September 18

Zhang Xiong emerged as a regional commander amid the decline of central Tang authority. He seized control of territories in the lower Yangtze region. His rule was characterized by alliances and conflicts with neighboring military factions. Zhang maintained local order through a combination of force and patronage. He contributed to the era’s shifting power dynamics, reflecting the fragmentation of imperial rule. He died in 893, shortly before the official end of his autonomous domain.

Born in 1803, Mansfield graduated from West Point in 1820 and served in the Black Hawk and Mexican-American Wars. He taught engineering at West Point and held administrative posts before the Civil War. In 1862, he was appointed to command the V Corps in the Army of the Potomac. At the Battle of Antietam on September 17, he was struck by artillery fire while leading his troops and died the next day. Mansfield was respected for his professionalism, integrity, and dedication to duty. His leadership contributed to early Union successes and his death was mourned as a significant loss to the Army.

Robert George Cole was born in 1915 in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He graduated from West Point in 1938 and joined the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He landed in Normandy on D-Day and quickly established himself as a courageous leader. On September 20, 1944, during Operation Market Garden near Best, Netherlands, he led a bayonet charge against German tanks and infantry. This action earned him the Medal of Honor, making him the only U.S. Army officer so recognized for a bayonet assault. Tragically, Cole was killed in action later that day. His legacy endures at military institutions and airborne units named in his honor.

Américo Tomás was born in 1894 in Lisbon and pursued a career in the Portuguese navy, rising to the rank of admiral. In 1958, he entered politics and was appointed President of Portugal, a largely ceremonial role under António de Oliveira Salazar's Estado Novo authoritarian regime. Tomás was reelected multiple times, maintaining the image of stability despite growing public discontent. His tenure saw significant social and economic changes, but his allegiance to the regime made him a target for opposition movements. On April 25, 1974, the Carnation Revolution overthrew the Estado Novo, ending his presidency and ushering in democracy. After his deposition, Tomás lived in exile in Brazil before returning to Portugal. He died in 1987, remembered as a symbol of Portugal's mid-20th-century authoritarian period.

Mario Benjamín Menéndez was a senior Argentine Army officer who commanded the Argentine garrison during the 1982 Falklands War. Appointed as military governor of the Islands, he led the defense against British forces before formally surrendering on June 14, 1982. His decision to capitulate after weeks of fighting remains a pivotal moment in Argentine military history. Prior to the war, Menéndez held various command positions and was respected as a disciplined officer. After his retirement, he largely withdrew from public life and rarely commented on the conflict. His leadership during the brief but intense campaign has been the subject of extensive study by military historians.