, humanity, patriotism, and sacrifice.
New Jersey has been credited with ninety-three honors in the state's military history. Robert Augustus Sweeney was the recipient of two non-combatant medals when he jumped into stormy waters to save a fellow sailor twice becoming one of only nineteen double Medal of Honor recipients of all time and the only African American to do so. On the infamous day of December 7, 1941, Peter Tomich, serving on the USS Utah, sprung to action when it became evident his ship would capsize from the two Japanese torpedoes, staying behind to man the fireroom to ensure the boilers were secured to prevent an internal fire and saving countless additional deaths.
Author Peter Zablocki reveals the harrowing stories of New Jersey's most valorous moments in the defense of our nation and freedom around the world.
Denville in World War II
Part of the Military series
The bucolic small-town life of Denville in the 1940s would change forever with the outbreak of World War II. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the town mobilized, creating the Denville Local Defense Council, designating air wardens to watch the skies and establishing air raid sirens. Schoolchildren gathered around home radios to learn if there were enough supplies to heat the school, and families learned to live within the confines of a ration book. The Denville Salvage Committee proclaimed "Bomb 'em with Junk!" as it collected waste goods for the war effort. Hundreds of Denville men served valiantly in all theaters of the war, some earning prestigious military accolades and many tragically never returning. Author Peter Zablocki covers the history of World War II Denville, including interviews with members of the town's "Greatest Generation."
World War Ii Sacramento
Part of the Military series
Spurred into action by the attack on Pearl Harbor, Sacramento dragged itself out of the morass of the Great Depression and joined the war effort. Local citizens trained for Japanese attacks through Civilian Defense, cultivated thousands of acres of victory gardens and harnessed the agricultural riches of the region. Tens of thousands engaged in war work at local bases like the new McClellan Field, while Sacramento's diverse servicemen distinguished themselves in combat overseas. They would later return and transform the city into the modern Sacramento of today. Exclusive images and stories from the Special Collections of the Sacramento Public Library bring this story to life.