It is August seventh, and on this date in 1782 America’s first official military decoration of the United States was created by a general order issued by the Commander in chief of the continental army. But the creation of the award was almost lost to time, very nearly, forgotten history.
In a time when the war news was almost universally disastrous for the US, the "Devil Boats" of John D Bulkeley's PT Squadron Three offered an important boost to American Morale.