Today April 2nd
 

1946: Riots erupt at Alcatraz
Inmates Bernard Paul Coy, Joseph Paul Cretzer, Sam Shockley, Clarence Carnes, Marvin Franklin Hubbard and Miran Edgar Thompson started a riot today in Alcatraz prison after a failed escape attempt. Coy, whose prison job was to clean the gun galleries, had reportedly thrown a master switch to open the cells. He overpowered a guard to gain access to weapons.

"The fiercest prison mutiny in the Nation's history was uncontrolled in its second day as besiegers on Alcatraz island began lobbing 60-millimeter mortar shells into the barricaded cell-block and indicated that chemical warfare would be the next move against the convict holdouts," reported The Oakland Tribune on May 3, 1946. "Attacking U.S. Marines and prison guards already had used bazooka guns, demolition bombs, fragmentation hand grenades and other weapons of war in their all-out assault against the convict insurrectionists, barricaded in two separate parts of the cell block."

NOTE: The rioting, which is now called the Battle of Alcatraz, lasted two days. When it was over, two officers and three prisoners were killed, while 14 guards and two inmates were wounded.

1972: J. Edgar Hoover dies
J. Edgar Hoover, the infamous director of the FBI, died today of heart disease at the age of 77. "Hoover, the nation's chief law officer for 48 years, had become a legend in the United States, an 'untouchable' who shaped the FBI into a massive, powerful agency," explained The Lowell Sun on May 2, 1972. "The jut-jawed FBI head was permitted by presidential order to continue in his $42,500-a-year government job after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. Hoover, unmarried, dominated the bureau during his lifetime like no man in any other federal agency. Wielding vast power, he was said to lavish on the FBI the pride and possessiveness of a stern and watchful parent."


1955: Williams and Faulkner win Pulitzers
"William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams, two writers who have captured many of the top writing awards of the last decade, Monday received Pulitzer prizes," informed The Daily Register on May 3, 1955. "Faulkner won the prize for 'A Fable,' the novel of trench life in World War I which took him nine years to write. Williams won his second Pulitzer prize for the play 'Cat On A Hot Tin Roof,' a drama about a twisted Mississippi plantation family."

1952: First commercial jet flights begin
The De Havilland Comet, the world's first commercial jet airliner, took its inaugural flight today. "The sleek blue and white, four-engine jet liner, carrying a full load of 36 paying passengers, a crew of six and 30 bags of mail, left London airport at 3:14 p.m.," reported the Long Beach Press-Telegram on May 2, 1952. "With stops at Rome, Beirut, Khartoum in the Sudan, Entebbe in Uganda and Livingston in Rhodesia, it is due at Johannesburg in 23 hours and 40 minutes, slicing about one-third from the present commercial air travel time for the 6724-mile trip."

1945: Soviets announce fall of Berlin
The Soviet Union proclaimed the capture of Berlin today. "The announcement was made by the Moscow radio which declared that 70,000 Germans were captured in the cleanup of the city. Stalin's order described the capital as the center of German imperialism. He said the German garrison defending Berlin had laid down its arms today and resistance had ceased at 3 p.m.," reported The Sheboygan Press on May 2, 1945. NOTE: The battle for Berlin began on April 16, 1945, and by the time the battle was over, Adolf Hitler had committed suicide.


1939: Lou Gehrig is benched
Lou Gehrig's streak of 2,130 consecutive Major League games came to an end today when he was benched for what he called "the good of the team." On May 3, 1939, the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune explained, "Lou Gehrig, the pressure off at last, sits on the Yankee bench for the first time in nearly 14 years and watches another, younger man play first base for the three-time world champions. It must have been a cruelly hard decision for the old 'Iron Horse' to make, when he told Manager Joe McCarthy he was ready to call it a career after 2,130 consecutive games."

Today May 3rd
 

1944: Rationing ends for most meats

All meats, except for beef steaks and beef roasts, are available ration free in the U.S. as of midnight today, the Office of Price Administration announced during World War II. The OPA also said that the monthly allotment for red points, which are needed to purchase butter, margarine, cheese, evaporated milk, beef steaks and roasts, would be cut in half, giving citizens less of these staples.

"Announcement that the Office of Price Administration has suspended the point-rationing system for all kinds of meat, with the exception of choice cuts and roast of beef, brings to an end one of the least glorious battles on the home front – the battle of the butcher shop," an editorial in the Valley Morning Star explained on May 12, 1944. "In a world which was visibly tottering under the weight of an atrocious assault on free institutions, a world in which whole races were being systematically exterminated and in which whole innocent and unoffending nations had been overrun and starved, the self-appointed spokesmen the American people acted as though the worst atrocity of all time was a system which limited their right to buy as much meat as they chose and at as high prices as they could afford."

NOTE: According to OPA Administrator Chester A. Bowles, rationing restrictions changed due to reduced Army and Navy demand, the stopping of lend-lease pork buying and the hope that more meat would be brought to the market over the summer.

1979: Thatcher wins Britain's general election

Margaret Thatcher, leader of Britain's Conservative Party, won today's general election to become the country's first female prime minister. "Though Mrs. Thatcher was withholding a victory statement until the 318 seats for majority were declared, the pro-Tory London evening papers pushed her into the premiership," explained The Daily Intelligencer on May 4, 1979.

1975: Ford commissions USS Nimitz

President Ford commissioned the 95,000-ton aircraft carrier USS Nimitz today in Norfolk, Virginia. "When she has taken board an air wing of 100 tactical aircraft, the Nimitz will be not only the largest but the most powerful surface warship in the world, according to Navy sources," informed The Post Crescent on May 4, 1975. "Powered by two nuclear reactors, she is designed to operate for 13 years without refueling." NOTE: The carrier, which was the first in a class of ships, was also considered one of the largest symbols of the "new U.S. Navy" that was slowly replacing older ships.

1971: Thousands of anti-war demonstrators arrested in Washington

More than 6,000 people were arrested in Washington D.C. today when war protesters tried to disrupt commuter traffic and march on the Pentagon. "Three hours after sunrise, more than 3,000 protesters had been arrested by flying squads of policemen wielding billy clubs and firing volley after volley of tear gas. National Guardsmen were deployed to aid police, and helicopters filled with about 200 Marines landed on the Washington Monument grounds," reported The Newport Daily News on May 3, 1971.

1948: Neighborhood covenants barring minorities deemed unenforceable

In two 6 to 0 decisions today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that private neighborhood covenants that prohibit the sale of real estate to people of a certain race can be voluntarily carried out, but they are not legally enforceable. "In Washington, Thurman L. Dodson, president of the National Bar Association, composed of some 900 Negro lawyers, described the opinions as 'a notable achievement in the Negro's perennial struggle to eradicate his second-class citizenship status,'" the Long Beach Press-Telegram explained on May 4, 1948. NOTE: It wasn't until the Fair Housing Act was enacted on April 11, 1968, that racial discrimination was prohibited in the sale and rental of U.S. residential housing.

1923: Non-stop transcontinental flight is made

Lieutenants John MacReady and Oakley Kelly became the first to fly an airplane non-stop across the U.S. when they landed in San Diego today. "Thousands of cheering people who had stood on the streets through the morning awaiting the coming of the transcontinental flyers felt a thrill of pride in the newest accomplishment of American aviators," reported the Modesto Evening News on May 3, 1923. NOTE: The plane, which left Hempstead, New York, was in the air for over 26 hours.

1999 Oklahoma/Kansas Tornado Outbreak

A total of 74 tornadoes touched down across the two states in less than 21 hours. At one point, there were as many as four tornadoes reported on the ground at the same time. The strongest tornado, rated a maximum F-5 on the Fujita Tornado Scale, tracked for nearly an hour and a half along a 38-mile path from Chickasha through south Oklahoma City and the suburbs of Bridge Creek, Newcastle, Moore, Midwest City and Del City.

As the skies cleared, the states counted 46 dead and 800 injured, more than 8000 homes damaged or destroyed, and total property damage of nearly $1.5 billion.

Despite these grim statistics, there were significantly fewer losses because of applied knowledge and new technologies developed through years of tornado research by NOAA scientists. The National Severe Storms Laboratory and other NOAA Research laboratories and joint institutes helped develop some of the primary tools used by the National Weather Service to forecast and nowcast the Oklahoma/ Kansas tornado outbreak. These tools include the NEXRAD Doppler radar, the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System, the Warning Decision Support System and NOAA's Profiler Network.

NOAA's effort to modernize the National Weather Service paid off in this single event. Researchers estimate that more than 600 lives were saved as a result of timely and accurate warnings and the public's knowledge of tornado safety.

I'm glad he was so we could now have you!

Aww, that is so sweet:angel:

WHAT ARE YOU UP TO NOW?????

Keep wondering.....

Michelle is gonna get mad because you're littering up her thread,
I on the other hand only put in useful tidbits about myself. :sidesplit:
HELP SOMEONE SHE'S DRIVING ME NUTS.:crazy:

No one will save you now my pretty!!!!

Today April 4th
 

1970: Kent State Massacre

After three days of protests against the U.S. invasion of Cambodia by students at Kent State University, National Guardsmen shot into a crowd of unarmed student protesters today, killing four.

"Kent State University, evacuated after four students were shot to death by National Guardsmen breaking up an anti-war demonstration, was virtually deserted and under heavy police and military guard today," the News Journal reported on May 5, 1979. "National Guard officials said the soldiers fired in defense of their lives when the student crowd closed in throwing rocks and chunks of concrete."

NOTE: Eight of the National Guardsmen were indicted by a grand jury. Charges were dismissed against all eight. A nation-wide student strike and hundreds of demonstrations followed the shootings, closing more than 450 campuses and bringing even more focus on the invasion of Cambodia.

1959: First Grammy Awards are given

The first Grammy Awards were announced by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences today. "The awards, miniature gold plated replicas of old fashioned phonographs, were awarded to [David] Seville for his tune, 'The Chipmunk Song' which won the awards of 'Best Comedy Performance,' 'Best Engineered Record' and 'Best Recording for Children,'" reported The Daily Review on May 6, 1959. NOTE: Other winners included Italian Domenico Modugno for Best Record and Perry Como for Best Male Vocalist, while the top movie and Broadway album was "The Music Man."

1949: Italian soccer team dies in crash

Italy's championship soccer team died in a plane crash today. "The crash wiped out the 'Torino' team of this city – four times national champions and the bulwark of Italy's team in international competition," informed The Herald Press on May 5, 1949. "The three-motor Italian plane plowed into Superga hill, scraped the cathedral which stands there and fell in flames in the cathedral courtyard. A heavy rain was falling. The team was en route home from a game in Lisbon, Portugal."

1945: Nazi forces in Holland and Denmark surrender

American newspapers reported today that enemy forces in Holland, northwest Germany and Denmark have agreed to surrender. "The Nazis themselves said the cease fire order had sounded in Holland and that British troops were sweeping unopposed through Denmark," explained The Lowell Sun on May 4, 1945. "But a heavily-censored front dispatch from United Press War Correspondent Richard D. McMillan gave even more conclusive evidence of the German collapse on the northern front. 'The German army facing the British…is out of control,' McMillan cabled. 'The Germans are throwing away their arms by the hundreds of thousands, refusing to fight, trying to get home, or struggling to give themselves up as prisoners.'"

1932: Al Capone begins prison sentence

"Tonight Capone will start serving an 11-year sentence for evading income taxes, and, giving up hope at last, he said there was 'nothing to do but make the best of it.' As his train cut down toward the southland, the gangster jested and kept up a rapid fire conversation with guards, but did not try to hide his disappointment. 'How would you feel if you had 11 years staring you in the face?' he parried when newspapermen questioned him," reported The Oakland Tribune on May 4, 1932. NOTE: Capone was released in 1939, after completing about seven years of this sentence.

1930: Gandhi is arrested

The leader of India's civil disobedience campaign, Mahatma Gandhi, was taken into British police custody tonight. Armed policemen, led by the district magistrate, made the arrest as Gandhi slept. “Gandhi, leader of the passive revolution against the British rule in India, was arrested at Surat early yesterday and was taken to Poona, where he was held," explained The Daily Courier on May 5, 1930. "Constantly, since he began the passive resistance campaign more than a month ago, he had attempted to antagonize British authorities to the point where his arrest could not be avoided. Last week he declared he would lead a raid on a state-controlled salt depot, hoping that the act would force Britain's hand.” NOTE: Shops throughout India closed in protest of Gandhi's arrest, while more than 100,000 of his followers gathered for a mass demonstration the following night. Gandhi's dream of India's independence was finally achieved in August of 1947.

Are we going back in time Michelle? That would be so cool.:dreaming:

:sidesplit: I know, you're just testing us.:eek: Did I pass?

You passed!!! I don't know where I was this morning.

Today May 5th
 

1961: Shepard is first American in space
Alan B. Shepard Jr., 37, became the first American to reach space today after soaring 115 miles above the earth in a spacecraft named Freedom 7.

"Shepard's blazing 5,000-mile-an-hour flight was only the beginning of American exploration of space, said Hugh Dryden, deputy administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration," the Oakland Tribune reported on May 5, 1961. "Soon, Dryden said, an astronaut will orbit the earth and later travel to the moon and back."

NOTE: After the historic flight, President Kennedy telephoned Shepard to offer his congratulations and said that he looked forward to seeing him. On May 8, Shepard was given a hero's welcome in Washington D.C.


1945: Japanese balloon bomb kills six in U.S.
A balloon carrying a bomb launched by the Japanese exploded near Lakeview, Oregon, today, killing a woman and five children on a fishing trip. The U.S. government did not release the information until several days after the incident. "Undersecretary of war Patterson disclosed today that a mother and five children were killed by a bomb from one of the long range Japanese balloons sporadically attacking the western part of this country," informed The Evening Tribune on May 31, 1945. NOTE: Their deaths were the only recorded fatalities within the U.S. mainland that were caused by an enemy attack during World War II.

1925: Science teacher is arrested for teaching evolution
High school science teacher J.T. Scopes of Dayton, Tennessee, was arrested today for violating a state law that prohibits the teaching of evolution. On May 6, 1925, the Oakland Tribune noted, "The defense will attack the constitutionality of the new law." NOTE: The “Scopes Monkey Trial” became a watershed case in the creation vs. evolution controversy, and ended with Scopes being found guilty and fined $100.00.

1904: Cy Young pitches perfect game
Baseball great Cy Young pitched the first perfect game in the history of modern professional baseball today. "Not for twenty-four years has any pitcher been able to accomplish the feat that big 'Cy' Young of the Boston Americas performed this afternoon -- that of retiring a team in succession without allowing a single man to get to first," explained The Mansfield News on May 6, 1904. NOTE: Prior to the formation of Major League Baseball, there had been other no hit games in the late 1800s.

Sixteen years ago today my youngest daughter, Jaci, was born!!!

Aww, happy sweet sixteen, Jaci!

Your baby isn't much of a baby anymore huh Diana? I know how you're feeling..my baby isn't my baby anymore either. They grow up so darn fast.

Today May 6th
 

1937: Hindenburg bursts into flames
The German dirigible Hindenburg burst into flames and collapsed to the ground today in Lakehurst, New Jersey. The large lighter-than-air ship used hydrogen, a highly explosive gas, for lift.

"Spectators sobbed hysterically at the abrupt disaster in which the Hindenburg had ended her maiden 1937 trip to America," reported the Fitchburg Sentinel on May 6, 1937. "Eighteen trips had been planned this year."

NOTE: Though the explosion was violent, most of the 97 aboard survived. 13 passengers and 22 crewmembers died, as well as one member of the ground crew. Most deaths were from people jumping from the burning ship rather than the fire itself.

1981: Lin wins Vietnam Veterans Memorial design competition
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund awarded a $20,000 prize to Yale architecture student Maya Ying Lin of Athens, Ohio, today for her memorial design, which was chosen for Washington D.C. out of 1,421 entries. NOTE: Lin recently served on the selection jury for the World Trade Center Site Memorial Competition, and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2005.

1910: King Edward VII dies
King Edward VII of Great Britain died today with his family nearby after a brief illness. "The prince of Wales succeeded to the crown immediately, according to the laws of the kingdom, without official ceremony. His first official act was to dispatch to the lord mayor the announcement of his father's death in pursuance of custom," informed The Galveston Daily News on May 7, 1910.

1996: Former CIA director's body is washed ashore
William E. Colby, director of the CIA from 1973 to 1975, was found washed up on a sandbar of the Wicomico River, not far from his vacation home in Maryland. "For the past week, while searchers looked for him in the Wicomico, near where it empties into the Potomac, his widow, Sally Shelton-Colby, had refused to accept the assumption that he had drowned," explained The Intelligencer on May 7, 1996. NOTE: It was believed that Colby, 76, drowned while canoeing on the river.

Thank You Michelle, I read these everday...:)

You are too sweet!

wow! very interesting, I'll be watching for this thread.

I forgot to say, my hubby is obsessed with the Hindenburg, I can't wait to see if he knows today is the anniversary!

awww, I missed it! Happy late Birthday Jaci. What type of party did she have? or how did she celebrate? DETAILS!

Today May 7th
 

1915: Germans sink Lusitania

A German submarine torpedoed and sunk the British ocean liner Lusitania today, killing almost 1,200 people. Many of the passengers were previously warned about the danger of sailing on the Lusitania because of the war between Germany and Great Britain.

"The Lusitania was steaming along about eight or ten miles off Old Head Kinsale, on the last leg of her voyage to Liverpool, when about 2 o'clock in the afternoon a submarine suddenly appeared and, so far as reports go, fired two torpedoes without warning, at the steamer. One struck her near the bows and the other in the engine room. The powerful agents of destruction tore through the vessel's side, causing terrific explosions. Almost immediately great volumes of water poured through the openings and the Lusitania listed," reported The Washington Post on May 8, 1915.

NOTE: More than 100 Americans died on board the ship, leading to protests from the United States and encouraging American involvement in the war. When Germany resumed unrestricted submarine warfare in 1917, the United States declared war against Germany and entered World War I.

1998: Daimler-Benz and Chrysler merge

Daimler-Benz, the maker of Mercedes cars, and Chrysler announced they will be merging today. "The transaction, formally announced today after the boards of both companies approved it, ranks as the biggest industrial merger ever. The new company, DaimlerChrysler, combines the No. 3 U.S. automaker that once trumpeted a 'Buy American' slogan with a German carmaker that had previously held only a small share of the U.S. market," informed The Capital on May 7, 1998. "The merger will give Chrysler greater access to the European market, something it has strived for."

1992: NASA launches space shuttle Endeavour

The space shuttle Endeavour, which replaced the Challenger shuttle, was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, today. "A wayward satellite and the nation's newest space shuttle are hurtling toward a weekend rendezvous today in a bold NASA mission to pluck the satellite from a useless orbit and put it to work," explained The Capital one day after the launch. "The shuttle Endeavour, one year off the assembly line, began the celestial chase with a twilight liftoff yesterday from the Kennedy Space Center. Its target is the Intelsat 6 satellite, which has been orbiting 350 miles above Earth since a miswired rocket failed to boost it to its 22,300-mile-high duty station two years ago."

1964: Plane crashes after passenger shoots pilots

A Pacific Airlines plane crashed in California today, killing all 44 people on board, after a passenger shot the pilots. "A note of mystery was injected into the tragedy with discovery of a .38 caliber revolver in the wreckage. Authorities said it might have belonged to an off duty police officer who was aboard, but they are not certain," reported The Modesto Bee and News-Herald on May 7, 1964. Authorities later discovered that the pilots were shot by a passenger who entered the cockpit. NOTE: In what was described as a "horrible coincidence," the Federal Aviation Agency released a statement on the morning of the crash telling airline pilots they would soon be required to lock their flight deck doors.

1896: Serial killer Dr. Holmes is hanged

American serial killer Herman W. Mudgett, better known as Dr. H.H. Holmes, was hanged in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, today. "Holmes, the murderer, died as he lived, with a lie on his lips. Calm and unruffled, he stood upon the fatal trap and told the witnesses of his execution that he had caused the death of only two women, and that they died by accident," explained The Gleaner on May 16, 1896. NOTE: Holmes had constructed a terrible “murder castle” which he opened as a hotel for the Chicago World’s Fair. The number of people he killed is unknown, but thought to be as high as 230, though he only confessed to 27 and only nine were confirmed. The 2003 best-seller The Devil in the White City deals with Holmes and the World’s Fair.

1840: Hundreds die in 'Great Natchez Tornado'

A tornado struck Natchez, Mississippi today, killing more than 300 people. On May 28, 1840, the Freeman and Messenger printed a letter to the editor, dated May 7. The letter read, "While nearly the whole of our citizens were engaged in dining at the hour of two this afternoon, vivid flashed the lightning, loud roared the thunder, and black grew the sky. In a few minutes the tempest came, and for about forty minutes we were in that perilous state which speaks only of destruction and death. First toppled down the chimneys, then went the roofs of houses, and a moment after, houses after houses fell into ruins."

Today May 8th
 

1902: Eruption destroys city of St. Pierre
Today's eruption of Mount Pelee wiped out the city of St. Pierre, located on the Caribbean island of Martinique, just four miles south of the volcano's peak. Flaming gas and cinders turned the city into a mass of fire.

"During the intervening hours a torrent of red hot cinders poured down upon the commercial capital. The streets were filled with the destructive outpouring, cutting off all avenues of escape. It is believed that very few of the 25,000 inhabitants could have escaped," reported The Galveston Daily News on May 10, 1902. "Although the Mount Pelee volcano had been emitting ashes and smoke at intervals for several days, the residents of St. Pierre did not apprehend any great eruption."

NOTE: According to The Fort Wayne Sentinel, smoke and steam had been released from the volcano almost fifty years before the deadly eruption, but no one thought Mount Pelee posed a threat.

1999: Citadel graduates first female
Nancy Mace became the first female to graduate from The Citadel, a formerly all-male South Carolina military school, today. "Ms. Mace entered The Citadel in 1996 after the school dropped its all-male admissions policy. That change came after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a similar policy at Virginia Military Institute," explained The Capital on May 9, 1999. NOTE: The first female admitted to The Citadel was Shannon Faulkner, who was able to attend with a judge's order. However, she quit in less than a week due to stress and isolation.

1973: American Indian Movement surrenders
"Indians holding Wounded Knee since Feb. 27 lay down their arms today in front of a symbolic tepee and submit to processing by federal authorities," explained The Morgantown Post on May 8, 1973. The surrender came after an agreement was made between federal officials and followers of the American Indian Movement to end the 71-day standoff and begin negotiations. NOTE: The location of the standoff was significant because approximately 300 Native Americans were killed in the Battle of Wounded Knee in 1890.

1945: V-E Day is declared
President Truman declared victory in Europe today, celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany. "Combat troops received the news with stony apathy. There is still a war going on in the Pacific and they knew, and they only hoped the folks at home remembered, that Americans are fighting in Asia at this epochal moment of victory," informed The Lowell Sun on May 8, 1945. Truman also emphasized that the task to conquer Japan was still ahead. In his V-E proclamation, he said "our blows will continue until the Japanese lay down their arms in unconditional surrender."

1936: Jockey rides after pronounced dead
Jockey Ralph Neves was pronounced dead today by Dr. J.A. Warburton, the track physician, after falling from his horse while riding at Bay Meadow Racecourse in California. "'Just in case,' as Warburton put it, he gave the unconscious and apparently dead Neves an injection of adrenalin, powerful heart stimulant. Ten minutes later, as fellow jockeys stood around the 'bier,' shaking their heads and lamenting the fate of their companion, Neves sat up. In ten minutes more he announced he was ready to return to the track and ride in the closing races."

Poor Nancy Mace, if I was asked I would have said it was Shannon Faulkner. I forgot she didn't stay there!

Yeh, it's almost 5:30 A.M. I need my History fix, where is it??:p

Today May 9th
 

Here ya go Kat!!

1974: Nixon impeachment hearings begin
The House Judiciary Committee began impeachment hearings against President Richard M. Nixon today for his involvement in the Watergate cover-up. The committee met in a closed session to review a briefcase of evidence relating to Nixon's role in the scandal.

The Oakland Tribune explained that "the committee would begin its hearings by considering materials relating to the question of President Nixon's responsibility for the Watergate break-in and its subsequent investigation by law enforcement agencies."

NOTE: Instead of facing an impeachment trial, Nixon announced his resignation on national television on August 8, 1974. His resignation did not make him immune to criminal prosecution, but his successor, Gerald Ford, issued a controversial pardon which protected him.

1970: War protesters rally near White House
About 100,000 war protesters gathered just south of the White House in Washington, D.C., to express their opposition to the Vietnam war. today. "College students angered by U.S. intervention in Cambodia and the killing of four Kent State University students by Ohio National Guardsmen made up the bulk of the thousands," reported The Post Standard on May 9, 1970.


1960: FDA approves birth control pill
The Food and Drug Administration approved the first pill for contraceptive use, called Envoid, today. The Syracuse Herald Journal described this new development 35 years later on May 10, 1995: "To imagine just how different American society was when the FDA allowed the birth control pill to be marketed in 1960, there was then no uniform contraceptive law. It was not until 1965 - when the pill's popularity was soaring - that the U.S. Supreme Court recognized the use of contraceptives by married couples as part of their constitutional right to privacy. That right was not extended to individuals until 1972."

1955: West Germany joins NATO
West Germany became the 15th member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization today during a ceremony in Paris. "Chancellor Konrad Adenauer took his place at the NATO council table for the first time in a public session in the Palais de Chaillot," explained the Great Bend Daily Tribune on May 9, 1955. "For the 79-year-old West German statesman the ceremony marked a culminating stage in his long and difficult campaign to enroll his countrymen as an equal partner in the ranks of the free world's democracies."

1926: Byrd takes off for the North Pole
Commander Richard Byrd and his companion for the flight, Floyd Bennett, were honored as the first to fly an airplane to the North Pole. However, throughout the years there have been a number of doubts about their true accomplishment. In 1999, the Syracuse Herald Journal reported that archivists found a diary that Byrd kept on the flight, which cast doubt on the calculations that the men used to establish the location of the pole during their flyover.

Hey Kat, I was up then too. See how patient I am Michelle...LOL :p

I think Kat has had too much coffee, someone take the pot from her!

She hasn't been on since this morning....

Kat!!! You get back here!!!

Today May 10th
 

1869: Spike links Transcontinental Railroad

A golden spike was driven in at Promontory, Utah, to link the First Transcontinental Railroad today. This joined the Union Pacific Railroad, running east to Omaha, to the Central Pacific, running west to California.

"The long-looked for moment has arrived," reported the The New York Herald on May 10, 1869. "The inhabitants of the Atlantic board and the dwellers on the Pacific slope are henceforth emphatically one people."

NOTE: The event was a turning point in American history, opening up the West and truly making the United States a coast–to–coast nation. Although the completion of the railroad was celebrated on May 10, it did not actually reach the Pacific Ocean until later in the year. On May 10, the rails stretched to Sacramento, where passengers were transferred to river steamers on their way to San Francisco.

2005: Grenade thrown at President Bush

A hand grenade was thrown at U.S. President George W. Bush today at a speech in Tbilisi, Georgia, but the explosive device did not detonate. “It remains unclear whether the grenade was aimed at Bush or Saakashvili [the President of Georgia] or was simply intended as a deadly disruption of what turned out to be an ebullient event,” informed The Post-Standard on May 19, 2005. NOTE: The grenade was thrown by dissident Vladimir Arutyunian, who was captured and sentenced to life imprisonment.

1960: Nuclear sub travels around the world

The Triton, a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine, finished a 36,000-mile underwater trip around the world today. "The historic 84-day voyage traced much of the route of the first trip around the globe by the surface ships of Ferdinand Magellan. The Magellan expedition took more than three years in 1519-22," explained The Hammond Times on May 10, 1960.

1940: Churchill becomes prime minister

Winston Churchill was named British prime minister following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain today. "In a dramatic ceremony at Buckingham Palace last night, Churchill, whose mother was an American, realized a lifetime ambition when he solemnly kissed the king's hand signifying his acceptance of the premiership," reported The Kingston Daily Freeman on May 11, 1940.

1933: Nazis hold public book burnings

The Nazi regime burned piles of books and other documents considered to be "un-German products," today. On May 10, 1933, the Dunkirk Evening Observer explained, "Fifteen thousand students, carrying banners and torches will escort six trucks carrying 20,000 volumes of objectionable literature in an hour's parade through the city." NOTE: Books by American authors including Helen Keller, Upton Sinclair and others were among those destroyed.

Today May 11th
 

1970: Tornado tears through Lubbock

A violent tornado touched down in Lubbock, Texas, today, killing at least 20 people and injuring hundreds. The storm, which left a path of destruction about eight miles long, blew away entire blocks where houses and businesses once stood and heavily damaged the heart of the downtown area.

"The spring dawn over this west Texas city of 161,000 showed damage over 2,500 square blocks from the tornado and the main storm that spewed rain and hail the size of lemons," reported the San Mateo Times on May 12, 1970. "Wind gusts after the twister lifted were measured at 100 miles an hour. Damage was estimated into the millions."

NOTE: The twister was the worst to hit Texas since the Waco tornado, which struck on the same date in 1953, killing 114 people.

1985: Soccer fans battle fire in England

A fire at a soccer stadium in England killed more than 50 people today. "An assistant fire chief, Peter Kneale, said the blaze was fanned by a strong wind and was 'a very rapid spreading fire.' He said it started in the north end of the stand and enveloped the whole structure in smoke and flames in four minutes," informed The Daily Intelligencer on May 12, 1985. NOTE: It is thought that the fire started when a fan threw a cigarette butt. The cigarette evidently fell under the stadium, where 20 years of rubbish had accumulated, starting a flash fire that spread rapidly.

1953: Tornado devastates Waco, Texas

A F5 tornado struck Waco, Texas today, ending a legend previously believed by a number of residents that their city was the only spot in Texas safe from a twister. "Weary rescue workers freed an elderly gray-haired woman today from nearly 14 hours of nightmare trapped under tons of debris in tornado-hammered Waco where 48 were known dead and more than 250 injured," reported The Kerrville Times on May 12, 1953. NOTE: Before a tornado ripped through Waco, the city of San Angelo, Texas, was struck by a twister that resulted in 13 deaths and more than a hundred injuries. However, the Waco disaster turned out to be the deadliest tornado in Texas history since 1900. After rescue workers were able to dig through the massive piles of rubble, it was found that 114 died and nearly 600 were injured.

1934: Dust cloud covers one-third of nation

"The huge dust storm moving from the Midwest descended on New York and the surrounding territory today, darkening the sky and sifting into Manhattan's skyscrapers. Despite closed windows, the dust penetrated almost every building, laying a thin coat of fine dust over furniture and floors," The Daily Times-News explained on May 11, 1934. NOTE: The dust cloud was 1,500 miles long, 900 miles across and two miles high, covering almost one-third of the nation. Topsoil was lost and crops withered in the ground, causing farmers daily losses of $2 million.

1894: Pullman employees go on strike

Thousands of workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company went on strike this morning and demanded their wages be restored to previous levels after receiving over a 27 percent pay cut from last year's pay. Pullman refused strikers' demands, saying the company was running at a loss due to its decision to keep its men employed. NOTE: The strike was broken up by U.S. Marshals and 12,000 Army troops. 13 strikers were killed and 57 wounded.

1894: Pullman employees go on strike

Ahh I remember that well:dreaming:

Good memory Kat!!!

LOL, I actually do remember this. From my history class. :) I just finished the second US history (1877 to present) and this was on one of our tests. It was really a big deal because it led to some of the first steps to fair wages and working conditions. Pullman was a real jerk in my opinion...

1949: Soviets lift blockade in Berlin

Traffic into Berlin was restored today when the Soviets lifted their 11-month-old blockade. In one of the major Cold War crises, the Soviet Union had blocked railroad and street access to West Berlin in hopes that the Allies would abandon the city. Instead, British and American planes flew in vital supplies like food and fuel to help West Berliners survive. Although the blockade was lifted today, air lifts did not stop until September 30. This was done as a precautionary measure to build up adequate supplies in case the Soviets issued another blockade.

"Thus-ended the dependence of 2,000,000 west Berliners on British and American planes for food and fuel," reported the Galveston Daily News on May 12, 1949. "But the air lift was going ahead at full schedule, and pilots said their instructions were to keep right on for at least 80 days."

NOTE: Despite uneasiness regarding whether the lift would last, there was a celebratory mood in Berlin. Schools closed for a holiday, and newspapers said that Berlin was in "a carnival mood." The blockade had began on June 24, 1948, and the Berlin Airlift supplied food for the city throughout the entire winter, dropping a total of 2,326,406 tons of food and supplies.

1970: Banks becomes member of 500 home run club

Ernie Banks hit the 500th home run of his National League career today, making him the ninth member of the 500-homer club. The milestone hit was made at Wrigley Field in Chicago with the Cubs playing the Atlanta Braves. "The 39-year-old Mr. Cub lined a Pat Jarvis 1-1 pitch into the leftfield bleachers in the second inning for his third homer of the season and joined eight others in the coveted 500-homer club, headed by Babe Ruth with 714," explained The Stars and Stripes on May 14, 1970. NOTE: After making the hit, Banks admitted to feeling pressure to reach his 500th.

1965: Soviet spacecraft crash-lands on moon

Russia failed to achieve the first "soft" lunar landing today when its spacecraft crashed on the moon's surface. On May 12, 1965, an article in The Sheboygan Press informed, "The observers said if Luna 5 landed successfully, the mission might encompass collecting samples of the Lunar surface and radioing back information, or scanning the moon with a camera and transmitting pictures." NOTE: Although a "soft" landing was not achieved, the Soviets still called the mission a success because they gathered information for future lunar landings.

1932: Lindbergh baby found dead

The infant son of Charles Lindbergh was found dead just miles away from the Lindbergh home today. "Charles Augustus Lindbergh, Jr., was kidnapped on the night of March 1 from the crib in which it was sleeping peacefully. The only clues that could be found on the following morning were a home-made ladder, footprints of a man and a woman, a blanket and an abandoned blue sedan," reported The Coshocton Tribune on May 12, 1932. NOTE: The body was discovered about six weeks after the family paid a ransom of $50,000 in exchange for what proved to be false information on the baby's location.

1949: Soviets lift blockade in Berlin.......
I was 3 months old :teddy:

1970: Banks becomes member of 500 home run club
Jenny was 6 weeks old :teddy:

Aww, how sweet!

Today May 13th
 

1981: Pope John Paul II is shot

Pope John Paul II, the first non-Italian pope in 455 years, was shot today in Vatican City. He was immediately taken to the Agostino Gemelli University Policlinic, considered Rome's most modern hospital.

"Vatican radio said the pontiff had been driven through St. Peter's Square in his jeep and was about to leave the jeep to start a general audience when shots were heard at about 5:25 p.m.," reported the Syracuse Herald-Journal on May 13, 1981. “The pontiff collapsed into the arms of his aides as the jeep returned inside the Vatican at high speed, the radio said.”

NOTE: The Pope made a full recovery. Police in the square apprehended Turkish citizen Mehmet Ali Agca after he shot the pontiff. Agca was sentenced to life in prison, but was pardoned in 2000 at the request of the Pope.

1985: MOVE headquarters bombed

Philadelphia police dropped a bomb made from C-4 onto the headquarters of MOVE, a radical African-American neo-Luddite group. “The concussion-like bomb, dropped Monday from a police helicopter, smashed through a crude wood-and-steel battlement atop the house and caved in the roof,” informed the Daily News on May 14, 1985. “A fire, fanned by hot winds, spread to as many as 60 surrounding structures, and gunfire from within the building kept firefighters from dousing the swirling flames for about an hour.” NOTE: The bomb ultimately destroyed more than 50 homes and killed eleven people, including four children.

1980: Tornado hits Kalamazoo, Michigan

A tornado devastated Kalamazoo, Michigan, today, killing five people and causing heavy damage in the downtown area. "About 85 people were treated for injuries at the city's two major hospitals. Two were reported critically injured. Most of the injured were cut by flying glass or bruised by falling debris in the rush-hour storms," explained The Daily Intelligencer on May 14, 1980. NOTE: The tornado that ripped through downtown Kalamazoo was part of a severe weather system that produced another tornado which also hit areas in Kalamazoo County.

1958: Nixon's car is attacked by mob

While traveling in Venezuela, Vice President Richard M. Nixon's car was attacked by a mob as he rode from the airport. The attackers hurled rocks, smashed the car's windows and shouted, "Go Home Yankee Dog." "The Vice President, winding up his tour of South America, arrived amid rumors that he was to be the victim of an assassination attempt. Venezuelan authorities in advance of his arrival had discounted these reports and given assurances that Nixon would be well guarded," reported the Oakland Tribune on May 13, 1958. "The violence of the demonstrations against the Vice President obviously surprised officials."

1940: Wilhelmina takes refuge in England

Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands safely arrived in England today where she took refuge from Nazi invaders. Crown Princess Juliana, her husband, Prince Bernhard, and their children we also welcomed by King George's family. "A sailor of the British ship which brought the royal family here said, 'for some time it was murder, but we got clear and had a steady journey,'" informed the Dunkirk Evening Observer on May 14, 1940. NOTE: According to newspaper reports from 1940, the Germans tried to kill the royal family as they fled for Great Britain.

TODAY May 14th
 

1998: Seinfeld finale airs

The final episode of the top-rated comedy Seinfeld aired tonight on NBC. To commemorate the sitcom's last episode, a number of the fans threw parties, while others watched at home.

"The 75-minute episode had a 41.3 rating and 58 share, Nielsen Media Research said Friday. A rating point represents 980,000 households. The share means that 58 percent of in-use televisions were tuned to 'Seinfeld,'" reported The Chronicle Telegram on May 16, 1998.

NOTE: A NBC spokesperson said they were "thrilled" by the ratings, but the final Seinfeld episode still fell below the finales for Cheers and M-A-S-H. When Cheers went off the air in 1993, its finale had a 45.9 rating and 72 share. In 1983 when the final M-A-S-H aired, it is estimated that 105 million people watched. Today, M-A-S-H still holds the all-time record for the most-watched finale with a 60.2 rating and 77 share.

1998: Frank Sinatra dies at 82

Frank Sinatra, one of the most influential singers in U.S. history, died today of a heart attack at the age of 82. "The blunt, often aggressive son of Italian immigrants communicated across generational lines with love songs filled with a rare mix of vulnerability and verve – from 'Strangers in the Night' to 'One for My Baby,'" explained The Chronicle Telegram on May 15, 1998.

1973: Skylab is sent into space

Skylab, the first U.S. space station, was sent into space today to serve as a "cabin in the sky" for astronauts. "No more cramped quarters like the Mercury, Gemini or Apollo capsules. Skylab is as large as a three-bedroom house and has 60 times more volume than Apollo," informed The Post Crescent on May 14, 1973. While the first three-man crew was to enter space on May 15 to link up with the space station, the flight was postponed when temperatures of 100 degrees were recorded inside the lab. NOTE: Two of the six solar panels also failed to extend properly, which reduced the Skylab's power supply.

1963: Kuwait is admitted to the United Nations

The oil-rich country of Kuwait became the 111th member of the United Nations today. "The tiny Persian Gulf state was welcomed at a brief session in which the assembly, called to devise a formula for financing its expensive peace-keeping operations, referred the problem to its budgetary and administrative committee," reported the Winnipeg Free Press on May 15, 1963.

1948: Israel is proclaimed

"The State of Israel, first Hebrew nation in 2000 years, was born today in a Jewish Declaration of Independence asserting the 'historic right' of the Jews of Palestine to reconstitute their national home," explained the Oakland Tribune today in 1948. NOTE: The proclamation was to become effective after midnight, once Great Britain no longer ruled the land.