General of The Armies, John J. Pershing, was born on September 13, 1860 in Laclede, Missouri. His military career spanned nearly 4 decades and in addition to his leadership during WWI he also served during The Mexican Expedition, The Battle of San Juan Hill and The Philippine-American War among others. Image of Captain Pershing c. 1900 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On September 13, 1847, troops under General Winfield Scott stormed Chapultepec Castle above Mexico City. US Marines formed part of the attacking force, helping to capture “the halls of Montezuma.” Present at the battle were US Grant, George Pickett, James Longstreet, Lewis Armistead, and Thomas Jackson. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On September 13, 1788 Confederation Congress established the date for the first U.S. Presidential Election. Image: “A parade in honor of the adoption of the Federal Constitution, 1788” via New York Public Library Digital Collections, public domain

A photo of Henry Bliss who was struck by a taxi while getting off a street car in New York City on September 13th, 1899. Sadly, Henry died from his injuries the following day and became the first recorded auto vehicle accident fatality in the United States. Mr. Bliss was 69. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US

An election victory on September 13, 1948 made Margaret Chase Smith of Maine the first woman to have served in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. During her 33 year political career she denounced McCarthyism and was called by Soviet Union leader Khrushchev “the devil in disguise of a woman.” Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain in the US

On September 13, 1990 “Law & Order” premiered on NBC Network. Image: Cast of Law & Order in attendance for LAW & ORDER 20th Season Celebration On Set, Chelsea Piers, New York, NY September 2009. Photo By: Gregorio T. Binuya/Everett Collection via Alamy

The Hanna-Barbera animated TV series “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” premiered on September 13, 1969. Image via Alamy

On today’s date September 13, 1851 American Army physician Walter Reed was born in Gloucester County, Virginia. His research in yellow fever helped decrease mortality rates from the mosquito transmitted disease during the construction of the Panama Canal. The U.S. National Military Medical Center that serves the greater Washington, D.C. area is named after Reed. Geronimo was one of Reed’s patients while he served as an Army surgeon in the American West. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

USS Intrepid (CVS-11) in the South China Sea on September 13, 1966 Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Major General John Sedgwick of the Union Army He was born on September 13, 1813 in Cornwall, Connecticut. Sedgwick gave his life defending Liberty during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in 1864. Counties in two states (Kansas and Colorado) are named in his honor. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

American actress Claudette Colbert was born on September 13, 1903. She starred in sixty films over her career, first appearing in a Frank Capra silent movie in the late 1920s until her last theatrical movie appearance in the 1961 drama Parrish . Image of Maurice Chevalier and Claudette Colbert for the 1931 film The Smiling Lieutenant via Wikimedia Commons, public domain