16 MAY-- This Day in US Military History

2015-05-16T10:04:42-04:00

1899 – One month after the Spanish-American War began in April 1898, an expeditionary force sailed from San Francisco to capture the Spanish colonial capital of Manila, on Luzon Island, Philippines.

Because most of the Regular Army was fighting in Cuba and Puerto Rico, three-quarters of this force was composed of state volunteer units, mostly from mid-western and western states. The Spanish surrendered by August and an uneasy peace settled in. The Filipinos wanted independence and when the American government announced it was annexing the islands as a colony, the local people rose up in revolt in February 1899.
By spring the American Army, still composed mostly of state units, was on the offensive cleaning out insurgent strongholds north of Manila. During this period a long-time American resident named Henry Young offered his services as a guide to the Army. He organized 25 men into a highly-mobile reconnaissance force called “Young’s Scouts” to patrol ahead of the advance. Most of the men in this unit were volunteers from the 1st North Dakota and 2nd Oregon Volunteer infantry regiments.
On May 13th, a patrol of 11 Scouts plus Young charged and routed about 300 insurgents. Young was killed in this attack. Three days later (this date) 22 Scouts rushed across a bridge being set ablaze by enemy soldiers. The Guardsmen, while under a heavy fire from about 600 Filipinos across the river, succeeded in routing the insurgents and saving the bridge from burning. They continued to hold off several assaults to recapture the bridge until relieved by the 2nd Oregon.
A total of 15 Medals of Honor were awarded to Guardsmen during the Philippine Insurrection. For their heroic actions in these two events ten Guardsmen of “Young’s Scouts” received the Medal, seven from North Dakota and three from Oregon.

https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/may-16/

May 16

16 May 1691 - Jacob Leisler, American colonist, was hanged for treason. He was a soldier, born in Frankfort on the Main, Germany. He came to this country in 1660 as a soldier in the service of the ...

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made May 16 at 2015 10:09 AM

2015-05-16T10:09:31-04:00

Another great post ... thanks 1SG Private RallyPoint Member. BTW, where do you get all these nuggets?

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made May 16 at 2015 10:08 AM

2015-05-16T10:08:28-04:00

50 years ago today - Vietnam-land

First US gunfire support in Vietnam by USS Tucker.

What is described by the United States government as “an accidental explosion of a bomb on one aircraft which spread to others” at the Bien Hoa air base leaves 27 U.S. servicemen and 4 South Vietnamese dead and some 95 Americans injured. More than 40 U.S. and South Vietnamese planes, including 10 B-57s, were destroyed.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 16 at 2015 10:36 AM

2015-05-16T10:36:17-04:00

here's to the fighting Oregon 2nd volunteer Infantry which Became the 1st Bn. 162nd Infantry Regiment.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made May 16 at 2015 3:30 PM

2015-05-16T15:30:37-04:00

"Remember the Maine" "Those Damn Spanish blew up our Ship" Too bad it was all Yellow Rag Propaganda. A Coal Bunker Fire set off the Magazine. Rough and Ready Teddy R used it to propel himself to President. I do remember a print interview with him after he was awarded the medal for San Juan Hill where he credited the Buffalo Soldiers work on the day before on that hill. Birth Origins of the VFW. We got Puerto Rico, Cuba (We're still in Guantanamo) and the PI out of the deal. Not a bad bit of Adventurism.