Hero of the Week 93

 Welcome back viewers

This week's hero is...

Rebecca Lee Crumpler 

Rebecca Lee Crumpler (born Rebecca Davis) was born in Delaware on February 8, 1831. Unlike many African-Americans in the state of Delaware, she was born and raised as a free woman. Due to her family's poor state of living, Rebecca was sent to live with an aunt in Pennsylvania. Little did she know, that she would soon find her calling and was destined to break barriers.

Rebecca's aunt volunteered to provide care for sick neighbors who could not afford medical treatment. This inspired the young girl to pursue a career in the medical field. In 1852, Rebecca moved to Charlestown, Massachusetts where she intended to study medicine. For the next eight years, she worked as a volunteer nurse around the city before being admitted to the New England Female Medical College. 

Despite facing much prejudice from her teachers and fellow students, Rebecca successfully graduated in 1864 with MD (Doctor of Medicine) degree. At the time of her graduation there were only 300 female physicians in the whole country. She was the very first black woman to ever become one in the United States at that time. 

A year later, the US Congress passed the 13th Amendment which officially abolished slavery in the United States. Four months later, the American Civil War came to an end. With the abolishment of slavery and the ending conflict, Rebecca decided to travel down to Richmond, Virginia (with her family) and joined the Freedman's Bureau for the State of Virginia, which was assisting former slaves in adjusting from their lives in bondage.

Despite facing a constant barrage of racism, sexism, horrible threats from around the city (even her own colleagues) Rebecca successfully treated hundreds of freedmen and enabled many to find productive lives during the Reconstruction Period. By 1870, Rebecca returned to Boston and moved to the town of Hyde Park where she continued to privately practice medicine. In 1883, she made history again when she published, A Book of Medical Discourses in Two Parts. This book contained all that she had learned about human growth and early symptoms of diseases (especially in women and young children). It was the very first medical publication ever written by black woman. Rebecca dedicated it to "mothers, young nurses, and all who may desire to mitigate the afflictions of the human race".

Rebecca Lee Crumpler passed away on March 9, 1895, at the age of 64. Like many African-Americans from the 19th and 20th centuries, her legacy was nearly forgotten for many years. She and her husband (Arthur Crumpler) laid in unmarked graves until July 16, 2020. The house where she lived is now preserved on Boston Women's Heritage Trail. Today, she is considered to be a pioneer in both the medical field and the fight for equal rights. She is definitely someone to be held in high regard.

https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_73.html

https://daily.jstor.org/the-doctress-was-in-rebecca-lee-crumpler/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/celebrating-rebecca-lee-crumpler-first-african-american-physician

https://bwht.org/beacon-hill/

http://www.bu.edu/articles/2020/rebecca-lee-crumpler-first-black-female-physician-gets-gravestone-130-after-death/

Iconic Image 1

 Welcome back viewers

This month's iconic image is...

Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima (part 1)!

Intro

The photo was taken by Staff Sergeant Louis Lowery of the United States Marine Corps, during the battle of Iwo Jima. This photo depicts a small group of American marines and navy corpsmen raising a small American flag on top of a mountain. Many are admiring it as it flaps in the breeze while some are standing guard. This image would become a symbol of victory and struggle during the War in the Pacific.

Part I

On February 23, 1945, the marines finally captured Mount Surabachi. This dormant volcanic mountain was the highest peak of Iwo Jima. Tactically and morally it's capture would provide a major advantage to Americans that were still fighting to take the island. Once Japanese resistance had been quelled, marine Lieutenant Colonel Chandler Johnson ordered a platoon to occupy the crest of Mount Surabachi.

At 10 in the morning, 1st Lieutenant Harold Schrier led a 40 man combat patrol up Mount Surabachi. They carried with them, a small American flag from a tank transport ship (USS Missoula). Once they reached the top, the marines found a discarded Japanese iron water pipe lying nearby. After attaching the flag, they raised it on top of the mountain. Minutes later, Staff Sergeant Lowery snapped the photograph and captured the moment. Upon seeing the flag on top of the Surabachi, cheers went all through the American lines. From the marines on the ground to the sailors on the ships off the coast. Seeing Old Glory on the mountain had brought them great pride and joy during one of the most savage battles of World War II.

Seeing the Americans pose for pictures enraged the Japanese that were defending Mount Surabachi. About ten minutes after the photo was taken, two dozen Japanese soldiers charged and fired at the platoon from hidden positions on the mountain. Staff Sergeant Lowery was forced to dive for cover as Lt. Schrier and his comrades quickly scrambled to return fire. Within just five minutes they killed all the attackers.

Part II

A total of eight men are depicted in the photograph. They are Lt. Schrier (kneeling behind the radioman's legs), Pfc. Raymond Jacobs (radioman), Sgt. Henry Hansen (soft cap), Sgt. Ernest Thomas (seated), Pvt. Phil Ward (holding flagstaff with right hand under Hansen's), PhM2c John Bradley (hand on flagstaff above Hansen's), Pfc. James Michels (holding M1 carbine), and Cpl. Charles Lindberg (standing above Michels).

Of these eight, two of them (Sergeant Hansen and Sergeant Thomas) were KIA after the photo was taken. The rest all survived the war and eventually returned to civilian life. For their valor during the battle of Iwo Jima, Schrier, Bradley, and Thomas all received the Navy Cross. Cpl. Lindberg received the Silver Star. All (plus S/Sgt. Lowery) ended up receiving Purple Hearts. 

Epilogue

Although the flag raising on Mount Surabachi had boosted the morale of the American marines and sailors, the fighting on Iwo Jima was far from over. LCT. Johnson decided the flag that had been raised was too small for all the Americans fighting on Iwo Jima to see. He quickly requested that another flag be raised for that purpose. Just hours after it had been raised, the small American flag was lowered and a larger flag was raised. This flag-raising was captured by photographer Joe Rosenthal and would become the symbol of American struggle during the War in the Pacific.

Ultimately, this photo by Louis Lowery became eclipsed by the more famous Rosenthal photograph. Those that had fought to capture Mount Surabachi and raised the first flag were never given the same recognition that the six marines in Rosenthal's photo received. However, this photograph by Louis Lowery still remains an iconic image of the struggle for Iwo Jima. It tells the story of a brave group of young men who put their lives on the line for their country and those that fought beside them.

https://www.livescience.com/iwo-jima-flag-raising.html

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-s-flag-raised-on-iwo-jima

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/02/iconic-world-war-ii-photo-staged-heroic-true-story/

https://www.chinookobserver.com/life/iwo-jima-a-tale-of-mistaken-identity/article_021a497a-4ebd-11ea-b402-5f206e3e0c25.html

http://www.iwojima.com/raising/first.htm

Iconic Image Intro

 Hello! 

I have recently taken a major interest in some of the most iconic photographs that have been taken in the last century and a half. As a short spin-off to Hero of the Week, I will pick out at least a dozen famous photographs from history and write a short essay about the image and the history behind it. The essay will include who is in the photo, who took the photo, the reception by the public, and what became of those involved. I should warn you that some of these images are quite disturbing and are not for the faint of heart. Do not feel obligated to read these if you do not wish to. The first essay will be completed between January 10 to January 17.

Hero of the Week 92

 Welcome back viewers

This week's hero is...

James Jonas Madison

James J. Madison (no relation to President Madison) was born on May 20, 1898, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Early in his life, Madison decided to become a sea captain and joined the US Navy. He eventually rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve and was given command of a cargo steamship named, USS Ticonderoga. 

A month later, the United States entered WWI. American cargo ships then faced the difficult task of delivering badly needed supplies across the Atlantic to France and the UK. These ships were very lightly armed and unable to effectively fend off attackers without escorts. They were especially vulnerable to attacks from German submarines (aka: U-boats). Even when they had escorts, many merchant and cargo ships were sunk or badly damaged from U-boat attacks. The Ticonderoga successfully made three trips across the Atlantic without incident. However, everything changed on September 30, 1918.

That month, the Ticonderoga departed from New York on September 29. She was carrying 237 soldiers and sailors bound for France. That night, she suffered engine trouble and fell behind the convoy. At 5 AM in the morning, she finally got underway. Twenty minutes later, her lookouts spotted a periscope in the water. It was a U-boat and the Ticonderoga was in it's gunsights.

Lt. Commander Madison quickly ordered the crew to the ship's two guns and tried to maneuver the Ticonderoga out of the U-boat's line of fire. Despite knowing that he was severely outgunned, Madison was determined to not go down without a fight. For the next hour, the two ships trades shots. But it was a losing battle. The U-boat successfully knocked out the Ticonderoga's three inch gun on the bow. The ship's remaining six inch gun was knocked out just minutes later. Even as fires raged on the Ticonderoga, Commander Madison refused to give up and even attempted to ram the U-boat. 

Unfortunately the submarine successfully dived out of the way before resurfacing. With a torpedo, the U-boat scored a direct hit on the Ticonderoga's engine room. The blast killed or severely wounded nearly every man that was still fighting. By now, nearly all of the ships crew and passengers were dead. Madison knew that the Ticonderoga was doomed. He finally gave the order to abandon ship.

What remained of those onboard the ship quickly boarded a single lifeboat. Madison was too severely wounded and needed to be lowered from the ship with ropes. At 7:45 AM, the USS Ticonderoga slipped beneath the waves. Of the 237 soldiers and sailors onboard, only 24 (22 escaped in the lifeboat and 2 were captured by the U-boat) had survived. It was the greatest loss of life on any American Navy ship during World War I.

Four days later, the 22 survivors were rescued by a British freighter. James Madison was rushed to the hospital where doctors were able to save his life. From his hospital bed, he was promoted to the rank of Commander. In 1919, Madison was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism. Sadly his wounds kept him hospitalized for the remainder of his life. He spent his last years at the US Navy hospital in Brooklyn, New York. James Jonas Madison finally passed away on December 25, 1922, at the age of 33. 

https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/us-people/m/madison-james-j.html

https://bgindependentmedia.org/two-local-men-lost-lives-in-worst-u-s-navy-loss-in-wwi/

https://www.cleveland.com/news/erry-2018/09/0212860d37783/son-recalls-fathers-gripping-e.html

https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/m/madison-iii.html

http://www.gendisasters.com/ship-disasters/2832/u.s.s.-ticonderoga-sinking%2C-sept-1918

Hero of the Week 91

 Welcome back viewers

This week's hero is...

James Robinson

James Robinson was born in the colony of Maryland on March 21, 1753. He grew up as a slave of a plantation owner named, Francis De Shields. Little did he know, his time as a slave would ultimately put him on the front lines of heavy combat. And his performance would help secure a country's Independence.

Part I

In 1775, De Shields had James Robinson enlist in the Continental Army. He was promised emancipation for his service. He enlisted in a Virginia Light Regiment under the command of the Marquis de Lafayette. Robinson saw combat at the Battle of Brandywine Creek, where his regiment successfully covered the Continental Army's retreat. After that, he participated in a number of skirmishes against Loyalist and Native tribes that were allied to the British. However, Robinson's defining moment would come in what was considered to be the climax of the American Revolution, the Siege of Yorktown. 

In the month of September, 1781, the American and French armies had successfully trapped the British army under the command of Charles Cornwallis at the port city of Yorktown, Virginia. In order to force Cornwallis to surrender, the Americans and French needed to capture the redoubts and fortifications outside that overlooked his position. If these were taken, Cornwallis would be dangerously exposed to artillery and sniper fire.

The Virginia Light Regiment was among those assigned to assault redoubt 10 on the British perimeter. These assaults were led by Lafayette and Alexander Hamilton. The attack began on October 14, at 6 PM. James Robinson and his regiment were among the very first to charge the redoubts. As soon as they reached the position, they pulled out axes and chopped their way through the abatis (wooden barricade). Robinson was the first man to enter the redoubt. He then personally killed three British soldiers in hand-to-hand combat. Within just thirty minutes of fighting, redoubt 10 was captured.

The loss of the redoubts ultimately led to the surrender of Cornwallis's army. Just five days later, the British army officially surrendered to the Continental Army. Their defeat at Yorktown was the final nail in the coffin for the British in their attempt to quell the American Revolution. A year and a half later, they signed the Treaty of Paris, and granted the United States their independence.

Part II

For his courage and valor at the Siege of Yorktown, James Robinson was personally commended by the Marquis De Lafayette. The latter personally awarded Robinson a Gold Medal of Valor. Upon his return to Maryland, Robinson expected to be granted his freedom due to his distinguished service. However, he discovered that his master (Francis De Shields) had passed away before his arrival. One of De Shield's sons decided to sell Robinson to a new plantation owner down in the deep south. 

For the next three decades, Robinson worked for a farmer named, Calvin Smith. By 1812, he was working on a plantation down in Louisiana. Then, just as he was beginning to despair that he would never be free, another war broke out between the United States and Great Britain. James Robinson was approached by a man named Andrew Jackson who offered to free all slaves who enlisted in his army. Despite having doubts, Robinson agreed to enlist one more time.

For the next three years, Robinson served in the American army during the War of 1812. Like the Revolution before, he would once again distinguish himself on the battlefield. In the waning days of the conflict, the British Army launched an invasion of Louisiana and converged on the city of New Orleans. To counter this, Jackson pulled a ragtag army of regulars, militiamen, marines, Choctaw warriors, and even French pirates.

On January 8, 1815, the two armies met. In one of the most spectacular engagements of the War of 1812, Jackson's army shattered the attacking British as they charged his fortifications. During the battle, James Robinson personally killed six enemy soldiers with his rifle and bayonet. When it was over, the British retreated after suffering more than 2,000 casualties. The Americans suffered just over 60.

Epilogue

For a second time, James Robinson had distinguished himself on the battlefield. And for a second time, he was denied his freedom. Jackson reneged on his promise and returned Robinson to his owner (Robinson would never forgive him). For another 15 years, he remained a slave before finally obtaining his freedom in 1830. Robinson then became an ordained minister and moved to the state of Ohio. Eventually he and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he wrote a book that narrated his life. Robinson continued to live in Detroit until his death on March 27, 1868, at the great age of 115. He is believed by some to be the last living veteran of the American Revolution.

For more than 151 years, the service and story of James Robinson was forgotten by the American people. It wasn't until 2019, that the Michigan's chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution finally decided to give him a long overdue ceremony. After locating his grave and long forgotten documents that detailed his service, the SAR and the American Legion built a military headstone for the deceased Robinson. On June 22, they replaced the headstone and conducted a 21 gun salute in his honor. Although he never lived to experience it, James Robinson finally received the recognition for all that he did for the United States of America.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/eastern-shore/bs-md-private-robinson-honored-20190618-story.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/05/27/151-years-late-revolutionary-war-vet-honored/1252732001/

https://www.elmwoodhistoriccemetery.org/biographies/reverend-james-robinson/

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/328819/african-american-revolutionary-war-heros-legacy-diversity-honored-detroit-gravestone-dedication?fbclid=IwAR1umF6G5S3Fwa78bBVn8rrqLu43WEVGOpYRW7JisgOnKu9BlUgKgooz7Y4