July 18, 1863 - Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (left) of the 54th Massachusetts is killed during an attack on Fort Wagner. Located on Morris Island, near Charleston, SC, Fort Wagner was a key part of the city's harbor defenses. In early July 1863, Union troops landed on the southern side of the island and began preparing to assault the fort. Garrisoned by 1,350 men led by Brigadier General William Taliaferro, the fort mounted fourteen guns and could only be approached along a narrow strip of beach. On July 11, Union forces attacked the fort but were repulsed. Falling back, Union Brigadier General Quincy Gilmore began planning a second assault for July 18. Among the troops selected for the operation was the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, a unit composed of African-American soldiers. Commanded by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the son of prominent Boston abolitionists, the regiment was afforded the honor of leading the assault. Charging forward, the Union troops reached the top of the fort's parapet but were thrown back with heavy losses. Among those killed were Col. Shaw and 116 of his men. While the attack was a failure, it aided in proving that African-American soldiers were effective in combat and assisted in Union efforts to raise more black regiments. Fort Wagner was finally abandoned by the Confederates on September 7, 1863, after sixty days of shelling by Union forces.

Photograph Courtesy of the US Army

Entering service at the end of 1942, the Chance Vought F4U Corsair (right) became one of the most feared American fighters of World War II. Designed by Rex Beisel and Igor Sikorsky, the F4U Corsair was created in response to the US Navy's 1938 request for a new carrier-based fighter. Centered on the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine, the Corsair first flew on May 29, 1940. Featuring distinctive inverted gull wings, the Corsair suffered from numerous problems during development and several changes needed to made to the main landing gear, tail wheel and tailhook to allow for carrier landings. While the aircraft was being modified for safe carrier use, it entered service with the US Marines. Arriving in the South Pacific in late 1942, it quickly became popular with pilots due to its high speed, heavy armament, and ability to outperform the Japanese A6M Zero. Once the F4U's carrier issues were resolved, it became one of the US Navy's principal fighters along with the F6F Hellcat. Retained after World War II, the Corsair later saw service during the Korean War.

Photograph Courtesy of the US Navy