On This Date In Twin Cities History - June 29, 1922

On this date in 1922, John W. Vessey Jr. is born in Minneapolis. Vessey was a 16 year-old Roosevelt High School student in 1939 when he falsely claimed to be 18 so he could join the Minnesota Army National Guard’s 59th Field Artillery Brigade, eventually seeing combat during World War II in the North African and Italian Campaigns. Vessey was promoted to brigadier general in 1970, but is most remembered for having served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under the Reagan administration from 1982 – 1985.