The 6th of June is remembered for the intense human drama of D-Day on the coast of France. This is also the birthday of Dieudonné Joseph Saive (born 1899.) He was the designer of many well-known firearms including the Browning Hi-Power, the FN49 and co-designer (along with Ernest Vervier) of the very popular FN-FAL. The FAL (in metric and inch variants) was issued to the militaries of more than 90 countries.
On June 5th, 1899, Alfred Dreyfus was acquitted. Although well-remembered in France and her colonies, this landmark trial is now largely forgotten by the American public. It deserves study. On June 5th, 1912, U.S. Marines invaded Cuba for the third time. (One of what are commonly called The Banana Wars.) On this day in 1661, Isaac Newton was admitted as a student to Trinity College, Cambridge. Also on this day in 1942, the Elwood Ordnance Plant (near Joliet Illinois) exploded, killing 54 people, and injuring at least 40 others. Mexican revolutionary Francisco Pancho Villa was born on June 5th, 1878. …
On this day in 1944 United States Navy Task Group 22.3 captured U-505. It was a German submarine with an intact Enigma cypher machine. This was the first time since the USS Peacock seized HMS Nautilus in 1815 that the USN had captured an enemy vessel at sea. The sub, reunited with its periscope a decade ago, is displayed at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Note that we’ve improved the blog’s Search Box. We have also expanded our discussion guidelines. Please take a look before you post a comment. Thanks, – JWR
On June 3rd, 1539, Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto claimed Florida for Spain. June 3rd can also be considered the “birthday” of the U.S. Army. (It was established by Congress on June 3rd, 1784.) Also on this day, in 1911, actress Ellen Corby was born. She is often remembered for her role as Grandma Walton, in the television series The Waltons.
On June 2, 1774, Parliament renewed the quartering Act allowing British military to stay in private homes if necessary, completing the Coercive Acts. The Quartering Act, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Government Act, the Administration of Justice Act, and the Boston Port Act, were known as the Coercive Acts. These Acts were Parliament’s way of asserting their control over the colonists after the Boston Tea Party and were one of the main motivations for the 3rd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
On June 1st, 1942, seven months after the extermination of prisoners began, the Warsaw underground newspaper, the Liberty Brigade, made the public announcement of the gassing of tens of thousands of Jews at Chelmno, a Nazi-operated death camp in Poland. The story came from a young man, Emanuel Ringelblum, who had escaped the Chelmno death camp after being forced to bury bodies as they were thrown out of the gas vans. The West now knew the horrific truth about the slaughter of Jews.
May 31st, 1895 was the birthday of George R. Stewart. Prior to his death on August 22, 1980, he was a novelist, university professor, and toponymist. In the preparedness community, he is best remembered as the author of the classic post-pandemic novel Earth Abides.
By proclamation of General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, the first major Memorial Day observance was held to honor those who died “in defense of their country” Known to some as “Decoration Day,” mourners honored the Civil War dead by decorating their graves with flowers. On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, after which 5,000 participants helped to decorate the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery. The 1868 celebration was inspired by local observances that had taken place in …
Today, Memorial Day, is a day of solemn remembrance in the U.S. of the many who have given their all for our freedoms. We always thank those who are serving in our military and their families who have also made sacrifices, but today most of all we want to honor those who gave their lives. Just a Common Soldier
George Washington, a young lieutenant colonel in the British Army and future president of the United States, led an attack on French forces at Jumonville Glen on this day in 1754. This battle was later credited with being the opening salvo in the French and Indian War (1754 to 1763). In the biography His Excellency: George Washington, historian Joseph Ellis recounts Washington’s first combat experience. Washington and 40 colonial troops had been encamped near the French garrison at Fort Duquesne when he received an urgent message to rescue Indian allies in the area who were threatened by French forces. In …
Traditionally, many of SurvivalBlog’s advertisers have Memorial Day sales and this year is no exception. KeepShooting has some great deals on surplus military equipment like the Military Style Wool Blankets in OD, black and gray. This are excellent emergency blankets to have in your vehicle. Take a look at their other specials too! Ready Made Resources is giving away a Baofeng ham radio with the purchase of any night vision device or thermal device (excluding the pocket scope). This is a $63 value.
SurvivalBlog Non-Fiction Writing Contest We are still looking for articles for the SurvivalBlog Non-Fiction Writing Contest. If you’ve been wanting a shot at the $11,000+ worth of prizes, now is your chance! We will consider just about any article from your experience, but How-To articles get preference in the judging. If you have an idea that your thinking about, write it up and send it in. If you are looking for some possible writing subjects, here are a few to consider: Family Fallout Protection Non-Traditional Gardening Crops and Techniques 2 Meter Radio Basics Understanding VPN and Choosing The Right Service …
May 26th is the birthday of Hank Williams, Jr. (Randall Hank Williams, nicknamed Bocephus.) He was born in 1949. When not touring, he lives Somewhere in Montana, so he qualifies as a Redoubter. He reportedly has a large gun collection which is heavy on Sharps rifles and rifles that have factory letters showing that they were originally shipped to Montana. His song A Country Boy Can Survive is of course practically a survivalist anthem. His father was just 29 when he died, and despite a couple of close calls, Hank Jr. is now well into his golden years, so he …
On May 24th, 1775, John Hancock was elected president of the Second Continental Congress. He is best known for his large signature on the Declaration of Independence, which he jested the British could read without spectacles.
SurvivalBlog reader M.T. sent in a note about clicking through to the full article on the blog. If you click the “Continue reading” link, you will jump to the part of the article where you left off reading in the excerpt. If you click on the article title or the image, you will jump to the beginning of the article. o o o May 23 is the birthday of George Lars Kellgren (born 1943 in Borås, Sweden), the founder and chief engineer of Kel-Tec. According to LeftistAgendaPedia: He designed many firearms earlier for Husqvarna and Swedish Interdynamics AB in Sweden. …
