Wednesday, July 13th
The 194th day of 2005
There are 171 days left in the year

Today's Highlights in History

On July 13, 1977, a 25-hour blackout hit the New York City area after lightning struck upstate power lines. (Go to article.)

On July 13, 1821, Nathan Bedford Forrest, the notorious Confederate Civil War general , was born. Following his death on Oct. 29, 1877, his obituary appeared in The Times. (Go to obit. Other Birthdays)

On July 13, 1861, Harper's Weekly featured a cartoon about the prospects for a quick victory in the American Civil War. (See the cartoon and read an explanation.)

Reference: The New York Times



The following courtesy Iraq War Today

Today in History
1787 - Congress establishes the Northwest Territory, excluding slavery therein.
1854 - U.S. forces shell and burn San Juan del Norte, Nicaragua.
1865 - Horace Greeley advises readers to "Go west young man."; P.T. Barnum's museum burns down.
1868 - Oscar J. Dunn, a former slave, becomes Lt. Governor of Louisiana.
1878 - The Treaty of Berlin amends the terms of the Treaty of San Stefano.
1898 - Guglielmo Marconi patents the radio.
1908 - The fourth modern Olympic games open in London.
1934 - Babe Ruth hits his 700th home run, against Detroit.
1960 - The Democratic National Convention nominates Senator John F. Kennedy for president.
1969 - The U.S.S.R. launches the Luna-15 (unmanned) to the Moon.
1976 - In the U.S.S.R., the courtmartial of Valeri Sablin opens (central figure in the incident that inspired "The Hunt for Red October.")

Birthdays
1396 - Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy
1928 - Bob Crane, actor (Hogan's Heroes)
1934 - Alexei S. Yeliseyev, cosmonaut (Soyuz 5, 8, 10)
1935 - Jack Kemp (Rep--NY)/US Secretary of Housing
1942 - Harrison Ford, actor (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Frantic)
1950 - George D. "Pinky" Nelson, PhD/astronaut (STS 41C, STS 61-C, STS-26)

Passings
1762 - James Bradley, 3rd Astronomer Royal
1793 - Jean Paul Marat, French revolutionary, murdered
1955 - Ruth Ellis, hanged for murder (last woman executed in Britain)
1973 - Lon Chaney Jr., actor (Hawkeye, Pistols 'n' Petticoats)

Reported Missing in Action
1963
Sam, Trinh A., Vietnam Commando; released March, 1983 - alive and well as of 1998
1965
Gallant, Henry J., US Army SF (FL); wounded/cut off from ARVN unit during ground combat, presumed dead as of 1973
Taylor, Fred, US Army SF (VA); cut off from ARVN unit during ground combat, presumed dead as of 1973
1968
Hurst, John Clark, USMC (TX); F4B shot down, KIA, body not recovered