This Month in Military History

A monthly update from the desk of:

Bob Hogan

Director of Burlington’s Office of Veterans Services

November

The month of November, like every other month of the year, has it’s notable events that occurred in military history. Each month in this column we will discuss the events of that particular month in WW-2, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and any related military history.

By Executive Order the United States Coast Guard was transferred from the Treasury Department to the U.S. Navy on November 1, 1941. The Coats Guards role in World War 2 was as diverse as the service itself; from Greenland patrols to manning Navy transports, from amphibious landings to rescues.

During World War 2, the Coats Guard has 425 Cutters in operation, along with more than 4,000 smaller craft. In addition, the Coast Guard manned over 300 vessels that operated under Navy control.

On November  8. 1942 Allied Forces began landings in North Africa, kicking off Operation “Torch”(Algeria-Morocco Campaign). The coordinated effort under Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower began with landings at Casablanca, Oran and Algiers: within four days, the Allied troops had secured these bases and by November 15, were in control of North Africa.

On November 12 of that same year, the naval battle of Guadalcanal began. This battle ended major Japanese naval action in the Solomon’s. Adm. William (Bull) Halsey risked everything by attacking a superior Japanese force.

In November of 1943, the Marines landed on Bougainville. The Third Marine Division encountered resistance as they invaded the island of the north shore of Empress Augusta Bay.

On the 20th of that same month, the Marines also landed on Tarawa. A Japanese admiral once boasted that it would take a million men, 100 years to take Tarawa. It took the marines just 76 hours.  In a grave miscalculation, U.S. intelligence assumed the landing craft could get the troops ashore; the water was too shallow and the Marines had to wade in from 500 to 1000 yards out. Many of the Marines who escaped Japanese bullets, drowned under the weight of the own gear.

Despite the heavy casualties(1,020 killed, 2,296 wounded), Tarawa ranks as one of America’s greatest victories.

In November of 1944, General George Patton launched an all out drive to capture Metz. After the Eighth Air Force conducted its heavy bombing attacks, Patton’s Third Army began crossing the Moselle River, despite adverse weather conditions. Within two weeks, Metz belonged to the Americans. During the campaign, the Third Army suffered 29,000 casualties and captured 37,000 prisoners.

In November of 1950, Americans saw their first action against the Communist Chinese. In a night attack, the Communist Chinese Forces surprised the U.S. Eighth Army’s First Cavalry Division near Unsan.

Later that same month, The Air Force made its first assault against bridges across the Yalu. Task Force 77 conducted heavy bombing raids on Sinuiji and several international bridges, but did not cross the boarder into Manchuria..

On the 27th of November in 1950, The Battle of Chosin Reservoir began as elements of a nine division Chinese assault force directed a massive frontal assault on the 5th and 7th Regimental Combat Teams of the First Marine Division.

Many experts considered the division, completely surrounded by 60,000 Chinese troops, as lost. For 13 days, in weather 20 degrees below zero, the division fought its way out of the entrapment over 78 miles of icy, winding mountain roads. One of the most rigorous campaigns in the entire history of the Marine Corps ended as the 10,000 Marines and 4,000 Army personnel returned safely, fighting their way out with tactical integrity, bringing all their dead and wounded with them, and saving much of the operable equipment.

In 1951, during November, the Marines attacked Yudam Ni.

On November 10,1954, The Marines dedicated the Iwo Jima Monument in Arlington Virginia, on the 179th Anniversary of the Corps.

In Vietnam, in November of 1966, The Air Force completed its first air base. Tuy Hoa Air Base, the first in South Vietnam designed and constructed under U.S. supervision became operational.

On November 25, 1967, Marine aviator Major Robert H. Holdeman of Winchester, Ind. was shot down over North Vietnam. It took thirty years, but his remains have recently been returned home to his family and country.

In November of 1970 an Army -Air Force helicopter force assault landed at the Son Tay prisoner of war camp, 20 miles west of Hanoi, in the most inspiring but heartbreaking operations of the Vietnam War. Although the prison guards were still there, the American Prisoners had been moved just days before the raid. During the raid, one member of the team was wounded, and all returned safely.

In November of 1972, two Navy Seal Team members distinguished themselves. In a mission to capture a North Vietnamese soldier and gather information, the team came under heavy fire from North Vietnamese Troops. Navy Lieutenant Thomas Norris who had earlier earned the Medal of Honor, but had not yet been formally presented the Medal, was shot. Engineman Second Class Michael Thornton was determined not to leave his Team Leader behind. In spite of the shrapnel wounds in both legs and weighted down with his own equipment, he sprinted through heavy enemy gunfire to retrieve the body.

Miraculously, Norris was still alive. Thronton carried him several miles to the water, inflated his lifejacket and swam until they were out of range from the enemy gunfire. For two hours, Thornton swam with Norris until they were picked up. Both men survived. Thornton was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. This was the only time in the history of the Medal of Honor, that one Medal of Honor recipient saved another recipient.

On November 8th, 1990, President Bush moved to change the face of the Gulf crisis. He announced that U.S. Forces in the region would be nearly doubled to give American Commanders the offensive option, should it be necessary to enforce U.N. Sanctions.  And on November 29, 1990 a United Nations Security Council authorizes the use of all means necessary to eject Iraq from Kuwait.

Bob Hogan is the Burlington & Bedford Director of Veterans Services. He can be contacted by calling 781-270-1959 in Burlington and 781-275-1328 in Bedford.

From:  www.Veteransinfo.net

Burlington Veterans Services

Town Hall

Burlington, MA  01803

Office: 781 270-1959  

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