A Brief History On January 24, 1972, on the U.S. territory of the island of Guam, Japanese Sgt. Shoichi Yokoi was found hiding, believing that World War II was still going on! Digging Deeper Digging deeper, we find an incredibly dedicated soldier discovered by 2 islanders who had captured him and presented him to American military officials. Yokoi had taken part in the 1941 invasion and capture of Guam and was fighting the losing battle when the Americans retook the island in 1944.  Yokoi did not surrender then and continued to hold out for the next 27 years, never believing the leaflets that…

A Brief History On January 24, 41 A.D., the Roman emperor known as Caligula was assassinated by his own Praetorian Guard! Digging Deeper Digging deeper, we find Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (his actual name) usually referred to as Caligula or “little boot,” a nickname. By any name, Caligula is remembered as perhaps the worst of the worst of the Roman emperors, and his excesses are legendary!  Although some of these excesses are probably exaggerations made by his enemies and detractors, the idea that his most loyal body guards would kill him should serve as a clue!  (Imagine how bad…

A Brief History On January 23, 1986, the first musicians were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! Digging Deeper Digging deeper, we find these inductees are largely responsible for the widespread acceptance of “rock and roll” as a mainstream musical genre. The first class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was a great one indeed and included: Elvis Presley; Buddy Holly; Jerry Lee Lewis; James Brown; Chuck Berry; The Everly Brothers; Sam Cooke; Ray Charles; Little Richard; and Fats Domino. Other inductees voted in for their early influences on rock and roll were: Jimmy Rodgers; Jimmy Yancey; and…

A Brief History On January 23, 1897, Elva Zona Heaster, about 24 years old, was found dead, later proven to have been murdered by her husband through her own ghost’s testimony! Digging Deeper Digging deeper, we find a West Virginia couple married less than a year, Zona having been an unwed mother prior to the wedding and Erasmus Shue a divorcé and widower. Zona’s body was found by a boy who had been sent on an errand by Shue, and Shue was summoned to the scene.  Prior to the arrival of the local doctor (who doubled as coroner), Shue had moved the body…

A Brief History On January 22, 1957, long before the terrorist bombings of recent years, the “Mad Bomber” terrorizing New York City was finally arrested! Digging Deeper Digging deeper, we find a city menaced by George Metesky (born 1903) from 1940 until his arrest in 1957. Placing at least 30 bombs around the city during his terror spree, Metesky was an angry and frustrated man who felt cheated by his former employer and the rest of society. He had been injured in 1931 while working for Consolidated Edison (Con-Ed) and had been disabled from lung injuries. Metesky thought he was…