26 APR--This Day in US Military History

2015-04-26T10:00:11-04:00

1937 – During the Spanish Civil War, the German military tests its powerful new air force, the Luftwaffe, and the principles of Blitzkreig, on the Basque town of Guernica in northern Spain.

Although the independence-minded Basque region opposed General Francisco Franco’s Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War, Guernica itself was a small rural city of only 5,000 inhabitants that declared nonbelligerence in the conflict.
With Franco’s approval, the cutting-edge German aircraft began their unprovoked attack at 4:30 p.m., the busiest hour of the market day in Guernica. For three hours, the German planes poured down a continuous and unopposed rain of bombs and gunfire on the town and surrounding countryside. One-third of Guernica’s 5,000 inhabitants were killed or wounded, and fires engulfed the city and burned for days. The indiscriminate killing of civilians at Guernica aroused world opinion and became a symbol of fascist brutality. Unfortunately, by 1942, all major participants in World War II had adopted the bombing innovations developed by the Nazis at Guernica, and by the war’s end, in 1945, millions of innocent civilians had perished under Allied and Axis air raids.

https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/april-26/

April 26

26 April 1607 - Ships under the command of Capt. Christopher Newport sought shelter in Chesapeake Bay. The forced landing led to the founding of Jamestown on the James River, the first English sett...

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2015 10:04 AM

2015-04-26T10:04:10-04:00

Sometimes I wonder just how much it takes for the world to wake up.......

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Apr 26 at 2015 10:16 AM

2015-04-26T10:16:44-04:00

Busy day for Vietnamland

1965 – Secretary McNamara reports that although the air raids against North Vietnam have ‘slowed down the movement of men and materiel…infiltration of both arms and personnel into South Vietnam has increased. McNamara, however, refuses to answer questions on increasing troop strength. The war is now costing the nation about $1.5 billion per year.

A Lou Harris poll shows that about 57% of Americans support Johnson’s handling of the war.

20,000 Cambodian students attack the US Embassy there and tear down the US flag in protest.

Response by SSG Gerhard S. made Apr 26 at 2015 11:42 AM

2015-04-26T11:42:09-04:00

Even in 1805, Thomas Jefferson was tiring the aggressions of the Muslim Pirates harassing, enslaving, and holding hostage, American Sailors, Merchants, Ships, and Cargo. The incessant demands for Tribute, and Ransom became intolerable, and led to a number of distant Military actions in defense of Americans, and free trade in general.

1805 – First Barbary War: United States Marines captured Derne under the command of First Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon and former Consul to Tunis, William Eaton. The Battle of Derne was the decisive victory of a mercenary army led by a detachment of United States Marines and United States Army soldiers against the forces of Ottoman Tripolitania during the First Barbary War. It was the first recorded land battle the United States fought overseas. U.S. forces and mercenaries marched for 600 miles (970 km) through the desert to attack Derne.