On this Day

Wednesday, June 15th
The 166th day of 2005
There are 199 days left in the year

Today's Highlights in History

On June 15, 1904, more than 1,000 people died when fire erupted aboard the steamboat General Slocum in New York City's East River. (Go to article.)

On June 15, 1902, Erik Erikson, the psychoanalyst who reshaped views of human developement, was born. Following his death on May 12, 1994, his obituary appeared in The Times. (Go to obit. Other Birthdays)

On June 15, 1907, Harper's Weekly featured a cartoon about airships (dirigibles). (See the cartoon and read an explanation.)

Reference: The New York Times



The following via Iraq War Today

Today in History

1215 - King John signs the Magna Carta in England.
1381 - Wat Tyler, leader of English Peasants' Revolt, beheaded in London.
1567 - Jews are expelled from Genoa, Italy.
1664 - New Jersey is established.
1775 - George Washington is appointed Commander-in-Chief of the American Army.
1836 - Arkansas becomes the 25th U.S. state.
1862 - General JEB Stuart completes his "ride around McClellan"; the battle for Petersburg begins with General Grant's assault on the Confederate line; Robert E. Lee's home, in Arlington, Virginia, becomes a Union military cemetery.
1876 - Sara Spencer becomes the first woman to address a U.S. presidential cconvention.
1877 - Henry O. Flipper becomes the first black West Point graduate at West Point.
1915 - The U.S government mints 1st $50 gold pieces for the Panama Pacific Expo.
1924 - Native Americans are proclaimed to be U.S. citizens.
1940 - Germans capture the French fortress of Verdun.
1944 - U.S. forces begin the invasion of Saipan.
1960 - Argentina complains to the U.N. about Israel's transfer of Eichman.
1977 - Spain holds its first free elections since 1936.
1978 - Soyuz 29 carries two cosmonauts to Salyut 6; they stay for 139 days.
1982 - Riots erupt in Argentina after the Falklands/Malvinas defeat.
1983 - The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down state and local restrictions on abortion.
1985 - En route to Halley's Comet, the U.S.S.R.'s Vega 2 drops a lander on Venus.
1986 - Pravda announces the firing of high-level Chernobyl staff.
1988 - NASA launches S-213.
1989 - Ronald Reagan is knighted by Queen Elizabeth.

Birthdays
1330 - Edward, Prince of Wales ("The Black Prince")
1922 - Morris K. Udall (Rep-AZ)
1932 - Mario Cuomo (Gov-NY)

Passings
1381 - Wat Tyler, leader of English Peasants' Revolt, beheaded
1467 - Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy
1849 - James Knox Polk, 11th U.S. President

Reported Missing in Action
1966
Kopfman, Theodore F., USN (OH); A4E shot down, released by DRV February, 1973 - alive as of 1998 (Check out Iraq War News and read what Pam has to say about Commander Kopfman and his own words about his experience)
1967
Swanson, John Willard; USAF (IL); F105D shot down