Thursday, July 14th
The 195th day of 2005
There are 170 days left in the year

Today's Highlights in History

On July 14, 1965, the American space probe Mariner 4 flew by Mars, sending back photographs of the planet. (Go to article.)

On July 14, 1834, James McNeill Whistler, the famed American-born painter and designer, was born. Following his death on July 17, 1903, his obituary appeared in The Times. (Go to obit. Other Birthdays)

On July 14, 1883, Harper's Weekly featured a cartoon about addiction to the potent alcoholic beverage, absinthe. (See the cartoon and read an explanation.)

Reference: The New York Times



The following courtesy Iraq War Today

Today in History
1789 - Bastille Day-citizens of Paris storm the Bastille prison, and free the 7 inmates therein. Rallying point that further inspired the peasants during the start of the French Revolution. Celebrated in France as Fête nationale or 14 juillet.
1798 - The Sedition Act bans "false, scandalous and malicious" writing against the U.S. Government.
1850 - The first public demonstration of ice made by refrigeration.
1853 - Commodore Perry requests trade relations with Japan.
1914 - Dr. R. Goddard is given the first patent for the liquid-fueled rocket design.
1950 - R.E. Wayne is awarded the first Distinguished Flying Cross in Korea.
1958 - The Iraqi army overthrows King Faisal II, assassinating his entire household; the Hashemite dynasty is replaced with a republic.
1959 - The USS Long Beach, the first atomic-powered cruiser, launches from Quincy, MA. It was decommissioned in May, 1995.
1965 - The US Mariner IV, the first Mars probe, passes the planet at a distance of 6,100 miles (9,800 km).
1967 - Surveyor 4 is launched to the Moon; it explodes just before landing.
1976 - Jimmy Carter wins the Democratic presidential nomination.
1978 - Anatoly Shcharansky convicted of anti-Soviet agitation
1986 - Richard W. Miller becomes the first FBI agent convicted of espionage.
1987 - Lt. Colonel Oliver North concludes six days of Congressional testimony in the Iran-Contra hearings.
1987 - In Taiwan, 37 years of martial law come to an end.

Birthdays
1906 - Tom Carvel, ice cream mogul
1912 - Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie, folk singer (This Land Is Your Land)
1913 - Gerald R. Ford, 41st U.S. Vice President / 38th U.S. President
1917 - Douglas Edwards, newscaster (CBS Evening News, FYI)
1927 - John Chancellor, news anchor (NBC, VOA)
1936 - Robert F. Overmyer, Colonel, USMC/astronaut (STS 5, STS 51B)

Passings
1958 - King Faisal II of Iraq, assassinated in Baghdad

Reported Missing in Action
1962
Blewett, Alan L., Civilian Pilot for B.I. Bird & Sons Co.; disappeared while flying US contract mission inside Laos - air and ground search negative
Parks, Raymond F., US Army SF (OH); disappeared while on mission inside Laos (see above)
1966
Kipina, Marshall F., US Army (MI);OV1C disappeared while on surveillance mission
Nopp, Robert, US Army (OR); OV1C disappeared while on surveillance mission
1967
Fuller, Robert B., USN (FL); F4C shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - alive and well as of 1998
1969
Butler, Dewey R., US Army (Wash., D.C.); UH1B collided with OH6A, KIA, body not recovered