Monday, July 11th
The 192nd day of 2005
There are 173 days left in the year

Today's Highlights in History

On July 11, 1979, the abandoned United States space station Skylab made a spectacular return to Earth, burning up in the atmosphere and showering debris over the Indian Ocean and Australia. (Go to article.)

On July 11, 1899, E. B. White, the American writer of essays and children's books, was born. Following his death on Oct. 1, 1985, his obituary appeared in The Times. (Go to obit. Other Birthdays)

On July 11, 1908, Harper's Weekly featured a cartoon about the rise of New York City's skyscrapers. (See the cartoon and read an explanation.)

Reference: The New York Times



The following courtesy Iraq War Today

Today in History
1533 - Pope Clement VII excommunicates King Henry VIII of England.
1740 - Czarina Anne expels Jews from Little Russia.
1781 - Thomas Hutchins is designated Geographer of the U.S.
1798 - An Act of Congress establishes the U.S. Marine Corps (celebrated as the USMC birthday until November 1921, when General Lejeune summarized the mission, history, and tradition of the Corps, ordering that it be read every November 10th following to celebrate the Corps' birthday).
1804 - Vice President Aaron Burr kills Alex Hamilton in a pistol duel in New Jersey.
1812 - The U.S. invades Canada.
1952 - General Eisenhower is nominated as the Republican presidential candidate.
1955 - Congress authorizes all U.S. currency to say "In God We Trust"; Colorado's Lowry AFB dedicates its new USAF Academy, with 300 cadets.
1962 - Cosmonaut Micolaev sets a record for what was then the longest space flight, at 4 days.
1974 - The House Judiciary Committee releases evidence on the Watergate inquiry.
1977 - Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., is posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom.
1979 - The U.S. satellite Skylab enters the atmosphere over Australia, disintegrating.
1980 - Iran frees American hostage Richard I. Queen.

Birthdays
1274 - Robert the Bruce, Scottish King
1767 - John Quincy Adams, 6th U.S. President
1861 - George William Norris (Rep-NE)1899 - E.B. White, writer ("Charlotte's Web")
1916 - Gough Whitlam, Australian PM1920 - Yul Brynner, actor ("The King and I", "The Ten Commandments")

Passings
1804 - Alex Hamilton, killed in a pistol duel by Vice President Aaron Burr
1937 - George Gershwin, composer ("American in Paris")
1989 - Sir Laurence Olivier, acting great

Reported Missing in Action
1966
Shattuck, Lewis W., USAF (WA); F105D shot down, released by DRV February, 1973 - alive as of 1998
Wilkins, George H., USN (NC); A4C shot down, remains returned October, 1996
1972
Crody, Kenneth L., USMC (IN); CH53D shot down, KIA, body not recovered
Hendrix, Jerry W., USMC (KS); CH53D shot down, KIA, body not recovered
Lesesne, Henry D., USN (SC); A4 shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Captain as of 1996 - alive and well as of 1998
Masterson, Frederick J., USN (CA); F4J shot down, released by DRV March 1973 - retired as a Lt. Commander as of 1996 - alive and well as of 1998
Randall, Robert I., USN (NJ); F4J shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - alive and well as of 1998