The Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch from Cape Canaveral, killing all seven crew members including five military-affiliated astronauts, in one of the most devastating tragedies in American history.
King Henry VIII of England died at Whitehall Palace at the age of 55, ending a 38-year reign that had transformed English military power. Henry had built the Royal Navy from a handful of vessels into a formidable fleet, established coastal fortifications, and broken England's ties with Rome, reshaping European military alliances.
Jane Austen published "Pride and Prejudice," a novel featuring numerous military characters including the dashing militia officer Mr. Wickham, reflecting the pervasive presence of the British military during the Napoleonic Wars.
France formally signed an armistice with Prussia, ending the Franco-Prussian War. The humiliating terms, including the loss of Alsace-Lorraine, planted the seeds of French revanchism that would contribute to World War I.
The city of Paris surrendered to Prussian forces after a four-month siege, effectively ending the Franco-Prussian War. The fall of Paris and the subsequent unification of Germany under Prussian leadership fundamentally altered the European balance of power and set the stage for the two world wars of the twentieth century.
President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation merging the Revenue Cutter Service and the Life-Saving Service to create the United States Coast Guard, establishing the fifth armed service.
President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation merging the Revenue Cutter Service and the US Life-Saving Service into a single armed seagoing service designated the United States Coast Guard. The new service combined customs enforcement, rescue at sea, icebreaking, and coastal defense responsibilities under the Treasury Department in peacetime and the Navy in wartime.
The first truck convoy to travel the Ledo Road (later renamed the Stilwell Road) arrived in Kunming, China, reopening a vital overland supply line from India to China across the mountains of Burma.
The Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch from Cape Canaveral, killing all seven crew members including five military-affiliated astronauts, in one of the most devastating tragedies in American history.
The Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch from Cape Canaveral, killing all seven crew members. The disaster, caused by an O-ring failure in the right solid rocket booster, was witnessed live by millions of television viewers and temporarily grounded the American space program.
President George W. Bush presented intelligence on Iraqi weapons programs in his State of the Union address, making the case for military action that would lead to the invasion of Iraq two months later.
Get daily military history, analysis, and technology delivered to your inbox.
The first Tudor King of England who won the crown at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. He established the Yeoman of the Guard, the oldest British military corps still in existence.
Admiral
The "Father of the Nuclear Navy" who single-handedly drove the development of nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers, transforming the U.S. Navy into the dominant maritime force on Earth.
Commander
Air Force combat veteran, Vietnam War pilot, and commander of Space Shuttle Challenger. He was a decorated combat pilot who flew 65 missions in Vietnam before becoming an astronaut.
10 military events occurred on January 28, spanning multiple centuries. Key events include: Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster, Seven Crew Members Lost (1986), United States Coast Guard Established (1915), France Surrenders in the Franco-Prussian War (1871), Space Shuttle Challenger Explodes, Seven Crew Members Killed (1986), Paris Falls, France Surrenders in the Franco-Prussian War (1871).
The most significant military event on January 28 is Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster, Seven Crew Members Lost (1986). The Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch from Cape Canaveral, killing all seven crew members including five military-affiliated astronauts, in one of the most devastating tragedies in American history.
Notable military figures born on January 28 include Henry VII (1457–1509), Hyman G. Rickover (1900–1986).
Events on January 28 span the Cold War, the Colonial & Revolutionary era, World War I, World War II, the Interwar Period, the Modern Era, covering 10 events across 4 centuries of military history.
Events on January 28 involve 5 branches of the U.S. and allied armed forces, reflecting the global scope of military operations throughout history.
Explore military history from the day you were born.
February 6
1952
February 11
1990
February 20
1962
February 28
1953
June 6
The Allied invasion of Normandy, the largest amphibious assault in history.
December 7
Japan attacks the U.S. Pacific Fleet, bringing America into World War II.
September 11
The deadliest terrorist attack in history transforms U.S. national security.
August 6
The first atomic bomb is dropped on a city, ushering in the nuclear age.
May 8
Nazi Germany surrenders unconditionally, ending World War II in Europe.
November 11
Armistice Day marks the end of World War I and honors all who served.
June 4
The turning point of the Pacific War as the U.S. Navy destroys four Japanese carriers.
July 4
The Declaration of Independence is adopted, sparking the American Revolution.
The FIM-92 Stinger helped win the Cold War by turning Afghan mujahideen into a credible anti-aircraft threat. By 2023, the United States almost ran out of them, because Raytheon stopped making them for 13 years, and the first 10 months of Ukraine support burned through the remaining stockpile.
These weapons were built to fight a war that everyone prayed would never happen. The Minuteman III has been on alert since 1970. The Typhoon-class carried enough nuclear warheads to destroy a continent. The Davy Crockett could be fired by three soldiers. Most of them have been waiting for 40 years. Here are 10 Cold War weapons built exclusively for World War III.
The MiG-31 was designed to catch the SR-71 Blackbird. It is still the fastest fighter in any air force. The Foxhound's Zaslon phased-array radar, the first ever installed in a fighter, can track 10 targets and engage 4 simultaneously at ranges exceeding 200 miles. Here is why Russia still flies a 1980s interceptor, and why the MiG-31BM carrying a Kinzhal hypersonic missile has changed what the aircraft means to modern warfare.
Nineteen armies on four continents chose the Leopard 2. No other Western tank comes close to this export record, and the reasons go far beyond German engineering.
