March 31

Ashikaga Yoshiteru was born in 1536 and became the 13th shōgun of the Muromachi shogunate at a young age. His tenure was marked by internal conflict among regional daimyōs during the Sengoku period. Despite political challenges, he was a notable patron of the arts, including Noh theatre and ink painting. Yoshiteru maintained ties with the imperial court in Kyoto and sought to balance power between rival factions. His rule ended when he was assassinated in 1565, a casualty of the era’s violent rivalries. His support for cultural endeavors contributed to the flourishing of Japanese art and theatre.

Félix María Zuloaga was a Mexican general active in the mid-19th century. He played a key role during the Reform War, opposing liberal reforms. Zuloaga declared himself interim president in 1858, igniting the conflict known as the War of the Reform. His conservative faction ruled Mexico during the early stages of the war before being deposed. Zuloaga briefly regained power but ultimately lost to liberal forces led by Benito Juárez. His tenure reflected the struggle between conservative and liberal ideologies in post-independence Mexico. He died in exile in 1898, leaving a controversial legacy.

Born in 1874 in the state of Sonora, Benjamín G. Hill joined the Mexican Revolution under the leadership of Venustiano Carranza. He quickly rose through the ranks due to his strategic acumen and loyalty, leading key campaigns against opposing factions. In 1914, Hill became governor of Sonora, implementing reforms and stabilizing the region. His close alliance with President Carranza made him a prominent figure in post-revolutionary politics. Hill's sudden death in 1920, under mysterious circumstances, ended the career of one of the revolution's most respected generals.

William Lederer was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1912 and served as a United States Navy officer, witnessing World War II and the Korean War. After his military career, he attended Harvard University on the G.I. Bill and pursued writing. In 1958, he co-wrote 'The Ugly American' with Eugene Burdick, a best-selling novel that criticized U.S. foreign policy in Southeast Asia. The book sparked national debate and is credited with influencing diplomatic approaches during the Cold War. Lederer continued writing non-fiction works on international affairs and culture. He also taught at the University of Pennsylvania and the Naval War College. Lederer's insights bridged military experience and scholarly analysis, and he died in 2009, leaving a legacy as a voice for thoughtful diplomacy.

Shoichi Yokoi was born in Saori, Japan, in 1915 and enlisted in the Imperial Japanese Army in 1941. Sent to Guam in 1943, he survived the Allied invasion and retreated into the jungle to avoid capture. For 28 years, Yokoi lived in a handmade subterranean hideout, sustaining himself by hunting and gathering. His perseverance ended only when local villagers discovered him and persuaded him to surrender in 1972. Yokoi expressed remorse for surviving while many comrades perished and became a symbol of loyalty and endurance. He returned to Japan as a national hero, sharing his experiences through books and interviews. Yokoi died in 1997, remembered for his extraordinary survival story.

Rocco Petrone was a United States Army colonel and mechanical engineer who played a pivotal role in America's space race. As director of launch operations at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, he oversaw the successful Saturn V rocket launches that carried Apollo astronauts to the Moon. Petrone later served as director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, managing key programs during the Apollo era. His leadership and technical expertise were instrumental in landing humans on the lunar surface. After leaving NASA, he continued to guide aerospace ventures and earned numerous honors for his contributions to space exploration.

Born in Moscow as the son of famed aircraft designer Sergey Ilyushin, Vladimir Ilyushin graduated from the Zhukovsky Air Force Academy in 1955. He became a test pilot for the Ilyushin Design Bureau and flew prototypes of the Il-28 bomber and other aircraft. Ilyushin unofficially reached altitudes above 20,000 meters, pushing the boundaries of high-altitude flight. He was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union for his contributions to aviation testing. After retiring from test flying, he continued to consult for Soviet aerospace projects. Ilyushin's achievements helped advance Soviet aeronautical technology during a critical period in aviation history.

Albert Arnold Gore Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. A graduate of Vanderbilt University and Harvard University, he briefly served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War era. Gore was a U.S. Representative and Senator from Tennessee before ascending to the vice presidency. He is widely known for his climate change activism, notably through the documentary 'An Inconvenient Truth' (2006). In 2007, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Gore founded the Climate Reality Project and continues to speak globally on environmental sustainability. His political career and advocacy work have made him a leading voice in the fight against global warming.