WATCH: 5 little-known stories from U.S. military history

By — Cecilia Lallmann Cecilia Lallmann By — Shyla Duff Shyla Duff Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/watch-5-little-known-stories-from-u-s-military-history Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: 5 little-known stories from U.S. military history World Jul 3, 2026 9:00 AM EDT The United States wouldn't be celebrating its 250th birthday this week if not for the fledgling country's unlikely military victory over Great Britain. Monumental figures throughout history have helped shape the nation by leading or serving in its armed forces. But what about lesser-known warriors who left their mark? WATCH: A look at America's founding from the room where independence was declared Here are five historical figures or stories you might not know. A Marine trailblazer who was a vision in red Lt. Col. Ruth Cheney Streeter was appointed the first director of the Marine Corps Women's Reserve during World War II. Back then, keeping up physical appearances was seen as a patriotic act for women, especially in the armed services. Streeter, the first woman in the Marine Corps to achieve the rank of major, wanted her Marines to look the part of an elite force, and red lipstick was key. READ MORE: This women's memorial honors millions of 'sisters in arms' While the Nazi regime outwardly disdained makeup, going so far as to ban "painted women" from public functions, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill took the opposite stance. In 1941, the United Kingdom rolled out a "beauty is your duty" campaign, a sentiment that spread to the states once the U.S. joined the war efforts. Image courtesy U.S. Marine Corps Women's Reserve via University of Minnesota Libraries Streeter approached Elizabeth Arden, the pioneering cosmetics entrepreneur, in 1942 to create a standard makeup kit for every woman Marine. Part of this kit was an iconic red lipstick shade called "Montezuma red," formulated to match the red piping and chevrons on women Marines' uniforms. The kit also included a blush and nail polish to match. WATCH: Pentagon history purge highlights which stories are told and why others are ignored A Defense Department portrait of Ruth Cheney Streeter in 1943. Image courtesy of National Archives Every female recruit was issued a makeup kit at boot camp with instructions on how it should be applied. Failure to apply your cosmetics would result in disciplinary action. To this day, the Marine Corps is the only service branch that explicitly states women can wear red lipstick with all uniforms. The most decorated military unit in U.S. history In the months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, life changed quickly for Japanese Americans, including Japanese American soldiers. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order that forced all people of Japanese descent, many of whom were American citizens, into what the government called "relocation centers." In January 1942, the U.S. Army