Thursday, March 23, 1922. The loss of the H2, the nomination of Holley

Babe Ruth, March 23, 1922.

The HMS H42, a British submarine, was lost near Gibraltar when she surfaced in the path of a destroyer by accident during torpedo run drills.  In spite of its best efforts, the destroyer sliced her in half, and she went down with all hands.

Emile Treville Holley was nominated to the United States Naval Academy, making him the first black nominee to the academy since 1871.  He did not attend, however, as it became clear the all white student body would not accept him, something that would repeat the experience of nominees from 1873 through 1875.

Holley went on to enroll at Middlebury College in Vermont and went on to become a college professor.

WEY went on the air in Wichita, making it the first station in Kansas to do so.

June 2, 1921. Riding the tiger.

The United States Naval Academy's Class of 1921 graduated on this day.  Dignitaries included President Harding and Gen. Lejeune.

The class was the last of the Great War accelerated classes to graduate and, given the date of its graduation, those who remained in the service were right at the twenty year mark, when military retirement was first changed to allow for retirement at that age in an effort to encourage the retirement of older officers as the US built up its military for World War Two.  Not surprisingly, therefore, this class saw a significant number of combat losses due to World War Two, although it also saw a surprisingly large number of losses due to interwar accidents as well.  

The disastrous violence in Tulsa hit the news everywhere on this day in 21.  

The IRA emerged victorious from one of the numerous raids that were a feature of the Anglo Irish War, a guerilla campaign that saw more raiding than Customshouse burnings.  In this instance, the Royal Irish Constabulary suffered 8 killed and 16 surrendered.

On the same day J. C. Leyendecker's Life magazine illustration featured a comely lady wearing what we'd call a bikini top, sitting on tigers.  Ostensibly an animal trainer, the riding the tiger and salaciously depicted female figure seems now like a sign of the oncoming, and long range, times.

The United States Naval Academy Class of 1917 Graduates.

And two months early.

The looming war caused the Naval Academy to graduate its class of 1917 on this date, in anticipation of the increased need for Naval officers.