On this day in military history....in 1415 and others.

On this day in military history....in 1415. Henry V forces' of English archers defeats a vastly stronger French force of knights at the Battle of Agincourt in northern France during the 100 Years War. The French learned that English longbows were more than a match for French knights in armor trying to charge across a muddy field.

On this day in military history....in 1853. Paiute indians attack a transcontinental railroad survey crew under the command of U.S. Army Captain John W. Gunnison near Sevier Lake, Utah, killing Captain Gunnison and seven other soldiers. However, the survey party continued their work and reported their findings to Conogress.

On this day in military history....in 1854. The 13th Light Dragoons (the "Light Brigade") charges into the face of Russian artillery at Bacalava during the Crimean War, inspiring the poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Sometimes, the British can be such idiots.

On this day in military history....in 1944. During the battle of Leyte Gulf, a group of escort carriers, Taffy III, had one of those really bad days. The main Japanese task force, slipped thru the US Navy forces and were trying to attack the invasion beaches where they ran into six escort carriers, three destroyers and four destroyer escorts. These were the only forces between the Japanese task force and the landing beaches, so in the best traditions of the US Navy, the escort carrier's screening ships turned to face the Japanese battleships while the escort carriers hid behind smoke screens. When the Japanese finally turned away, the US had lost one escort carrier, two destroyers and one destroyer escort with many other ships damaged.

On this day in military history....in 1944. The first Kamikaze attack of World War II was launched against the US Navy at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. An escort carrier, the St. Lo, was sunk and other ships damaged.

On this day in military history....in 1983. President Ronald Reagan orders US forces to invade the island of Grenada after the government is overthrown by an anti-US, pro-Castro marxists which appeared to pose a threat to 600 American students and other foreigners.