





| ATTENTION ON DECK! |
| January 1, 1776 - During the American Revolution, George Washington unveiled the Grand Union Flag, the first national flag in America. January 3, 1777 - During the American Revolution, Gen. George Washington defeated the British at Princeton and drove them back toward New Brunswick. Washington then established winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey. During the long harsh winter, Washington's army shrank to about a thousand men as enlistments expired and deserters fled. January 8, 1815 - The Battle of New Orleans occurred as General Andrew Jackson and American troops defended against a British attack, inflicting over 2,000 casualties. Both sides in this battle were unaware that peace had been declared two weeks earlier with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent ending the War of 1812. January 16, 1991 - The war against Iraq began as Allied aircraft conducted a major raid against Iraqi air defenses. The raid on Baghdad was broadcast live to a global audience by CNN correspondents as operation Desert Shield became Desert Storm. January 21, 1954 - The USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear powered submarine, was launched at Groton, Connecticut. January 22, 1943 - During World War II in the Pacific, Japanese resistance ended in New Guinea, resulting in the first land victory of the war for Allied forces. January 23, 1968 - The USS Pueblo was seized by North Koreans in the Sea of Japan amid claims the ship was spying. The ship was confiscated and the crew held in captivity until December, with one fatality. The ship is still held by N Korean government and is used as a propaganda museum against the USA by that government. January 24, 1972 - Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi was discovered on Guam after he had spent 28 years hiding out in the jungle not knowing World War II had long since ended. January 27, 1973 - U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War ended as North Vietnamese and American representatives signed an agreement in Paris. The U.S. agreed to remove all remaining troops within 60 days thus ending the longest war in American history. Over 58,000 Americans had been killed, 300,000 wounded, and 2,500 declared missing. A total of 566 prisoners of war had been held by the North Vietnamese during the war, with 55 reported deaths. January 28, 1915 - The U.S. Coast Guard was created by an Act of Congress, combining the Life Saving Service and the Revenue Cutter Service. |
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