December 10

Born in Tarnów in 1794, Bem began his career as an artillery officer in the Polish army. He served with distinction during the November Uprising of 1830-31 and later joined the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. Bem reorganized Hungarian forces, winning key battles in Transylvania and around Vienna. After exile, he entered Ottoman service, converted to Islam, and rose to the rank of Pasha. Bem also studied physics, publishing papers on artillery and mechanics that informed his military engineering. He died on December 10, 1850, in Aleppo, leaving a legacy as a hero in multiple nations.

Colin Purdie Kelly Jr. was born in 1915 in Madison, Wisconsin, and graduated from West Point in 1940 before joining the Army Air Corps. On December 10, 1941, he piloted a B-17 Flying Fortress in a mission to relieve American forces in the Philippines. Kelly’s aircraft was attacked and he ordered his crew to bail out before he stayed at the controls to allow their escape. Reports falsely claimed he sank a Japanese battleship, amplifying his heroism in wartime propaganda. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery. Kelly’s sacrifice symbolized American resolve in the early days of the Pacific War.

John Henry Coundon Brunt was born in 1922 in Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire, and commissioned into the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in 1941. While fighting in Italy in 1944, he led his company with daring assaults against well-defended German positions under heavy fire. Despite being wounded, Brunt continued to press the attack, neutralizing key enemy strongpoints and inspiring his men. His gallantry earned him the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest military honor. He was killed in action on December 10, 1944, while directing his company. Brunt is remembered for his inspirational leadership and selfless courage in battle.

Born in 1913 in Stuttgart, Theodor Dannecker joined the SS in 1933 and quickly rose through the ranks of the Gestapo. As Adolf Eichmann’s deputy, he was instrumental in organizing the deportation of French, Italian, and Greek Jews to extermination camps. Dannecker established the Judenreferat in Paris and later served in Thessaloniki and other occupied territories. After Germany’s defeat, he was captured by French authorities in 1945. Facing charges for his role in the Holocaust, Dannecker committed suicide while in custody. His actions exemplify the bureaucratic mechanisms of genocide employed by the Nazi regime.

Napoleon Zervas was born in Epirus and rose to the rank of colonel before the outbreak of World War II. In 1941 he co-founded EDES, the second-largest Greek resistance group, fighting against Axis occupation forces. Under his leadership, EDES conducted guerrilla warfare in Epirus and collaborated with Allied forces in several key operations. Zervas later served as a government minister during the Greek Civil War, leveraging his military and political experience. His dedication to Greece's liberation made him a national hero for many in post-war Greece. Zervas's strategic acumen and leadership left a lasting impact on Greek military history.

Born in 1890, Toshinari Shōji embarked on a military career in the Imperial Japanese Army. He rose through the ranks during a period of rapid modernization and conflict in East Asia. Shōji held command positions and contributed to strategic planning in several campaigns. His leadership reflected the changing nature of warfare in the early 1900s. He died in 1974, having witnessed significant transformations in Japan’s military history.

Born on May 14, 1922 in Veliko Trgoni, Franjo Tuđman was a historian and former Yugoslav Army officer who became a leading figure in Croatia's quest for independence. In 1989, he founded the Croatian Democratic Union and led the country through the Croatian War of Independence. As President from 1990 until his death, he oversaw the establishment of Croatia's institutions and signed key peace agreements. Tuđman's policies shaped the nation's post-communist trajectory, earning him both acclaim and controversy. He died on December 10, 1999, leaving a complex political legacy.

Augusto Pinochet (1915-2006) was a Chilean Army general who seized power in a 1973 coup that overthrew President Salvador Allende. His regime implemented sweeping neoliberal economic reforms while overseeing widespread human rights abuses, including enforced disappearances and political repression. Pinochet held the presidency from 1974 to 1990 and continued to wield influence as commander-in-chief of the army. His legacy remains deeply controversial, marked by both economic modernization and grave violations of civil liberties. Legal battles over his immunity and accountability continued until his death.

Vladimir Teplyakov (1925-2009) served in the Red Army during World War II before pursuing a career in physics. He graduated from Moscow State University and joined the Institute for High Energy Physics, where he conducted pioneering research on particle detectors and accelerator instrumentation. Teplyakov co-authored influential papers that advanced the field of experimental particle physics. His dual experience as a military veteran and scientist informed his disciplined approach to research. He remained an active mentor and contributor to Russian scientific institutions until his passing.