Military
This series of messages features those hidden heroes who contributed advances to the structure and openness of the military.
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Dorie Miller
Dorie Miller was born in Texas in 1919. His mother had hoped her third child would be a daughter and hadn’t given thought to a name other than Doris. He grew to be 6’3” and 200lbs, so no one would dare make fun of his feminine name. He could have earned a football...
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Harlem Hellfighters
The 15th New York National Guard had existed prior to the U.S. Civil War. They were a military unit of African-Americans and had protected the New York harbor during the Civil War. When the U.S. entered World War I, African Americans were eager to join the fight,...
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Waverly Woodson – The Savior of Omaha Beach
It was June 6, 1944, and U.S. troops had begun their landing on the beaches of northern France. This was to become the turning point in the allied victory defeating Germany in World War II. Waverly Woodson was one of those soldiers. He was born in 1922 in...
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Christopher Spencer – The Man Who Won the Civil War
Christopher Spencer was born in Connecticut in 1833. It was his grandfather, who he starting starting living with who when he was ill that encouraged his inventive mind. He was allowed to work on a lathe and modify his grandfather’s Revolutionary War musket. This...
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Hercules Mulligan: Spy, Patriot, and Abolitionist
Hercules Mulligan was born in Ireland in 1740 and came to America in 1746. He attended college and opened a tailoring business where he became the clothier of high-level British officers. When Alexander Hamilton came to America, Hercules gave him a place to live. He...
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Creating Discipline from Chaos
Friedrich von Steuben was destined to have a military career. He was born in a fortress town in Germany. His father was an officer in the Prussian army and Friedrich was a volunteer in the military when he was 14. Friedrich was involved in the Seven Years’ War between...
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The Secret Weapon in the American Civil War
Anna Ella Carroll was the oldest of 8 children in a politically active family. Her father, who would become Governor of Maryland when she was in her teens, nurtured her education and political interests. She became influential in the administrations of Presidents...
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The Richmond Spy Network
Elizabeth Van Lew was born in Richmond, VA in 1818 to Quaker parents. She was opposed to slavery even though her father owned slaves. When her father died when she was 25, she convinced her mother to free the slaves they owned. Elizabeth and her brother used their...
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Breaking Gender Barriers
Mary Edwards Walker was the youngest of seven children born to free-thinking parents. Her parents believed in non-gender roles for their children so it was not a shock that she became a medical doctor when so few women attempted medical school. When she was married,...
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