March 11

Born in 1738 in Massachusetts, Benjamin Tupper served as an officer in the Continental Army under General George Washington. He saw action in key battles such as Saratoga and played a vital role in the Revolutionary War effort. After the war, Tupper became one of the founding members of the Ohio Company of Associates, promoting westward expansion. He helped establish the settlement of Marietta, Ohio, the first permanent American settlement in the Northwest Territory. Tupper’s pioneering spirit and military leadership left a lasting impact on early American frontier life. He died in 1792, remembered as a dedicated soldier and community builder.

Sir Fitzroy Maclean was a British Army officer, diplomat, and Conservative Member of Parliament from Scotland. During World War II, he volunteered for the Special Operations Executive and was one of the inspirations for Ian Fleming's James Bond. Maclean led missions to liaise with Yugoslav Partisans under Josip Broz Tito, forging key Allied partnerships. After the war, he served as MP for Lancaster and authored several books on diplomacy and history. His career combined military daring with political service, leaving a diverse legacy in both fields.

Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke was a German Luftwaffe colonel and one of the war's top fighter aces. He claimed over 200 aerial victories, primarily on the Eastern Front, flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109. Wilcke commanded Jagdgeschwader 77 and later the fighter wing JG 54, leading by example in combat. He received multiple decorations, including the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Wilcke was killed in action in 1944, remembered for his tactical skill and leadership under fire.

Qasem Soleimani (March 11, 1957 – January 3, 2020) was an Iranian military officer who served as commander of the Quds Force, the elite extraterritorial arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Under his leadership, the Quds Force engaged in operations across the Middle East, including Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. Soleimani was a key figure in shaping Iran’s foreign policy and military strategy, influencing regional conflicts and alliances. Designated a terrorist by the United States in 2007, he was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad in 2020, an event that significantly escalated tensions between Iran and the U.S.