Army history in December

Beyond its role in defense of the nation, the Army and its Soldiers have contributed to medicine, technology, exploration, engineering and science, The milestones listed in this monthly chronology offer only a small glimpse of that proud story of selfless service, It is also your story.

1700s

1775--MG Richard Montgomery is the first Continental Army general to die in combat, during a failed attack on Quebec the night of Dec. 30-31.

Birthday of cavalry/armor. On Dec. 12 Congress authorizes the first regiment of light dragoons.

1776--The night of Dec. 25-26, George Washington leads his army across the Delaware River in a surprise attack on the Hessian garrison at Trenton, N.J.

1777--Winter at Valley Forge, Pa. By spring, 2,000 Soldiers will die of disease and cold.

1800s

1802--The Corps of Engineers adopts a new uniform on Dec. 3. One element is a brass button incorporating a bastion, eagle and the Engineer Corps' motto: Essayons, or "Let Us Try."

1806--The Red River Expedition's troubles continue as the party is surrounded and robbed by armed Pawnees.

1817--On Dec. 23 Soldiers capture Amelia Island, Fla., ridding it of pirates and slave traders.

1862--The Army of the Potomac crosses the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg, Va., on Dec. 13, but suffers a serious defeat at the hands of well-prepared Confederate defenders.

1864 The Union armies of MG William Sherman enter Savannah, Ga., on Dec. 21, ending their 300-mile march to the sea from Atlanta.

1900s

1906--The Department of War directs the first use of metal identification tags, soon nicknamed "dog tags" by Soldiers.

1911--A force led by CPT John J. Pershing surrounds a major Moro stronghold on Jolo, in the Philippines, and forces a surrender.

1918--The Third Army crosses the Rhine River on Dec. 8 to establish headquarters for administering its occupation zone in Germany.

1926--The Army replaces the high "choke" collar uniform blouse with an open-lapel design.

1941

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, GEN George Marshall approves plans for a two-million man army of 100 divisions. On Luzon, American and Philippine units withdraw to Bataan.

1942--Soldiers and Marines launch a final drive on Guadalcanal, and Japanese forces abandon the island in January 1943.

1995 On Dec. 30 engineers from the 1st Armored Div. complete a record-length ribbon bridge over the rain-swollen Sava River in Bosnia, permitting the division to advance.

1943--At Fort Benning, Ga., the first black airborne company is formed, later becoming part of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion.

1944--A German counterattack on Dec. 16 initiates the month-long Battle of the Bulge. In Burma, the Mars Task Force marches north to join Chinese forces.

1945--GEN George S. Patton is injured in an automobile accident near Mannheim, Germany, on Dec. 9 and dies 12 days later.

1950--In Korea, Task Force Faith, of the 7th infantry Div., is destroyed by the Chinese on the east side of the Chosin Reservoir.

1956--The last two Army pack-mule units, the 35th Quartermaster Company and Battery A of the 4th Field Artillery Battalion, are inactivated at Fort Carson, Colo. The Army also discontinues the use of carrier pigeons.

1966--In its first firefight of the war, the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment is ambushed near Suoi Cat, South Vietnam, on Dec. 2.

1976--The Borman Commission report on the cheating scandal at West Point recommends retention of the cadet honor code and changes in the violation-reporting system.

1977--Defense Secretary Clifford Alexander approves women serving in most NCO and officer positions in noncombat units.

1981--On Dec. 17 BG James L. Dozier is kidnapped from his apartment in Italy by members of the Italian "Red Brigade" terrorist organization. Italian police and a Delta Force team free him in January.

1984--On Dec. 12, 248 men of the 101st Airborne Div. are killed when the DC-8 bringing them home from Sinai peacekeeping duty crashes in Gander, Newfoundland.

1989--U.S. forces invade Panama, Dec. 20, overthrowing the government of Manuel Noriega. Wanted on drug charges, Noriega surrenders on Jan. 3, 1990.

2000s

2001--Three special-forces Soldiers are the first Americans killed in Afghanistan when a B-52 mistakenly bombs their position. Twenty others are wounded.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Soldiers Magazine
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group