On February 3rd each year, Four Chaplains Day honors four military chaplains from World War II who sacrificed their lives for fellow service members.
#FourChaplainsDay
Chaplains in the military are an integral part of the service environment. They provide counseling, spiritual guidance, conduct services, and religious rites, among other responsibilities, and serve all over the globe. If there are military personnel stationed there, chaplains are too.
During World War II, four chaplains who had attended Chaplain School together at Harvard boarded the Dorchester en route to the Army Command Base in southern Greenland. Aboard the ship were 904 service members.
The four chaplains were Reverend George L. Fox, a Methodist minister, Reverend Clark V. Poling of the Reformed Church of America, Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, and Father John P. Washington of the Roman Catholic Church. Their voyage began on January 23, 1943. At the time, German U-Boats were patrolling the area, and the convoy was on high alert. When a German submarine torpedoed the Dorchester on February 3, 1943, in the frigid waters off the coast of Newfoundland, chaos ensued.
Eyewitnesses recounted the chaplains’ heroism, including giving their life jackets and gloves to other service members. They prayed with service members, assisting them into lifeboats. The four chaplains remained on the sinking Dorchester. Only 230 men were rescued from the waters.
Congress awarded the four chaplains the Four Chaplains Medal in 1960.
HOW TO OBSERVE FOUR CHAPLAINS DAY
Read about the four chaplains in books like No Greater Glory: The Four Immortal Chaplains and the Sinking of the Dorchester in World War II by Dan Kurzman or Sea of Glory by Ken Wales.
Watch the movie Four Chaplains: Sacrifice at Sea.
Visit exhibits remembering the four chaplains such as the National World War II Museum in New Orleans or Pioneer Chapel at Fort Leavenworth where a stained glass window remembers the chaplains.
Attend memorial services in honor of the four chaplains.
FOUR CHAPLAINS DAY HISTORY
In 1998, Congress unanimously established Four Chaplains Day to be observed annually on February 3rd.
Celebrating Bubble Gum Day on the first Friday of February every year doesn’t burst many people’s bubbles. It’s a fun way to chew your favorite flavor of bubble gum, blow some spectacular bubbles and raise money, too.
#BubbleGumDay
Bubble Gum Day helps raise money for schools and the charities they support. Students donate 50 cents to be able to chew bubble gum in class on Bubble Gum Day.
Long before any substantial chewing gum formed bubbles, ancient human beings chewed bits of resin from trees. All around the world, people collected substances from the available trees and used them for dental care and general enjoyment.
It wasn’t until 1928 after decades of failure by those before him, and several of his own, that Walter Diemer created the first bubble producing gum. His employer, the Fleer Chewing Gum Company, marketed it as “Dubble Bubble”.
The largest bubble gum bubble ever blown was 50.8 centimeters (20 inches) in diameter. Chad Fell of Haleyville, Alabama blew the bubble with three pieces of Dubble Bubble on April 24, 2004 at Double Springs High School in Winston County, Alabama.
HOW TO OBSERVE BUBBLE GUM DAY
Grab your quarters and bubble gum! It’s time to chew some gum, blow bubbles and raise some money for a good cause.
If your school doesn’t participate, encourage your school to set up a fundraiser. The funds can be donated to a local charity, new band costumes or foreign language emersion trip. Those are just a few ideas to get you started.
Use #BubbleGumDay to share on social media.
BUBBLE GUM DAY HISTORY
In 2006, Ruth Spiro, children’s author and mother, founded the celebration/fundraiser to create a fun way for children to participate in school fundraising.
Dates 4 February 2022
3 February 2023
2 February 2024
7 February 2025
6 February 2026
5 February 2027
4 February 2028
2 February 2029
1 February 2030
Bubble Gum
Q. How many calories are in one piece of bubble gum?
A. One piece of bubble gum contains approximately 29 calories?
Q. Do the calories count if you don’t swallow the gum?
A. Yes. The calories count even though you don’t swallow the gum.
Q. Is there a difference between bubble gum and chewing gum?
A. Yes. Bubble gum produces larger bubbles and is typically sweeter. While chewing gum can still produce bubbles, they are neither as large or as lasting as those made with bubble gum.
On February 3rd, National Missing Persons Day focuses the country’s attention long enough to recognize a missing person.
#NationalMissingPersonsDay
It might be surprising to learn that every day in the United States, approximately 2,300 people are reported missing. However, those numbers no longer surprise anyone making the report, waiting at home for their loved one, or actively looking for them.
When such a large part of our lives goes missing, it leaves a profound void. It’s not a fillable space. Those who have experienced it, those who report 2,300 missing people per day, know.
Everyone has a friend, mother, sibling, child, neighbor, or coworker they see every day. No one expects to have them mysteriously and disappear from their lives with no explanation. It’s a challenging thought. One so difficult to contemplate, it makes it hard to attract the attention of those unfamiliar with the missing person to become involved.
It won’t happen to me.
We often think it won’t happen to us. However, when a person goes missing, it can be an adult as often as a child. Women disappear more than men, and seniors are at risk, too. Health risks, natural disasters, unplanned circumstances, and of course, those who are taken against their will fall into the list of statistics. They can all apply to us.
According to the 2016 National Crime Information Center’s stastics, there were 88,040 active missing person records.
The families of those who go missing need the support of neighbors and friends. They need our help to continue the search, to keep getting the word out. At the same time, make a plan for your own family. Make it a priority to take the simple steps to be educated and aware.
Fortunately, in today’s digital world, it’s easier than ever. National Missing Persons Day encourages you to be alert, share their names, their pictures and bring them home to their families.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL MISSING PERSONS DAY
Support the search for missing persons.
Visit the sites listed below to bring more awareness to the plight of missing persons.
Take precautions to keep you and your family safe.
Share a missing person’s story.
Use #NationalMissingPersonsDay to share on social media.
Use #NationalMissingPersonsDay to share on social media.
NATIONAL MISSING PERSONS DAY HISTORY
Jo Ann Lowitzer founded National Missing Persons Day to provide increased awareness of the needs of the missing. Her daughter, Alexandria, went missing in 2010. Continued alertness and awareness improve the chances of returning loved ones to their families.
Missing Persons FAQ
Q. What defines a missing person?
A. In the United States, the legal definition of a missing person is defined as “a person 18 years or older whose disappearance is possibly not voluntary, or a child whose whereabouts are unknown to the child’s legal guardian.”
Q. When did the AMBER Alert System go into effect?
A. The AMBER Alert System became active in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, in 1996. All 50 states, Washington D.C., U.S. tribal authorities, and U.S. territories currently participate in the system.
Q. What other systems are in place for missing persons?
A. Many states have implemented the Silver Alert System designed to help find missing senior citizens and those with health conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Some states have also developed a Camo Alert for missing former and current members of the armed services who may be suffering from mental illness.
In 2018, the Registrar at National Day Calendar® proclaimed National Missing Persons Day to be observed on February 3rd, annually.
On February 3rd, honor the path that female doctors have paved since 1849 as we recognize National Women Physicians Day.
#NationalWomenPhysiciansDay
This day marks the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States in 1849. Dr. Blackwell initiated the movement that helped women gain entry and equality in the field of medicine.
If society will not admit of a woman’s free development, then society must be remodeled. ~ Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell
The day celebrates the courage of Elizabeth Blackwell and the accomplishments of female physicians everywhere. At the same time, the day strives to bring improvements to the workplace for the growing number of women physicians entering the field of medicine.
While the number of women doctors gradually increased in the last two decades, 2016 statistics show 35% of physicians are women. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine last year revealed that women doctors earn on average 8% less than their male counterparts. That discrepancy, along with nearly a third of women physicians reporting sexual harassment in the workplace and a large majority experiencing gender bias. Clearly, there is still work to be done.
National Women Physicians Day recognizes the strides made by generations of women doctors. The observance also recognizes that we must strike a balance that allows women to succeed professionally while supporting a family. Join National Women Physicians Day in celebrating these accomplishments and supporting women physicians as colleagues, friends, family, and doctors.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL WOMEN PHYSICIANS DAY
On February 3rd we are asking not only the medical community, but also our larger community of patients, families, and the public to celebrate National Women Physicians Day in hospitals and clinics, medical schools, and on social media. We are in an exciting time for medicine. We are connecting virtually and creating a collective voice that can be used to create positive changes for physicians and patients alike. Use #IAMBLACKWELL, #WomensDocsInspire and #NWPD to share on social media.
NATIONAL WOMEN PHYSICIANS DAY HISTORY
In an effort to raise awareness of the importance of a physician-led healthcare team and female physicians’ roles in medicine, Physician Moms Group and Medelita founded February 3rd as National Women Physicians Day. Physician Moms Group successfully celebrated the first National Women Physicians Day on February 3, 2016.
The Registrar at National Day Calendar® declared the observance in 2017.
About Physician Moms Group
Physician Moms Group (PMG) was founded in November 2014 by Dr. Hala Sabry to bring together women physicians, who are also parents, to collaborate and support each other while sharing their medical expertise in an open forum. The PMG’s mission is to provide resources, a platform to network, and an opportunity to share information with like-minded individuals. The PMG network includes over 65,000 women physicians of all specialties across the globe. For more information, visit www.mypmg.org and follow them on Twitter @PhysicianMomsGp.
Women Physicians FAQ
Q. Who are some other notable women physicians from history?
A. There are many notable women physicians we could mention here, but we’ll start with:
Rebecca Lee Crumpler (February 8, 1831 – March 9, 1895) – She became the first African-American woman to become a medical doctor in the United States.
Mary Edwards Walker (November 26, 1832 – February 21, 1919) – During the American Civil War, Walker served as the first female U.S. Army surgeon. She would earn the Medal of Honor, the only woman to receive the honor.
Virginia Apgar June 7, 1909 – August 7, 1974) – Anyone who has given birth in the last 70 years likely is familiar with the Apgar Score. Virginia Apgar developed the score to assess the health of newborn children within a minute of birth.
February 3rd Celebrated (and Not So Celebrated) History
1870
The states ratify the 15th Amendment which reads: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”
1913
The cost of the U.S. Civil War prompted the ratification of the 16th Amendment allowing the federal government to impose the first income tax on its citizens.
1959
Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, The Big Bopper, and pilot Roger Peterson died in a plane crash following a concert at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. They were headed to Moorhead, Minnesota in poor weather conditions. The day is known as The Day the Music Died.
1980
Celtics Rookie Larry Bird scores the first three-pointer in an All-Star game. East vs. West went into overtime, tied 134-134. He and Earvin Johnson tied it up again at 136-136 but when Bird sank the three-point shot, East never looked back.
February 3rd Celebrated (and Not So Celebrated) History
Horace Greeley – 1811
In 1841, the American newspaper editor and publisher founded the New York Tribune.
Elizabeth Blackwell – 1821
In 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to earn a medical degree in the United States. She became an advocate and mentor to other women seeking careers in the medical field.
Norman Rockwell – 1894
The American painter created illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post reflecting popular American culture. Rockwell also painted current events as reflected in his illustrations for Look magazine.
George Nissen – 1914
In the 1930s, the American gymnast invented the trampoline.
Inge Ruth Hardison – 1914
The American sculptor is best known for her collection entitled “Negro Giants in History.” Included in the collection are busts of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Honorable Mentions James Michener – 1907
Blythe Danner – 1943
Nathan Lane – 1956
Maura Tierney – 1965
Sean Kingston – 1990
National Wear Red Day, on the first Friday in February, is an annual campaign to raise awareness about heart disease in women.
#WearRedDay
The national campaign urges women to learn their risk for heart disease and to take steps to lower their risk. What increases a woman’s chances of heart disease?
Smoking
Sedentary lifestyle
Family history
Diabetes
Stress
Inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s
Complications during pregnancy
Menopause
We can prevent or reverse many of these risks by taking action. Speaking with our physician also helps to further lower our risk of heart attack and stroke by making and following a plan.
Quit smoking. Ask for help if you need it. Your physician has many tools at her side to make quitting a success.
Change your lifestyle. Become more active and improve your eating habits. This will help with many risk factors including stress, family history, and other health conditions.
Get routine physical exams.
Heart disease and stroke kill one in three women. These diseases are 80 percent preventable according to Go Red for Women’s official website.
Wear red to show your support for saving women’s lives
Show us how you Go Red on your social media profiles using #GoRedWearRed
Donate to help raise funds for awareness and research. Get your red gear at shopheart.org and a portion of every purchase goes back to the programming and mission of the American Heart Association.
#GoRedGetFit – earn prizes and get healthy while fighting heart disease with the American Heart Association. Find out more at GoRedForWomen.org or join the challenge on Facebook GoRedGetFit.
NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY HISTORY
The Go Red for Women campaign started in 2004 when the American Heart Association took on the challenge of raising awareness about the number 1 cause of death in women.
National Carrot Cake Day on February 3rd, celebrates one of America’s favorite flavors of cake. In the carrot cake, we get to eat our cake and veggies, too!
#NationalCarrotCakeDay
Carrot cake closely resembles a quick bread from its preparation to its final consistency. Quick breads mix the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining, and the final product is coarser than a traditional cake. Creamy frosting separates the layers and often complements the spice of the cake. Cinnamon and nutmeg go well with the natural sweetness of carrots. Many bakers add nuts or raisins to their recipes as well.
The carrot’s natural sweetness may have been selected as a substitute in the Middle Ages when sugar was hard to find or expensive. Carrot cake most likely developed from a carrot pudding which could be savory or sweet.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL CARROT CAKE DAY
Bake a carrot cake to celebrate. Include friends and family by inviting them to join you. Serve a hot beverage or two. If you need a recipe, we found several worth trying. While you’re enjoying the cake, look ahead to other celebrations on the calendar.
Listen to the National Daily podcast and flip a coin to see who will serve up the next delicious baked good so you can #CelebrateEveryDay with us. Don’t forget to use #NationalCarrotCakeDay to share on social media, too!
NATIONAL CARROT CAKE DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar staff wonder if we dangle a carrot, would the creator of this day step forward?
Carrot Cake FAQ
Q. Does carrot cake recipes call for real carrots?
A. Yes. Shredded carrots are used to make carrot cake.
Q. What other vegetables are used in cakes?
A. A variety of vegetables lean toward the sweeter side of the taste scale or take on the sweetness of its surrounding ingredients. Take these for example:
The Day the Music Died Day on February 3rd remembers the unfortunate and untimely death of singers 22-year-old Buddy Holly, 17-year-old Ritchie Valens, and 28-year-old J. P. Richardson, aka: “The Big Bopper.” These three artists died in an airplane accident on February 3, 1959, near Clear Lake, Iowa. Their pilot, Roger Peterson, also perished in the crash.
#TheDayTheMusicDied
The Day the Music Died was dubbed so by Don McLean’s song “American Pie”
Buddy Holly’s band was on tour and had played at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. They were headed to their next destination in Moorhead, Minnesota. For this leg of their journey, they decided to take a charter plane rather than go with their tour bus. Richardson “The Big Bopper”, had swapped places with Waylon Jennings, taking the latter’s place on the plane and Tommy Allsup had lost his place to Ritchie Valens in a coin toss.
Not long after takeoff, they were no longer able to be reached by radio, and they did not reach their destination. The aircraft was reported missing. The next day, the wreckage was found less than 6 miles northwest of the airport in a cornfield. Poor weather conditions and pilot error were determined, during the investigation, to have been the cause of the pilot losing control of the plane.
Pilgrimage & Tribute
The tragic event echoed through history for over 50 years. Visitors still make the pilgrimage each year to Clear Lake, Iowa, the resort town about 110 miles north of Des Moines, as this was the point of their last concert before the fatal accident.
“The day the music died” is a line in the 1972 Don McLean hit “American Pie.” McLean’s song, which he wrote in the late 1960s and released in 1971, was in part inspired by the tragic event which took the lives of three great musicians and their pilot.
“American Pie” lyrics by Don McLean
“But February made me shiver, With every paper I’d deliver, Bad news on the doorstep I couldn’t take one more step. I can’t remember if I cried When I read about his widowed bride But something touched me deep inside, The day the music died.”
HOW TO OBSERVE THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED
Listen to some of the music by Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, or The Big Bopper.
Use #TheDayTheMusicDied to post on social media.
NATIONAL THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED DAY HISTORY
The observance commemorates the fateful day in 1959 when four young lives were cut short. When Don McLean’s “American Pie” hit the airwaves in 1972, the world came to know the day as “the day the music died’ from the line in the lyrics. Another line in the song reflected on the music of Buddy Holly & The Crickets. In their song “That’ll be the Day” the chorus goes like this:
“Well, that’ll be the day, when you say goodbye Yes, that’ll be the day, when you make me cry You say you’re gonna leave, you know it’s a lie ‘Cause that’ll be the day when I die“
In McLean’s “American Pie” his similar line appears in the chorus as well:
“Bye, bye Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin’ this’ll be the day that I die This’ll be the day that I die“
The Day the Music Died FAQ
Q. How many hits did Ritchie Valens have?
A. Ritchie Valens (Richard Steven Valenzuela) was signed by Bob Keane of Del-Fi Records in May 1958. He recorded two albums before his death just 8 short months later. Some of his most popular songs included Donna, La Bamba, and Cry, Cry, Cry.
Q. When did Buddy Holly begin his career?
A. Buddy Holly began pursuing his musical career in 1955.
Q. How did the Big Bopper get his name?
A. The singer/songwriter known as the Big Bopper began his career in radio in 1949. A popular dance called “The Bop” inspired Richardson to call himself the Big Bopper for a radio program.
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In an effort to raise awareness of the importance of a physician-led healthcare team and female physicians’ roles in medicine, 