Daily Archives: May 11, 2012

McNamara cites gains in South Vietnam 50 years ago today (1962)


Video: McNamara in Vietnam May 9-11, 1962 (at 3:30)

(Friday, May 11, 1962, during the Vietnam War, part of the the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara wound up a 48-hour tour of South Vietnam today, and said he was encouraged, by what he had seen.

Ironclad CSS Virginia scuttled 150 years ago today (1862)


Video: May 11, 1862 (at 18:37)

(Sunday, May 11, 1862, during the American Civil War) — The ironclad CSS Virginia (built from the remnants of the USS Merrimack), which confronted the Union ironclad USS Monitor in a spectacular stand-off on Mar. 9, 1862, was was scuttled by its crew off today near Craney Island to prevent it from falling into Union hands.