USA Wartime & Peacetime Events in Timeline Sequence: 1861-2009
(October 10 2009 - Draft)
1
The dates of the wartime and peacetime events shown below are the current dates used by the Iosco County Veterans Recognition Committee for selecting veterans from public records such as newspapers, Iosco County Court House records, and the numerous historical and genealogical indexes and records available at the Huron Shores Genealogical Society at the Parks Public Library in Oscoda MI. Starting and ending dates of wars often differ from different source such as the US Congress, the Veterans Administration, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign War membership requirements This list is work-in-progress and may be changed without notice. Suggestions are appreciated.
Several types of veteran’s official records contain more accurate information than the above public records do about the dates of service and what wars the veterans served in. This includes the veteran’s discharge records Form DD-214 and other official personnel records. These types of records will override the dates in the general records used by the Recognition Committee.
The State and Federal records are frozen for 70 years for living veterans, and the discharge records kept for the veteran at the County Clerks Office is frozen forever. Therefore such records are not generally available to the Recognition Committee unless submitted by the veteran or their surrogate. Such records are always welcomed, but if the veteran or their surrogate should black out or cut out information they considers private information.
Note: At the end of this listing there is information that will help the reader to understand the format, codes and abbreviations used for this listing.
Time-Line
/War
/Started Ended[1]
Yr/Mo/Dy Yr/Mo/Dy
/Wartime & Peacetime[2] Events
Started & Ended Dates (Initials of persons agreeing) /1861 / CW / CIVIL WAR
1861 / CW / 1861/04/12 / Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumpter.
1861 / CW / 1861/04/12 / Started- Vets Project ajs, jlg, js, tc, ds, ns, ld --OK
1861 / CW / 1863/08/12 / Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation announcement made.
1861 / CW / 1864/01/01 / Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation becomes effective.
1861 / CW / 1864/04/09 / Gen Robert E Lee surrendered the Confederacy at Appomattox Court House.
1861 / CW / 1865/04/18 / Ended- Vets Project ajs, jlg, js, tc, ds, ns, ld -- OK
1861 / CW / 1865/04/18 / Confederate General J E Johnson surrenders to General Sherman making the formal end of the confederate resistance.
1874 / CS / CHINA SERVICE (Yangtze River Valley; Peking & Shanghai) – DELETE ajs, jlg, js, tc, ds, ns, ld -OK
1874 / CS / 1870s-1921 / Shallow draft gunboats of the USN sailed China’s largest river for over 50 years before being officially organized as the Yangtze Patrol Force in August 1921.
1874 / CS / 1874/02/12 / Started- Vets Project
1874 / CS / 1874/02/12-Open / (VFW) Expeditionary (Navy & Marine Corps).
1874 / CS / 1921/08 / The Yangtze Patrol Force was established, and the ships protected US citizens against the bandits and warlord forces in the turbulent China in the mid 1920s.
1874 / CS / 1926/09/03-1927/10/21 / (VFW) Yangtze Service (Navy). ??
1874 / CS / 1927/10/21-Ended / (VFW) Yangtze Service (Navy). Started 1926/09/03. ??
1874 / CS / 1930/03/01-1932/12/31 / (VFW) Yangtze Service (Navy). ??
1874 / CS / 1930s / Early 1930s severe floods occurred along the Yangtze, the gunboats were used in the humanitarian cause of aiding millions of homeless.
1874 / CS / 1932/12/31-Ended / (VFW) Yangtze Service (Navy). Started 1930/03/01. ??
1874 / CS / 1937/07/07-1939/09/07 / (VFW) China Service (Navy)
1874 / CS / 1937/12/12- / Japanese naval aircraft attacked and sank the river gunboat USS Panay on the Yangtze River.
1874 / CS / 1939/09/07-Ended / (VFW) China Service (Navy). Started 1937/07/07. ??
1874 / CS / 1940 / The Yangtze Service Medal was declared obsolete and was replaced by the China Service medal.
1874 / CS / 1945/09/02-1957/04/01 / (VFW) China Service (Navy). ??
1874 / CS / 1945/09/02-1957/04/01 / (VFW) China Service (Service ?). ??
1874 / CS / 1957/04/01 / Ended- Vets Project
1874 / CS / 1957/04/01-Ended / (VFW) China Service (Navy). Started 1945/09/02. ??
1874 / CS / 1957/04/01-Ended / (VFW) China Service (Service ?). Started 1945/09/02. ??
1898 / SA / SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR
1898 / SA / 1890s / United States is influenced by Alfred T Mahan who wrote The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1600-1783, which advocated the taking of the Caribbean Islands, Hawaii, and the Philippine Islands for bases to protect U.S. commerce, the building of a canal to enable fleet movement from ocean to ocean and the building of the Great White fleet of steam-driven armored platted battleships.
1898 / SA / 1898/02/15 / Started- Vets Project ajs, jlg, js, tc, ds, ns, ld -- OK
1898 / SA / 1898/02/15 / The USS Maine blew up and sank in Havana Harbor Cuba.
1898 / SA / 1898/04/20 / US President William McKinley signed the Joint Resolution for war with Spain and the ultimatum was forwarded to Spain.
1898 / SA / 1898/04/20-1898/12/10 / (VFW) Spanish Campaign (Navy).
1898 / SA / 1898/04/21 / The SA war is assumed to have started.
1898 / SA / 1898/04/23 / The President called for 150,000 volunteers.
1898 / SA / 1898/05/11 / President Wm McKinley and his cabinet approve a State Department memorandum calling for Spanish cession of a suitable “coaling station,” presumably Manila. The Philippine Islands were to remain Spanish possessions.
1898 / SA / 1898/05/11-1898/08/16 / (VFW) Spanish Campaign (Army).
1898 / SA / 1898/05/25 / The President called for another 75,000 men.
1898 / SA / 1898/07/08 / US acquired Hawaii by annexation.
1898 / SA / 1898/07/18 / The Spanish government initiated a message to President McKinley to suspend the hostilities and start the negotiations to end the war.
1898 / SA / 1898/07/18-1902/05/20 / (VFW) Army of Cuba Occupation (Army).
1898 / SA / 1898/08/12 / Peace protocol that ended all hostilities between Spain and the US in the war fronts of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines was signed in Washington DC.
1898 / SA / 1898/08/14 / Capitulation was signed at Manila and U.S. General Wesley Merritt established a military government in the city, with himself serving as first military governor.
1898 / SA / 1898/08/14-1898/12/10 / (VFW) Army of Puerto Rico Occupation (Army)
1898 / SA / 1898/08/16 / (VFW) Spanish Campaign (Army), started 1898/05/11.
1898 / SA / 1898/12/10 / Ended- Vets Project, ajs, ds, ns, ld -- OK
1898 / SA / 1898/12/10 / United States and Spain signed the Treaty of Paris in Paris. Spain renounced all rights to Cuba and allowed an independent Cuba, ceded Puerto Rico and the Island of Guam to the United States, gave up its possessions in the West Indies, and sold the Philippine Islands, receiving in exchange $20,000,000.
1898 / SA / 1898/12/10-Ended / (VFW) Spanish Campaign (Navy), started 1898/04/20
1898 / SA / 1898/12/21 / President McKinley issued his Benevolent Assimilation Proclamation, ceding the Philippines to the United States, and instructing the American occupying army to use force, as necessary, to impose American sovereignty over the Philippines even before he obtained Senate ratification of the peace treaty with Spain.
1898 / SA / 1898/12/23 / Guam placed under control of U.S. Department of the Navy.
1898 / SA / 1899/02/06 / US Senate ratified the Treaty of Paris by a vote of 53-27.
1898 / SA / 1899/06/02 / Spanish forces at Baler, Philippine Islands, surrender to U.S.
1898 / SA / 1906/09/12-1909/04/01 / (VFW) Cuban Pacification (Navy).
1898 / SA / 1906/10/06-1909/04/01 / (VFW) Cuban Pacification (Army).
1899 / PA / PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN WAR
1899 / PA / 1899/02/04 / The Philippine Insurrection began following the killing of three Filipino soldiers by US forces in a suburb of Manila.
1899 / PA / 1899/02/04 / Started- Vets Project, ajs, ds, ns, ld -- OK
1899 / PA / 1899/02/04-1906/09/15 / (VFW) Philippine Campaign (Navy)
1899 / PA / 1899/02/04-1913/12/31 / (VFW) Philippine Campaign (Army)
1899 / PA / 1899/06/02 / Philippines declared war on USA.
1899 / PA / 1902/07/04 / Ended- Vets Project, ajs, ds, ns, ld -- ?? Maybe change to:
· Ended 1906/09/15 Navy
· Ended 1913/13/31 Army
1899 / PA / 1902/07/04 / War officially ended in the Philippines, with more than 4,200 U.S. soldiers, 20,000 Filipino soldiers, and 200,000 Filipino civilians dead. War unofficially ended when the follow-on guerrilla action ended in 1913.
1899 / PA / 1906/09/15-Ended / (VFW) Philippine Campaign (Navy), started 1899/02/04.
1899 / PA / 1913/ / Ended unofficially when the follow-on guerrilla action ended in 1913. Had ended officially 1902/07/04.
1899 / PA / 1913/12/31-Ended / (VFW) Philippine Campaign (Army), started 1899/02/04.
1901 / CR / CHINA RELIEF (Boxer Rebellion) – DELETE ajs, jlg, js, tc, ds, ns. -- OK
1901 / CR / 1899-1901 / Boxer Rebellion, US China Relief Expedition including Army & Navy. US had about 3,000 troops on the ground. Other countries supporting the relief effort were France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Austria, Japan, Russia, India, & Australia.
1901 / CR / 1900/04/05-1901/05/27 / (VFW) China Relief Expedition (Navy).
1901 / CR / 1900/06/20-1901/05/27 / (VFW) China Relief Expedition (Army).
1901 / CR / 1901/05/27 / Ended- Vets Project
1901 / CR / 1901/05/27-Ended / (VFW) China Relief Expedition (Army). Started 1900/06/20. ??
1901 / CR / 1901/05/27-Ended / (VFW) China Relief Expedition (Navy). Started 1900/04/05. ??
1912 / NO / NICARAGUA OCCUPATION – DELETE ajs, jlg, js, tc, ds, ns, ld -- OK
1912 / NO / 1909/11/18 / After 500 revolutionaries, including two Americans, were executed, American warships were sent to protect US lives and property, and provide political support to conservative forces rebelling against President Zelayar. Occupation lasted until 1933.
1912 / NO / 1912/07/29 / Started- Vets Project
1912 / NO / 1912/07/29 / US Marines occupied Nicaragua 1912-1933 (Except a nine month period in 1925-1926)
1912 / NO / 1912/07/29-1912/11/14 / (VFW) First Nicaraguan Campaign (Navy)
1912 / NO / 1926/08/27-1933/01/02 / (VFW) Second Nicaraguan Campaign (Navy)
1912 / NO / 1927/ / General Sandino led a sustained guerrilla war, first against the Conservative regime and subsequently against the US Marines
1912 / NO / 1933/ / Nicaragua Occupation Ended.
1912 / NO / 1933/01/02 / (VFW) Second Nicaraguan Campaign (Navy), ended.
1917 / W1 / WORLD WAR-1
1917 / W1 / 1914/06/28 / Gunshots in Sarajevo started the worldwide war.
1917 / W1 / 1914/12/25 / First German air raid on Britain. Some US citizens fought with Canadian and British Forces (A few of these veterans are included in this project).
1917 / W1 / 1915/01/19-20 / First German zeppelin attack on England
1917 / W1 / 1915/02/07-21 / German U-boat attacks on Allied and neutral shipping; declares blockade of Britain.
1917 / W1 / 1915/03/01 / First passenger ship sinks, the British liner Falaba.
1917 / W1 / 1915/03/11 / Britain announces blockade of Germany ports.
1917 / W1 / 1915/04/26 / France, Russia, Italy & Britain conclude secret Treaty of London
1917 / W1 / 1915/05/07 / U-boat sinks British line Lusitania with the loss-of-American lives
1917 / W1 / 1915/07/09-1915/12/05 / (VFW) Haitian Campaign (Navy). ??
1917 / W1 / 1915/07/29 / US Marines land in Haiti
1917 / W1 / 1915/12/05-Ended / (VFW) Haitian Campaign (Navy). Started 1915/07/09. ??
1917 / W1 / 1916/05/04-1916/12/05 / (VFW) Dominican Campaign (Navy). ??
1917 / W1 / 1916/11/28 / First German airplane air-raid on Britain
1917 / W1 / 1916/11/29 / US occupation of Santa Domingo
1917 / W1 / 1916/12/05-Ended / (VFW) Dominican Campaign (Navy). Started 1916/05/04. ??
1917 / W1 / 1917/02/03 / US severs diplomatic ties with Germany
1917 / W1 / 1917/03/12 / US President Wilson announces arming of US merchantmen by executive order after failing to win approval from Congress
1917 / W1 / 1917/04/06 / (AL) Start of war.
1917 / W1 / 1917/04/06 / Started- Vets Project ajs, jlg, js, tc, ds, ns, ld -- OK
1917 / W1 / 1917/04/06 / US declare war on Germany.
1917 / W! / 1917/04/06-1919/08/01 / MI WW1 Veterans Bonus (Paid $15.00/month)
1917 / W1 / 1917/04/06-1920/03/20 / (VFW) Word War-1 Victory, with battle or service clasp incl. Siberia and European Russia (Navy).
1917 / W1 / 1917/04/06-1920/04/01 / (VFW) Word War-1 Victory, with battle or service clasp incl. Siberia and European Russia (Army)
1917 / W1 / 1917/06/15 / US Espionage Act passed.
1917 / W1 / 1917/06/27 / First US troops arrive in France, 1st Davison
1917 / W1 / 1917/07/06 / (VA) Started Benefits
1917 / W1 / 1917/07/06-1920/04/01 / (VA) Started Benefits, vets served in Russia
1917 / W1 / 1917/07/06-1921/07/01 / (VA) Started Benefits, vets served in Russia, extended thur 1921/07/01
1917 / W1 / 1918/05/25 / German U-boats appear in US waters for the first time
1917 / W1 / 1918/07/06 / US President Wilson agrees to US intervention in Siberia
1917 / W1 / 1918/11/11 / (VA) benefits
1917 / W1 / 1918/11/11 / (AL) end of war.
1917 / W1 / 1918/11/11 / Armistice day, fighting ceases at 11am.
1917 / W1 / 1918/11/12-1923/07/11 / (VFW) Army Occupation of Germany (Army)
1917 / W1 / 1919/05/07 / Peace Treaty of Versailles was drafted.
1917 / W1 / 1919/06/28 / Ended- Vets Project ajs, jlg, js, tc, ds, ld -- ?? Maybe change to: