The Military "MARCHED" Right through March

March takes off with National Women’s History Month which celebrates the often-overlooked contributions of women in history. It is annually observed in the U.S., the United Kingdom and Australia, every March since 1987. March is selected as the month for observing Women’s History Month to correspond with International Women’s Day on March 8.

The school district in Sonoma CA organized Women’s History Month in 1978. In 1980 President Jimmy Carter issued the first proclamation declaring the week of March 8 as National Women’s History Week.

The Naval Reserve’s 108th birthday is celebrated in March. Since 1915 the Navy Reserve has been involved with the Navy, Marines and the Joint Force.

The purpose of the organization was to ready America for potential involvement in World War 1. Soon the Reservists grew to 245,789, representing 54% of the total U.S. Naval Force.

On March 5, the U.S. Navy commemorates the establishment of the Seabees by remembering their heritage and extensive contributions to naval history during the past 80 years and recognizing their important mission today.

“Since our inception 80 years ago, U.S. Navy Seabees have been present in every war and conflict since World War 11”, said Captain Peter Maculan, commanding officer. The Center for Seabees and Facilities Engineering (CASFE) and the Naval Civil Engineer Corps Officers School. “The Seabees are providing tactical/expeditionary engineering expertise in remote locations around the world in support of the fleet and our nation’s priorities.”

K-9 Veteran’s Day, is celebrated March 13. K-9s serve vital roles in the military and law enforcement. They work the borders, customs, airports, Coast Guard, F.B.I., police and even the Secret Service. Service animals, be it for health or/and mental fall into this category. The U.S. Canine Corps was established in 1942.

We cannot overlook Rosie the Riveter when women stepped in to fill factory jobs turned into arsenal productions. Mae Krier, 93, and original Rosie Riveter worked at Boeing Aircraft producing B-17s and B-29s for the war effort from 1943-1945 in Seattle. She, at age 93!!, is advocating Congress for getting March 21 recognized annually as a Rosie Riveter Day of Remembrance. Saying she wants to inspire a “We Can Do It” attitude among young girls everywhere, she also is advocating that Congress award the Rosies the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor to their service.

Short interesting facts about the Rosies: (1 The U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp in the 1990s featuring the image of Rosie the Riveter. (2 In 1942, Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb composed a song called “Rosie the Riveter”. (3 Artist Norman Rockwell’s cover for the May 29, 1943, issue of The Saturday Evening Post magazine was an illustration of a female riveter with the name “Rosie” painted on the lunch pail. (4 Around 5 million civilian women served in the defense industry and elsewhere in the commercial sector during World War 11 with the aim of freeing a man to fight.

The Medal of Honor is the United States Armed Forces’ highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors. Marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. (Wikepdia)

It is awarded for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. It was established by the Naval Service on December 21, 1861; Army: July 12, 1882; Air and Space Forces: April 14, 1965. The first award was given March 25, 1863; there has been 3,525 recipients to date and was last awarded July 5 2022.

On March 29, Americans will come together to commemorate the service and sacrifices made by the nearly 3 million service members who served in Vietnam.

In 2012, President Obama signed a presidential proclamation, designating March as the annual observance of Vietnam War Veterans Day.

The signing of the proclamation marked the 50th anniversary of the departure of the last American troops from Vietnam----March 29, 1973. Only U.S. embassy personnel and support staff remained in South Vietnam until the fall of Saigon on April 30th, 1975.

More than 58,000 Americans were killed and many thousands more were wounded and injured or determined to be missing.

[information provided by U.S. Dept. of Defense]