On this Day

Thursday, July 7th
The 186th day of 2005
There are 177 days left in the year

Today's Highlights in History

On July 7, 1981, President Reagan announced he was nominating Arizona Judge Sandra Day O'Connor to become the first female justice on the United States Supreme Court. (Go to article See Front Page)

On July 7, 1906, Satchel Paige, the pitching star of Negro League and major-league baseball, was born. Following his death on June 8, 1982, his obituary appeared in The Times. (Go to obit. Other Birthdays)

On July 7, 1860, Harper's Weekly featured a cartoon about the Giuseppe Garibaldi's conquest of Sicily. (See the cartoon and read an explanation.)

Reference: The New York Times



The following courtesy Iraq War Today

Today in History
1846 - The U.S. annexes California.
1863 - the first U.S. military draft occurs, with exemptions costing $100.
1865 - Four convicted Lincoln assassination conspirators, including Mary Surratt, are hanged.
1898 - The U.S. annexes Hawaii.
1908 - The Great White Fleet , on a diplomatic world tour, leaves SanFrancisco Bay.
1930 - Construction begins on the Boulder (Hoover) Dam.
1937 - Japanese and Chinese troops clash, a precursor to WW II.
1941 - U.S. forces land in Iceland to forestall a Nazi invasion.
1948 - Six female reservists become the first women sworn into the regular US Navy.
1956 - 7 Army trucks loaded with dynamite explode in the middle of Cali, Columbia killing 1,100-1,200, and destroyimg 2,000 buildings.
1960 - (US Air Force Museum says July 1) The U.S.S.R. shoots down a U.S. RB-47 reconaissance plane over the Barents Sea, capturing the two surviving crewmembers, and imprisoning them in Lubyanka (a REAL gulag - see an interesting study of reports of American servicemen in the Soviet prison system here).
1976 - Viking 2 goes into orbit around Mars.
1980 - Arizona Judge Sandra Day O'Connor becomes the first female nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court.
1981 - Solar Challenger, the first solar-powered aircraft, crosses the English Channel.
1983 - 11 year old Samantha Smith of Maine, "America's Youngest Ambassador," leaves for the U.S.S.R. (later dies in a plane crash at the age of 13).
1986 - The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the Gramm-Rudman deficit-reduction law.
1987 - The Kiwanis Clubs vote to admit women, ending their men-only tradition, vote to admit women; Lt. Col Oliver North begins testimony at the Iran-Contra hearing.
1988 - The Soviet Union launches Phobos 1 to probe the Martian moon (it fails)

Birthdays
1752 - Joseph-Marie Jacquard, inventor of the programmable loom
1843 - Camillo Golgi, physician, cytologist, Nobel Prize winner
1917 - Lawrence F. O'Brien (Watergate conspirators broke into his office)
1927 - Alan Dixon (Sen-IL)

Passings
1647 - Thomas Hooker, clergyman, founder of Connecticut, called the father of American democracy for the Fundamental Orders established for that colony, which were based on his principles.

Reported Missing in Action
1965
Williamson, Don I., USAF (KY); F105D shot down; remains returned July, 1989
1966
Pharris, William, US Army (LA); believed KIA during firefight, body not recovered
1967
Avolese, Paul A., USAF (NY); Killed when two B52's collided in midair, body not recovered
Bittenbender, David F., USAF (NY); Killed when two B52's collided in midair, body not recovered
Blankenship, Charles H., USAF (MD); Killed when two B52's collided in midair, remains returned May, 1997
Crumm, William J., USAF (NY); Killed when two B52's collided in midair, body not recovered
Jones, George E., USAF (MS); Killed when two B52's collided in midair, remains returned May, 1997
McLaughlin, Olen B., USAF (FL); Killed when two B52's collided in midair, remains returned April, 1997
Tritt, James Francis, USN (PA); lost overboard
1970
Beals, Charles E., US Army (IN); believed KIA during firefight, body not recovered
Howard, Lewis J., US Army (GA); believed hit by RPG round during firefight, extent of injuries unknown
1972
Kroboth, Alan J., USMC (KS); A6A shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - alive as of 1998
Robertson, Leonard, USMC (NY); A6A shot down, VC advised died in captivity according to Kroboth (above)