Jesse L. Brown (1926–1950) was the first African-American naval aviator in the United States Navy, and the first naval officer killed in the Korean War. Born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to an impoverished family, Brown had an avid interest in aircraft from a young age. After graduating as salutatorian of his high school, he enlisted in the US Navy in 1946 and became a midshipman one year later after finishing a degree at Ohio State University. He earned his pilot wings on 21 October 1948, and was subsequently assigned to Fighter Squadron 32 aboard the USS Leyte. At the outset of the Korean War, the Leyte was ordered to the Korean Peninsula, arriving in October 1950. Brown flew 20 combat missions before his F4U Corsair aircraft came under fire and crashed on a remote mountaintop on 4 December 1950 during a mission supporting ground troops at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. Brown died of his wounds in spite of efforts by wingman Thomas J. Hudner, Jr., who intentionally crashed his aircraft attempting a rescue and was later awarded the Medal of Honor. Brown's successes in the segregated US military were memorialized in several books, and the frigate USS Jesse L. Brown (FF-1089) was named in his honor.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_L._Brown

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1872:

The American brigantine Mary Celeste was found apparently abandoned under circumstances which to this day remain unknown. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Celeste

1893:

First Matabele War: A patrol of British South Africa Company soldiers was ambushed and annihilated by more than 3,000 Matabele warriors. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangani_Patrol

1954:

The global hamburger fast food chain Burger King, known for its signature item the Whopper, was founded in Miami, Florida, US. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Burger_King

1979:

Bruce George Peter Lee set fire to a family home in Hull, England; after his arrest he revealed that he had started nine other fatal fires in the area. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_George_Peter_Lee

1992:

U.S. President George H. W. Bush ordered American troops into Somalia to help provide humanitarian aid and restore order during the ongoing Somali Civil War. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Task_Force

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

intersperse: 1. To mix two things irregularly, placing things of one kind among things of other; specifically: 2. To scatter or insert (something) into or among (other things), as Nature interspersed dandelions among the petunias, or 3. To diversify (something) by placing or inserting other things among (it), as Nature interspersed the petunias with dandelions. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/intersperse

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

You need to laugh more. Life is filled with too many problems, to not laugh every day. ... We need to have a sense of humor going into this because it's too tough without it. --Ysabella Brave https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ysabella_Brave