Page 17 - TFRW PNL Aug 2018

Inspire. Unite. Achieve.

AMERICANISM

Interesting Facts for August

August 1 U.S. Air Force Day - The United States bought their first aircraft in 1909.
The Air Force has gone through many stages before officially being called the
United States Air Force. In 1909, Aeronautical Section, Signal Corps; 1914, Aviation
Section, Signal Corps; 1918, U.S. Army Air Service; 1926, U.S. Army Air Corps; 1941,
U.S. Army Air Force; in 1947, it finally became the U.S. Air Force.
August 1 The first U.S. Census was completed in 1790, listing the U.S. population as
4 million.

August 4 U.S. Coast Guard was established in 1790 at the request of Alexander Hamilton it was originally called the
Revenue Marine. It is the oldest continuous military service in the U.S.

August 5 The first transatlantic telegraph cable was completed in 1858.

August 5 The cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty was laid in 1884 and was dedicated
October 28, 1886. The designer was Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and was built by Gustave
Eiffel.

August 7 The Purple Heart was originally called the Badge of Military Merit and was
created in 1782.

August 10 Old Glory was first used in 1831 to refer to our flag by William Driver of Salem,
Massachusetts, the captain of the ship Charles Doggett. When the flag was raised, he
said, “I name thee Old Glory.”

August 13 Opha May Johnson was the first woman to enlist in the United States
Marine Corps Reserve in 1918. She was assigned desk duty at Marine headquarters.

August 14 Japan surrendered ending WWII in 1945.
August 14 National Navajo Code Talkers Day. Their code was not broken by the Japanese;
thus, they saved many lives. They were not allowed to discuss their role in WWII until
many years after the war.
August 16 National Airborne Day was designated in 2001 to honor the airborne forces of the Armed Forces.

August 19 National Aviation Day was established in 1939 on the anniversary of
Orville Wright’s birthday. Wright was still alive when the proclamation was issued.

August 25 The National Park Service was established in 1916, when President
Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act. Parks that became
part of the National Park Service are Yellowstone which was established in 1872;
Yosemite was established in 1864; Mount Rainier was established in 1899;
Crater Lake was established in 1902. The Grand Canyon and Zion were not
established until 1919.
August 26 Women’s Equality Day began in 1920 when the 19th Amendment was
ratified giving women the right to vote. This Amendment was introduced first in
1878, taking forty-two years to be ratified.
August 28 On this day in 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr., made his “I Have a
Dream” speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial. This speech is one of the most
recognizable speeches ever given.
Jeannee O’Neill and June Rentmeester | Americanism Co-Chairs

PRESIDENT’S NEWSLETTER | AUGUST 2018 17 TEXAS FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN