November 11, 1885 - General George S. Patton, Jr. (right) is born at San Gabriel, CA. The descendent of Brig. Gen. Hugh Mercer and several Confederate officers, Patton graduated from West Point in 1909. An early proponent of armored warfare, he oversaw the US Tank School during World War I and led an armored brigade in the conflict's final months. With the outbreak of World War II, Patton led American forces during Operations Torch and Husky. A flamboyant leader, he frequently retarded his career with outspoken comments and nearly ended it when he slapped a soldier in Sicily. Held back from D-Day, he later led the US Third Army during its rapid advance across France and played a key role in the Battle of the Bulge. Relieved in November 1945 for comments against occupation policy and the Soviets, he suddenly died the following month from injuries sustained in a car accident. Share your thoughts on this charismatic leader - was he one of America's best or all bluff and bluster?

Happy Veterans Day to All Those Who have Served

Photograph Courtesy of the National Archives & Records Administration

November 8-10, 1942 - Allied troops land in North Africa as part of Operation Torch (right). Having been having been persuaded of the impracticality of launching an invasion of France, American commanders agreed to conduct landings in northwest Africa with the goal of clearing the continent of Axis troops and preparing the way for a future attack on southern Europe. Believing the Vichy French forces in the the area would offer little to no resistance, American and British forces began landing at Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers on November 8, 1942. While some French forces offered battled, they were quickly overcome as the Allies secured their objectives. Consolidating their position, the Allies began advancing east into Tunisia with the goal of trapping Axis forces against Gen. Bernard Montgomery's advancing Eighth Army. Share your thoughts on Operation Torch - was it the right move or should an invasion of France been attempted in 1943?

Photograph Courtesy of the National Archives & Records Administration

November 7, 1811 - Gen. William Henry Harrison (right) wins the Battle of Tippecanoe. In the wake of his failures to overturn the Treaty of Fort Wayne, the Shawnee leader Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa began organizing a confederacy against the United States. Gathering forces at Prophetstown, Tenskwatawa was soon confronted by an army led by Harrison. Attacking Harrison's camp near the Tippecanoe River, his men were repeatedly repelled. Though having sustained greater losses, Harrison's victory inflicted a serious blow to Tecumseh's efforts to unite the tribes. Despite this, Tecumseh remained a threat on the frontier until his death at the 1813 Battle of the Thames. Was Harrison's win a foregone conclusion or should Tenskwatawa approached the battle differently?

Photograph Source: Public Domain

November 5, 1854 - Allied forces win the Battle of Inkerman. Having been defeated at Alma and thwarted at Balaclava, Russian commander Prince Alexander Menshikov devised a plan to crush the British 2nd Division on the heights near Inkerman. Striking with overwhelming numbers from two directions, the Russians met intense resistance from Brig. Gen. John L. Pennefather's men. Defeating attacks from the west, the British next repelled assaults from the north as reinforcements reached the field. Counterattacking, British and French troops succeeded in driving off the Russians. The battle effectively broke the back of the Russian army and reduced the war to the siege of Sevastopol. Though the Russians possessed a massive numerical advantage, they failed in their objectives - what should they have done differently?

A big year on the Western Front, 1916 saw two of the bloodiest battles of the war as well as the Battle of Jutland, the only major clash between the British and German fleets. Not believing that a breakthrough was possible, Germany began a battle of attrition in February by assaulting the fortress city of Verdun. With the French under heavy pressure, the British launched a major offensive at the Somme in July. While the German attack at Verdun ultimately failed, the British suffered horrific casualties at the Somme for little ground gained. While both sides were bleeding in the west, Russia was able to recover and launched the successful Brusilov Offensive in June.

Photograph Source: Public Domain

November 1, 1765 - The Stamp Act of 1765 takes effect. The Stamp Act was an attempt on the part of Parliament to raise taxes to fund the maintenance of British troops in North America after the French & Indian War. In operation, the Stamp Act called for a tax stamp to be affixed to many paper products and related goods. Widely opposed by the American colonists, the Stamp Act saw the rise of the term "taxation without representation" as those in North America lacked representation in Parliament. Faced with widespread protests and boycotts, Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in March 1766, while also passing the Declaratory Act which stated that Parliament had the right to make laws for the colonies. The battle over the Stamp Act was a key moment on the road to the American Revolution.

Photograph Source: Public Domain

October 31, 1861 - General Winfield Scott's (right) 53-year military career comes to an end. Entering the US Army in 1808, Winfield Scott rapidly moved through the ranks during the War of 1812. A highly skilled officer who believed in training and discipline, he led his men to victory at Chippawa in July 1814 before being wounded a few weeks later at Lundy's Lane. Emerging from the war as a brigadier general, he subsequently commanded troops during the Black Hawk War, Nullification Crisis, Second Seminole War, and Cherokee removal. Named general-in-chief in 1841, he commanded a 12,000-man invasion force during the Mexican-American War. Landing near Vera Cruz in 1847, he took the city before mounting a stunning campaign which captured Mexico City. A failed presidential candidate in 1852, he oversaw the Union Army during the early days of the Civil War. Unlike most, he believed the conflict would be long and devised the "Anaconda Plan" for defeating the Confederacy. Derided by many, it ultimately provided the roadmap to victory. Considered old and out-of-touch, he was pressured to resign in late 1861, and Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan replaced him on November 1. Scott was arguably the best American commander of the 19th century and one of the best the nation has produced. Share your thoughts on where Scott ranks.

Photograph Courtesy of the US Army Military History Institute

October 28, 1916 - Pioneering German ace Oswald Boelcke (right) dies due to a midair collision. Passing his final flight exams just days after the beginning of World War I, Boelcke proved a skilled pilot during the conflict's early months. After several months of flying two-seaters, he was one of an elite group of pilots selected to fly the initial batch of the Fokker E.I. Helping unleash the "Fokker Scourge," Boelcke became one of Germany's early aces and was key in developing aerial combat tactics. Stressing a team approach and accurate gunnery, Boelcke later codified his methods in the Dicta Boelcke. Permitted to form his own unit in the summer of 1916, he recruited pilots, including Manfred von Richthofen, from around the German air service. Attaining 40 kills, Boelcke was killed October 28 when his plane was disabled after a midair collision.

Photograph Source: Public Domain

October 26, 1940 - The North American P-51 Mustang (right) flies for the first time. Originally developed for the British, the P-51 became one of the iconic American fighters of World War II. Arriving in late 1943, the P-51B was key to maintaining the Combined Bomber Offensive against Germany. Prior to its arrival daylight bombing raids routinely sustained heavy losses as current Allied fighters lacked the range to escort bombers for the duration of their missions. The definitive version of the aircraft, the P-51D, featured a distinctive bubble canopy and reached the frontlines in 1944. Agile, with great performance, the Mustang downed 4,950 German aircraft - more than any other Allied fighter. Retained after the war, it saw service in Korea as a ground attack aircraft. Share your favorite World War II aircraft or your thoughts on the P-51.

Photograph Courtesy of the US Air Force

October 25, 1854 - British and Russian forces engage in the Battle of Balaclava. Occupying the port of Balaclava to support Allied siege efforts at Sevastopol, British forces took responsibility for guarding the combined army's right flank. Lacking sufficient manpower to do this properly, Lord Raglan positioned Lord Lucan's Cavalry Division and the 93rd Highlanders to cover the town. Attacked by a large Russian force on October 25, 1854, the enemy succeeded in taking a series of key heights, but was finally checked by the Highlanders and Heavy Brigade. Wishing to retake the heights, Raglan issued a series of vague and unclear orders to Lucan demanding that he attack. This culminated in the ill-fated "Charge of the Light Brigade" (right) which saw over 650 British horsemen attack down a valley lined with Russian guns. Upon their return, only 195 remained for mounted duty. The charge ended the battle as Raglan lacked the men to continue. What command lessons should be learned from this disaster?

Photograph Source: Public Domain