1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,920 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of I 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. Hey guys, the show is currently on break 3 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: until the new year, but we've got plenty of classic 4 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: episodes to tide you over. Enjoy this trip through the 5 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: show's own history, and I'll see you back here on 6 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: January second with a batch of brand new episodes. See 7 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: you then. Welcome to This Day in History Class from 8 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: how Stuff Works dot com and from the desk of 9 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: Stuff You Missed in History Class. It's the show where 10 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: we explore the past one day at a time with 11 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: a quick look at what happened today in history. Hello, 12 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: and welcome to the podcast. I'm Christopher haciotis your host, 13 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: filling in this week for Tracy V. Wilson. Today is 14 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: December and Sitting Bowl was killed on this day in 15 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: Born around eighteen thirty one, Sitting Bowl was a member 16 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: of the hunk Papa community. Now that's one of seven 17 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: distinct Native American groups that make up the Lakota Tribe. 18 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: Family History says that Sitting Bowl was born in the 19 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: Dakota Territory in what's today southeastern Montana, though you'll also 20 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: find a lot of references to him being born in 21 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: with South Dakota. At the time, though he wasn't known 22 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 1: as Sitting Bowl. His childhood name was Jumping Badger, but 23 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 1: after an act of bravery in a raid on a 24 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: crow camp when he was fourteen years old, Jumping Badger 25 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: received the name tatanka Iyotake, or Sitting Bowl. Over the 26 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: next several decades, Sitting Bowl, who became a leader, and 27 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 1: his people, had contact with the white people traveling westward, 28 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: but as the Lakota lands are further north than most 29 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: transcontinental routes, it wasn't as constant as with other tribes. 30 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:35,960 Speaker 1: But the hun Papa and Lakota couldn't avoid the increasing 31 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 1: tension between Native Americans and the invading forces of the 32 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:42,759 Speaker 1: United States, both military and civilian. By this time, Sitting 33 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: Bull had become a political, military, and spiritual leader of 34 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: his people. Over the years, he grew cognizant of the 35 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 1: reality of the invasion and conquest. He learned of conditions 36 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: and reservations from other tribal leaders, for instance, and he 37 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: continually warned his followers that were there people to survive 38 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: as free Indians, their fates would be in pensically tied 39 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: to that of the bison that populated North America and 40 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 1: those bison were such a valuable resource to many Native people. 41 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: The Sitting Bowl led guerilla attacks over the years and 42 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: was involved in a number of notable conflicts, from the 43 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: Battle of Killdeer Mountain to Red Clouds War, and from 44 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:17,359 Speaker 1: the Great Sioux War to the Battle of Little Big Horn. 45 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: Now that famed battle is when Custer's seventh Cavalry attacked 46 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 1: Cheyenne and Lakota encampments near the Little Big Horn River, 47 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: which to the Lakota was known as the Greasy Grass River. 48 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 1: But more than two thousand warriors were following Sitting Bull 49 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: at that point, and they overwhelmed the attackers and successfully 50 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: defended themselves. The U. S public reacted with shock at 51 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: Custer's defeat, considering it a massacre, and thousands of soldiers 52 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: were sent to fight the Lakota tribes. Sitting Bull eventually 53 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: surrendered six years later on July one, and over the 54 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: last decade of his life he served time as a 55 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 1: prisoner of war and was eventually housed at the Standing 56 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: Rock Reservation in South Dakota. He was allowed to leave 57 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: to tour with Buffalo Bill Cody's Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. 58 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: Sitting Bull met and befriended Annie Oakley. He posed for pictures, 59 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:06,839 Speaker 1: he signed autographs, and the money that he raised doing 60 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: that he is said to have often given away to 61 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: beggars and homeless people he encountered. He also became involved 62 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 1: in the Ghost Dance spiritual movement, and this became pivotal 63 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: in what ended up becoming Sitting Bull's end. After returning 64 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: to Standing Rock, he eventually died on December fifteenth, eighteen 65 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:25,919 Speaker 1: ninety and what happened is a government representative named James 66 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,959 Speaker 1: McLaughlin was afraid that Sitting Bull was planning to leave 67 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: the reservation with the Ghost Dancers and ordered him arrested 68 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: by reservation police. Around five thirty a m. On December fifteenth, 69 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: a number of police officers, led by Lieutenant Henry Bullhead 70 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: and four volunteers, surrounded Sitting Bull's house and tried to 71 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: arrest him. Sitting Bull and his wife delayed the arrest 72 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: as his followers gathered, and when police ordered Sitting Bull 73 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: atop a horse, he resisted and the police responded with force. 74 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: A La Cota warrior named Catched the Bear, fired a 75 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: rifle at Lieutenant Bullhead, who then fired his pistol at 76 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 1: Sitting Bull. Another policeman fired at Sitting Bull as l 77 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: the Lakota leader was struck in the chest and head 78 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: and died. Soon thereafter, a fight broke out, and in 79 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: total sixteen people died, eight policemen, eight tribesmen. Sitting Bull's 80 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: body was taken to fort Yates and buried nearby, but 81 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,600 Speaker 1: in nine family members exhumed what they believed to be 82 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: his remains and buried them near what then was believed 83 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: to be his birthplace in South Dakota. A number of 84 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: monuments to Sitting Bull now exists across the United States. 85 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:29,119 Speaker 1: Thanks to Casey Pegram and Chandler May's for their audio 86 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 1: work on this show. You can subscribe to This Day 87 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 1: in History Class on Apple Podcasts, the I Heart Radio app, 88 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 1: or wherever else you like to find your podcasts. Please 89 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: come back for our next episode, where we'll discuss a 90 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 1: notable get together on a boat. Hi again, everyone, I'm 91 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: Eves and you're listening to This Day in History Class, 92 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: where instead of going back to the future, we go 93 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 1: back to the past. The day was December eight seventy five. 94 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:14,599 Speaker 1: Emilio Jacinto, a revolutionary during the Philippine Revolution, was born 95 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:19,479 Speaker 1: Jacinto was born in Tondo, Manila, to Mariano Jacinto and 96 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:25,239 Speaker 1: his father. Mariano died when he was young. His maternal uncle, 97 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: Jose Dison, helped support him. Not much is known about 98 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 1: Jacinto's childhood, but it is known that he was fluent 99 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 1: in Spanish and Tagalog. He attended the San Juan de 100 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 1: Letrn College in Manila, transferring later to the University of 101 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: Santo Tomas to study law, but his opposition to Spanish 102 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 1: colonial rule in the Philippines drove him to leave school 103 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: and join a revolutionary group called the Katipoon in The 104 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 1: Spanish began colonizing the Philippines in the mid fifteen hundreds 105 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 1: after Spanish navigator Miguel Lopez de Legaspi arrived with an 106 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: ex edition. Spanish colonial rule was marked by the Christianization 107 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:07,840 Speaker 1: of Filipinos and a powerful church investment in education and 108 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 1: the development of an indigenous upper class and educated middle class, 109 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:16,480 Speaker 1: among other major political and social shifts. There had been 110 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: some resistance to Spanish rule over the years, but by 111 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: the nineteenth century, ideas of Philippine independence began to spread. 112 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:30,039 Speaker 1: In eighteen seventy two, Filipino priest Mariana Gomez, Jose Burgos, 113 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:34,680 Speaker 1: and Jacinto Zamora, collectively known as Gombursa, were executed by 114 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 1: Spanish authorities for their alleged involvement with the Cavite mutiny 115 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:43,799 Speaker 1: and uprising of Filipino troops and workers. This inspired reform 116 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 1: minded Filipino students who went to Europe to study to 117 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 1: form the Propaganda movement. Jose Rizal was one of the 118 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 1: movement's most prominent leaders, and his writings galvanized people into 119 00:06:55,560 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: fighting for Philippine independence. Motivated by these Spanish cry downs 120 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: on the nationalist movement and growing resistance to Spanish authority, 121 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 1: the Katipunan formed as a secret revolutionary society, Andres Bonifacio, 122 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: a warehouse clerk, led the society, which called for the 123 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 1: expulsion of the Spanish from the Philippines and prepared for 124 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 1: armed rebellion. Jacinto served as fiscal advisor and secretary to Bonifacio. 125 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 1: He also wrote manifestos, articles, and poetry for the society's newspaper, 126 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: The Kalian. He wrote the society's official handbook, which detailed 127 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: its rules and principles for new and existing members, and 128 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 1: he became a general in the society's guerilla army membership 129 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 1: in the Katipunan grew substantially, and the Spanish discovered the society. 130 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: The Philippine Revolution broke out in eight That same year, 131 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: the Spanish executed Resolve, but in eighteen ninety seven, the 132 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 1: Media Aguinaldo, who led the Magdalo faction of the Katipunan, 133 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: made him self president of the revolutionary government and ordered 134 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 1: the execution of Bonifacio. Jacinto carried on Bonifaccio's legacy of 135 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: fighting the Spanish, but he refused to join the Magdalo 136 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: faction under Aggi Naldo in Jacinto's leg was injured while 137 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: fighting in Laguna, a province southeast of Manila. He died 138 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: at age three after contracting malaria. Initially buried in Laguna, 139 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 1: his remains were later transferred to Manila North Cemetery and 140 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:35,479 Speaker 1: again to him Lia Yang Pilipino Memorial Park. Filipino revolutionary 141 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 1: forces declared Philippine independence from Spanish rule in eight but 142 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 1: the US soon annexed the Philippines as part of his 143 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:49,319 Speaker 1: peace treaty with Spain, and resistance efforts persisted. I'm Eve Jeffcote, 144 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 1: and hopefully you know a little more about history today 145 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 1: than you did yesterday. Keep up with us on Twitter, 146 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 1: Facebook and Instagram at t D I h C Podcast 147 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: past or you can go the old fashioned route and 148 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 1: send us an email at This Day at I heart 149 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: Media dot com. We're here every day, so you know 150 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: where to find us. By Hello and welcome to This 151 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 1: Day in History Class, a show that shines a light 152 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: on the ups and downs of everyday history. I'm Gabe Louzier, 153 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,079 Speaker 1: and in this episode, we're looking at the day when 154 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: America's number one band leader went missing in action. The 155 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 1: day was December. American bandleader Glenn Miller went missing while 156 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:02,360 Speaker 1: flying over the English Channel aboard a military aircraft bound 157 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:06,560 Speaker 1: for France. Miller had made a name for himself during 158 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: the tail end of the big band swing era, but 159 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 1: when the US entered the Second World War, he set 160 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 1: aside his commercial career to serve as the leader of 161 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:19,680 Speaker 1: the U. S. Army Air Force Band. It was this 162 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: role that had brought him to an airfield outside of 163 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 1: London in mid December. The plan was for Miller to 164 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 1: fly to France, make arrangements for the rest of his 165 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: band to follow, and then perform live for the Allied 166 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: troops who had recently liberated Paris. Tragically, the small single 167 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:43,880 Speaker 1: engine plane never arrived at its destination. It's believed that 168 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 1: bad weather brought the plane down somewhere over the English Channel, 169 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: but the exact cause of the fatal crash remains a mystery. 170 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:57,560 Speaker 1: Alton Glenn Miller was born in Iowa on March fourth, 171 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:01,960 Speaker 1: nineteen o four. His family moved to Grant City, Missouri, 172 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: in nineteen fifteen, and around that time, Miller began milking 173 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 1: cows to earn money. He eventually earned enough to buy 174 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 1: his first trombone, which he played in the town orchestra. 175 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 1: His family moved again in nineteen eighteen, this time settling 176 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: in Fort Morgan, Colorado, where he would spend the rest 177 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 1: of his childhood. After high school, he briefly attended college 178 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 1: in Boulder, but dropped out to pursue a career in 179 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: music full time. Miller got his start arranging and composing 180 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 1: music for other popular bands, but it's as the leader 181 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 1: of his own band that Miller really flourished. He and 182 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:46,160 Speaker 1: his orchestra performed at ball rooms and hotels across the 183 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: country and eventually made a fortune in record sales. Miller's 184 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: innovative style led to a string of hits from nineteen 185 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 1: thirty eight to nineteen forty two, including Tuxedo Junction, chat 186 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: A Nooga Choo Choo, and of course, his iconic take 187 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 1: on in the Mood. Miller didn't write any of those 188 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: songs himself, though his unique arrangements did become the most 189 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 1: popular versions. Also, you're probably familiar with at least one 190 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: song he penned himself, nine Moonlight Serenade. Within a span 191 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: of four short years, the Glenn Miller Orchestra racked up 192 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 1: sixteen number one hits and sixty nine top ten hits. 193 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: That's more than Elvis Presley or The Beatles managed in 194 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 1: their entire careers. At the height of this success, the 195 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 1: United States officially entered World War Two. Miller quickly volunteered 196 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: his talents for the war effort. He directed his orchestra 197 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:19,840 Speaker 1: for a final concert on September two, and joined the 198 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: Army Air Forces soon after. Miller told his superiors that 199 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 1: he wanted to lead a quote modernized army band to 200 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:33,559 Speaker 1: help boost morale both abroad and at home. At first, 201 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:37,200 Speaker 1: this mission took the form of a weekly radio program 202 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 1: called I Sustained the Wings. The show featured Miller in 203 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: his band, performing live, and was broadcast out of New 204 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 1: York City. After two years on the job, Miller's show 205 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: had grown so successful that he was sent overseas to 206 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 1: perform for troops in person. He and his greatly expanded 207 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 1: fifty piece band left for England in the summer of 208 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:06,679 Speaker 1: nineteen forty four. They gave over eight hundred performances in 209 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: England alone, but the tour took them pretty much anywhere 210 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:14,839 Speaker 1: Allied troops were stationed. By mid December, they had been 211 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: touring for six months, and though no one knew it 212 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 1: at the time, they had already played their last show together. 213 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 1: On December Glenn Miller, now an Army major, arrived at 214 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 1: twin Wood Airfield in Bedford, about sixty miles north of London. 215 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: It was a foggy afternoon, which raised concerns about visibility, 216 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: but it was eventually decided that the short flight to 217 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 1: France would proceed as scheduled. Shortly before two pm, Miller 218 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 1: boarded a small Norseman plane along with two other U 219 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 1: S military officers, the flight organizer, Lieutenant Colonel Norman Basil 220 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: and the pilot, John Morgan. According to Miller's assistant, who 221 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 1: was present, that day, the band leader noted that there 222 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 1: were no parachutes on the aircraft. When he stepped aboard, 223 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 1: he spoke his last recorded words, norm where are the parachutes? 224 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 1: Basil's reply, though intended as a joke, was chilling. He said, 225 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 1: what's the matter, Miller? Do you want to live forever? 226 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 1: Nine days later, on Christmas Eve, BBC and CBS finally 227 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: broke the news that the plane and its crew were missing. 228 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 1: The wreckage of the plane was never found, nor were 229 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 1: the bodies of its passengers, leaving little evidence of what 230 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 1: actually caused the crash. Of course, there's been no shortage 231 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: of theories regarding the truth of Glenn Miller's disappearance. One 232 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 1: popular idea, though eventually debunked, was that the plane had 233 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 1: been struck by friendly fire. Another suggestion was that Miller 234 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 1: was actually a spy who had given his life on 235 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:06,239 Speaker 1: a daring, secret mission to end the war. More dubious 236 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: theories include the idea that Miller faked his own death 237 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: and then moved to Argentina to start a new life 238 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 1: away from his wife and two children. Things only get 239 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 1: more absurd from there, with some people proposing that Miller 240 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: was killed by mobsters and others saying that his plane 241 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,560 Speaker 1: flew into some kind of black hole similar to the 242 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 1: Bermuda Triangle. In recent years, new discoveries have provided fresh 243 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 1: and more plausible leads to follow. For example, a researcher 244 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: named Dennis Sprague believes the plane crashed because its fuel 245 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: intakes had frozen. In his work as a senior consultant 246 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:50,520 Speaker 1: to the Glenn Miller Archive at the University of Colorado, 247 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: Sprague developed his theory based on military documents that had 248 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 1: been overlooked for decades. Using an entry in an aircraft 249 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 1: spots log, Sprague was able to determine that the plane 250 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 1: was flying low at the time of its last sighting, 251 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 1: presumably due to poor visibility from the fog. Sprague believes 252 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 1: that the plane's close proximity to the water below caused 253 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 1: its fuel lines to freeze, which in turn stopped the engine. 254 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 1: Without power, the plane would have plunged into the water 255 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 1: within eight seconds, killing everyone on board almost instantly. It 256 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 1: may not be as flashy an explanation as a double 257 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 1: life or a portal to another universe, but it's likely 258 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 1: much closer to what actually happened. Glenn Miller's death at 259 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:44,439 Speaker 1: age forty was an untimely and tragic accident, but his 260 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 1: music and his legacy of service live on today. Live 261 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 1: music remains an important feature of military life. Most branches 262 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 1: have their own marching bands and orchestras, as well as 263 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:02,240 Speaker 1: countless groups that specialize in as rock or country, and 264 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 1: of course, the U s O, which was created just 265 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 1: one year before Miller enlisted, continues to bring live entertainment 266 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:14,159 Speaker 1: to service members around the globe. That culture of music 267 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 1: within the modern American military can be traced directly back 268 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:22,439 Speaker 1: to Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band. He may not 269 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 1: have been crowned the King of Swing like Benny Goodman, 270 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 1: but his mark on music history has been every bit 271 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 1: is lasting. I'm Gabe Louzier and hopefully you now know 272 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: a little more about history today than he did yesterday. 273 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 1: If you enjoyed the show, check us out on Twitter, 274 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:45,920 Speaker 1: Facebook and Instagram at T D I h C Show. 275 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 1: He can also write to us at this day at 276 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 1: I heart media dot com. We'd especially like to hear 277 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:56,199 Speaker 1: from anyone who's passed through a portal over the English Channel. 278 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 1: Did you experience any side effects and if so, were 279 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 1: they worth it? Thanks as always to Channel er Maids 280 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: for producing the show, and thank you for listening. I'll 281 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: see you back here again tomorrow for another day in 282 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 1: history class. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit 283 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:23,639 Speaker 1: the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 284 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.