Persian Gulf War

Operation Desert Storm, popularly known as the first Gulf War, was the U.S. - Allied response to Iraq's attempt to overwhelm neighboring Kuwait. On August 2, 1990, Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait and then on the morning of January 16, 1991, under the auspicies of a UN resolution, Allied forces began the first phase of Operation Desert Storm, also known as Operation Desert Shield. This was a decisive victory for the coalition forces, which liberated Kuwait and advanced into Iraqi territory. The coalition ceased their advance, and declared a cease-fire 100 hours after the ground campaign started.

3, Non-Scouting

USA Defeats Soviet Union at Olympics

Heading into the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, the Soviet Union Hockey Team was heavily favored to win its fifth straight Olympic gold medal. They were the best team in the world.

The U.S. shocked many experts in their opening games, tying Sweden and defeating Czechoslovakia. After three wins against lesser competition, they advanced to the medal round, where they faced the Soviets first and WON. The U.S. still needed to defeat Finland two days later to win gold. Though they trailed 2-1 heading into the third period, the U.S. scored three unanswered goals to win the gold. To many the “Miracle on Ice” game against the Soviets is considered the greatest upset in the history of sports.

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Reagan Elected President

Ronald Reagan was elected the 40^th President of the United States in 1980. He would serve two terms as president, leaving office in 1989. While serving as Governor of California, he became active in the Golden Empire Council of the BSA. He would chair Project SOAR (Save Our American Resources) and often held annual ‘Reports to the Governor.’ He was awarded the Silver Beaver Award by the Los Angeles Area Council and the Silver Buffalo Award in 1982.

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Truman Becomes President

Truman took office as the 33^rd President of the United States three months into Roosevelt’s fourth term following Roosevelt's death. It was a rough time, and World War II was still raging. Truman was the one who made the decision to utilize the atomic bomb – a controversial decision.

Harry S. Truman was a strong supporter of the Boy Scouts. In addition to being the Honorary President of the BSA, Truman personally attended and opened the 1950 National Scout Jamboree at Valley Forge, PA.

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Japan Surrenders Ending WW II

World War II ended within days of the United States dropping of Atomic bombs over the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan unconditionally surrendered on September 2, 1945.  Both Goodman and Edson lost sons during the war. George Goodman and Stuart Edson were killed in action in Europe. Edson, having served in the reserve since his service in World War I returned to active duty as a lieutenant colonel and then attained the rank of Colonel shortly before his discharge in 1945.

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NBA Begins

The NBA was founded as the Basketball Association of America on June 6, 1946. The first game was played between the New York Knickerbockers and the Toronto Huskies. The league changed its name to the National Basketball Association, (NBA) when the BAA merged with the rival National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949.

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First Modern Day African American Baseball Player

Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play modern Major League Baseball on April 15, 1947 at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York. Born in Georgia, the son of sharecroppers, the youngest of five children (Brother “Mack” won a Silver Medal behind Jesse Owens in the 200 Meter Dash at the 1936 Olympics), Robinson went to UCLA and served his nation in the military.

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US Enters World War II

The United States entered World War II after the surprise attack by Japan on December 7, 1941, on Pearl Harbor.

Many Scouts served valiantly in the service of the country expanding on the service that was rendered during World War I. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, an Arrowman, signed a letter asking Scouts "to take an important commission as Government Dispatch Bearers for the Office of War Information (OWI)." The Boy Scouts of America would become the "Official Dispatch Bearers" for the OWI and the main workforce for a poster distribution system. Thousands of young men were responsible for the delivery of posters to shops all across America.

Scouts also did many other things such as planting trees, and collecting tin, aluminum, rags and tires for recycling into war materials taking a lead role in "the war at home". Carroll A. Edson was called back to active duty, having served in the reserve since World War I, and served in the infantry in Kansas. Before leaving the military, Edson rose to the rank of Colonel. It is known that at least Unami Lodge, Philadelphia and Delmont Lodge, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania issued celluloid buttons with broken arrows to honor fallen Arrowmen during World War II.

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Roosevelt Elected President

Our nation’s longest-serving President (12 years) took office in 1933 with the promise that he was going to bring the United States out of the Great Depression. President Roosevelt entered the White House already as an active Scouter.  On August 23, 1933 President Roosevelt became the first and only president to be inducted into the Order of the Arrow.  

He served as President of the Greater New York Councils and as president of the New York Boys Scout Foundation. During that time, he led the development of the Ten Mile River Boy Scout Camp (TMR) from 1924 to 1928. In 1930, the BSA presented the Silver Buffalo Award to the then Governor of New York. He utilized the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a part of the New Deal, to build roads that are still used at TMR.  As President in 1937, FDR attended the 1st National Scout Jamboree. Roosevelt ultimately accumulated no less than 24 years of service to the Boy Scouts of America by the time of this death in 1945.

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Berlin Olympics

The 1936 Summer Olympic Games were hosted by Germany in the capital city of Berlin. The bid was awarded to Germany in 1934, two years before the Nazis became the governing party in the country. These games mark a modernization of the Olympics and many of the sports, techniques and processes (including live television broadcasts) used at the 1936 Summer Games are still in use today.

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1927 New York Yankees

The 1927 New York Yankees, featuring the “Murderers Row” of batters is considered by many to be the greatest baseball team ever. The team starred Babe Ruth who broke his own home run record with 60 homers, a .356 batting average and 164 RBIs. Batting behind Ruth was Lou Gehrig whose numbers included 47 home runs, 218 hits, a .373 batting average and 175 RBIs. Tony Lazzari, Bob Meusel, Earle Combs and Mark Koenig completed the “Murderer’s Row”. The Yankees broke the all-time win record posting 110 wins against only 44 losses and went on to win the National League championship in four games.

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Stock Market Crash

The Stock Market Crash of 1929 was the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United States. The crash began a 12-year economic slump called the “Great Depression” that affected all the Western industrialized countries.

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