WORLD HISTORY AND LOCAL GIST

  In 2023, the United States Navy commissioned USS Jack H. Lucas , an Arleigh Burke–class destroyer. The ship carries the name of a Marine whose courage came before fear—a boy who became a legend before he became an adult. Jacklyn “Jack” Lucas was only 17 years old when he landed on Iwo Jima in February 1945 . He was not supposed to be there. He was underage. But war had already changed the rules of his life. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Lucas became consumed with one thought: he had to fight . He forged his mother’s signature, lied about his age, and joined the U.S. Marine Corps at just 14 years old . He was young, stubborn, and determined. When assigned a rear job, he refused to accept it. Combat was where he believed he belonged. So he did the unthinkable he stowed away on a ship headed for war . Two days after landing on Iwo Jima, reality arrived without warning. Lucas and his fire team were suddenly ambushed by enemy soldiers. His rifle jammed. There was no tim...

  In July 1902, a 16-year-old girl named Mary boarded an Orphan Train heading west. Hidden under her coat was a secret that could get her sent away a three-month-old baby. The baby was her little sister. At the orphanage, the rules were strict. Teenagers and babies were never placed together. Families usually wanted only one child. Mary was told to go alone and let her baby sister be sent to another home. Mary could not accept that. Before the train left, she quietly took her sister from the nursery, wrapped her close, and hid her under her coat. Her heart beat fast as she climbed onto the train. If anyone found out, she would lose everything. For hours, Mary sat still, holding her sister tightly. The baby did not cry. Other children noticed, but no one spoke. They understood her fear. When the train stopped, families were waiting to choose children. Mary stepped down, nervous and sweating in the summer heat. A couple approached her, asking questions. They noticed her heavy co...

  At just 18 years old, Sgt. Monica Lin Brown ran toward gunfire so others could live. In April 2007, while serving as a U.S. Army combat medic with the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division , Monica Lin Brown was deployed to Afghanistan. During a patrol in the Jani Khel District , her unit was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED), followed by intense enemy small-arms fire and mortar attacks. As soldiers fell wounded around her, Brown did what few could she repeatedly sprinted through active enemy fire and exploding mortars to reach the injured. Ignoring her own safety, she administered emergency medical care while shielding wounded soldiers with her own body , preventing further casualties and saving multiple lives. Her actions reflected not only exceptional bravery, but also the highest standards of military service, discipline, and selflessness. A Historic Silver Star Recipient For her extraordinary heroism in combat, Sgt. Monica Lin Brown was a...

She Didn’t Carry a Rifle. She Carried Bandages. And She Died Doing It. Today we remember First Lieutenant Sharon Ann Lane , a woman who became a symbol of silent courage . Amid the violence of the Vietnam War, Sharon stood where pain was greatest. Not with a weapon. But with healing hands. She was a U.S. Army nurse who worked endless hours under constant threat, caring for the wounded when hope was fading. Her calm voice, steady presence, and compassion brought comfort in places filled with fear. Sharon knew the risks when she volunteered to serve. She treated both American and South Vietnamese patients, earning deep respect from everyone around her. Then, in a single moment, everything changed. During a rocket attack on the hospital compound, one blast struck her ward. Sharon Lane was killed instantly while caring for the wounded. She was only 25 years old . She remains the only American military nurse in Vietnam killed directly by enemy fire . Her mission was never to...

Man crushed to death by bulldozer at Mahdia. A machine operator was on Tuesday afternoon crushed to death by a bulldozer after it encountered mechanical problems at 111 Miles Mahdia, Pataro River, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni). Dead is Kennard Craig, 55, of Number 67 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. Reports are the man was operating the heavy-duty machinery and in the process of climbing a hill, the equipment encountered problems and suddenly cut off. Nevertheless, he managed to restart the machine with the help of a colleague. It was after the machine restarted, it rolled backwards and trapped Craig. From reports received, the man’s head was completely crushed by the machine. He was taken to the Mahdia Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. F Division (Interior locations) Commander, Rabindranauth Budhram confirmed that the accident occurred, while noting that an investigation was launched.

Swipe ⬅️ John Meintz, an American farmer tarred and feathered by a mob for his German heritage and allegedly not supporting war bond drives, 1918 🪶 Tarring and feathering is a form of public torture and punishment used to enforce unofficial justice or revenge. It was used in feudal #Europe and its colonies in the early modern period, as well as the early American frontier, mostly as a type of mob vengeance. The victim would be stripped naked, or stripped to the waist. Hot wood tar was then either poured or painted onto the person while they were immobilized. The victim then either had feathers thrown on them or was rolled around on a pile of feathers so that they stuck to the tar. The image of a tarred-and-feathered outlaw remains a metaphor for severe public criticism.