1765 – Eli Whitney, inventor of the cotton gin was born in Westborough, MA in what was then British America.  He died in 1825.
    1776 - George Washington's retreating army crossed the Delaware River from New Jersey to Pennsylvania.
    1792 – The first person to be cremated in the US was Henry Laurens.
    1813 - Beethoven's "Opus 92: Symphony No. 7 in A major" was performed for the first time.
    1850 - The first female African-American college graduate was Lucy Ann Stanton of Cleveland, OH, who graduated this day from Oberlin College, Oberlin OH, receiving the Bachelor of Literature degree.
http://www.oberlin.edu/archive/holdings/finding/RG5/SG4/S3/
graduates.html
    1861 - William “Billy” Durant’s birthday in Boston. Almost forgotten by US history, he was a leading producer of carriages at Flint, Michigan, promoter of the Buick car, co-founder of Chevrolet and founder, in 1908, of General Motors.  He lost, regained, and again lost control of GM, after which he founded Durant Motors, went bankrupt in the Great Depression, and operated a Flint bowling alley in his last working years. He died in New York, New York, 1947, basically a penniless man.
http://www.classiccar.com/articles/william_durant.asp
    1863 - President Abraham Lincoln issued a" proclamation of amnesty and reconstruction," offering full pardon to all southerners who voluntarily took a "prescribed oath." When the Civil War was over, there was great political strife toward forgiving the South and various plans that Abraham Lincoln had in place were ignored, except for this proclamation, which also halted the hanging of Jefferson Davis as hatred was more popular at the time than coming together as one nation. Historians believe that if Abraham Lincoln were not assassinated, he would have changed the history of Southern reconstruction and would have united the nation with this action. President Lincoln issued another proclamation on March 26, 1864. President Andrew Johnson issued supplemental proclamations on May 29, 1865, September 7, 1867, July 4, 1868, and December 25, 1868.
    1863 - Tom King of England defeated American John Heenan and became the first world heavyweight champion.
    1874 – The James Gang robbed a train at Muncie, Kansas.
    1879 - Louisiana ratifies a new state constitution, also moving the state capital from New Orleans to Baton Rouge
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/dec08.html
    1886 - Birthday of Diego Rivera, Mexican painter whose murals became center of political controversy, at Guanajuato, Mexico.  Died in his studio at San Angel, near Mexico City, Nov 25, 1957.
http://www.diegorivera.com/
http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/rivera_diego.html
    1886 – The American federation of Labor, the AF of L, was established in Columbus, OH from 26 craft unions.  Samuel L. Gompers is elected the first president.
    1894 - James Grover Thurber, American humorist and artist, long-time contributor to the New Yorker, was born at Columbus, OH. Died at New York, NY, Nov 2, 1961.
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/thurber.htm
http://home.earthlink.net/~ritter/thurber/index.html
    1894 - Popeye creator Elzie Crisler Segar was born at Chester, IL. Originally called Thimble Theater, the comic strip that came to be known as Popeye had the unusual format of a one-act play in cartoon form. Centered on the Oyl family, especially daughter Olive, the strip introduced a new central character in 1929. A one-eyed sailor with bulging muscles, Popeye became the strip's star attraction almost immediately. Popeye made it to the silver screen in animated form and in 1980 became a movie with Robin Williams playing the lead. Segar died Oct 13, 1938, at Santa Monica, CA.
http://home.earthlink.net/~thimbletheatre/ecsegar.html
    1912 - Clarinetist Irving Fazola (Irving H. Prestopnik) born, New Orleans, La.  Died 29 March 1949.
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/fazola_irving/bio.jhtml
http://www.centrohd.com/biogra/f2/irving_fazola_b.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/artist/glance/-/
195844/104-3191958-8595946
    1913 - Trumpeter-violinist Ray Nance born Chicago, Ill (with Duke Ellington from 1940 to 1963).
http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,472065,00.html?
artist=Ray+Nance
http://trumpetjazz.netfirms.com/Artists/Ray_Nance.html
http://www.theiceberg.com/artist/24957/ray_nance.html
    1913 – Construction began on the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.
    1914 - "Watch Your Step" opened in New York. It was the first musical revue to feature a score completely by Irving Berlin.
    1917 - A severe winter storm struck the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes. Buffalo, NY was buried under 25 inches of snow with wind gusts to 78 mph. 26 inches fell at Vevay, IN with drifts to 14 feet
    1923 - Norman Rockwell’s “Christmas,” one of his earliest covers for The Saturday Evening Post when they were still in black and red, depicted a trio performing Christmas carols. In Rockwell's biography he reveals that not one of his three models had an iota of musical talent.
http://posters.barnesandnoble.com/search/Product.asp?userid=
4Z1KKRMDX1&WRK=3346590
http://www.satevepost.org/
http://www.nrm.org/norman/
    1925 - Birthday of Sammy Davis, Jr., at New York, NY.  Davis was the son of vaudevillians and first appeared on the stage at the age of four. He made his first film appearance in “Rufus Jones for President” in 1931. He then joined the Will Mastin Trio. The popular song-and-dance team was popular on the night club circuit.  As Davis matured, his singing, dancing and impersonations became the center of the act. Davis began performing on his own in the 1950s, headlining club engagements, appearing on television variety shows and making numerous records. His Broadway debut came in 1956 in the hit musical “Mr. Wonderful”, and in the late '50s and early '60s he starred in a number of films, including a series with Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. Davis died at Los Angeles, CA, May 16, 1990. http://www.sammydavisjunior.com/ http://www.celebritystorm.com/bluesandjazzandfolk/pics/SammyDavisJr/
    1926 - Guitarist Slim (Eddie Lee Jones) born Greenwood, MS
    1927 - The Brookings Institution, one of the United States' oldest think tanks, was founded through the merger of three organizations that had been created by philanthropist Robert S. Brookings.
    1927 - Bassist George Tucker born Palatka ,FL
http://www.mosaicrecords.com/DisplaySelectionDetail.asp?SelectionID=1002
http://www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/music/00/09/14/horace_parlan.html
http://www.fantasyjazz.com/catalog/woods_j_cat.html
    1932 - Bassist Bob Cranshaw born Evanston IL
http://www.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,418363,00.html?
artist=Bob+Cranshaw
http://www.centrohd.com/biogra/c1/bob_cranshaw_b.htm
    1933 – Comedian Flip Wilson was born Clerow Wilson in Jersey City, NJ.  His hit show “The Flip Wilson Show” was a long-running hit on NBC and paved the way for black entertainers to follow.  He died in Malibu in 1998.
    1936 – The NAACP filed suit to equalize salaries among black and white teachers.
1937 - Composer Don Sebesky was born in Perth Amboy, NJ
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/sebesky_don/bio.jhtml
    1937 - Birthday of James MacArthur (“Book ‘em Danno.”) in Los Angeles.  He was adopted by actress Helen Hayes who was married to his father.  He bounced around small theater and bit parts in films through most of his early years in entertainment.  In 1967, Leonard Freeman made the pilot for a new television cop show, “Hawaii Five-0”.  Freeman remembered MacArthur's portrayal of the traveling preacher in “Hang ‘Em High” and he called MacArthur and offered him the role of Dan Williams.  Many episodes would end with Hawaii Five-0 chief Steve McGarrett played by Jack Lord,  instructing Williams (MacArthur) to "Book 'em, Danno!", sometimes followed by "murder one", which became a well-known catch phrase in popular culture. “Hawaii Five-0” was the longest-running TV crime drama until it was finally surpassed by ”Law & Order” in 2003.  It was revived in 2010 and remains a hit show.  McArthur died in 2010.
http://www.jamesmacarthurfanclub.com/biography.shtml
http://www.jmdigitalscrapbook.com/javaindex.html
    1938 - The temperature at La Mesa, CA, soared to 108 degrees to set a U.S. record for the month of December.
    1939 – “The Iceman’, singer/composer Jerry Butler, was born in Sunflower, MS.  After his family moved to Chicago, where he was raised at Cabrini Green, he began singing in the church choir that included Curtis Mayfield, and he followed Mayfield into early soul and rock ‘n’ roll.  Butler wrote "For Your Precious Love” which is ranked No. 327 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.  He co-wrote, with Otis Redding, "I’ve Been Loving You Too Long”, and recorded solo hits "He Will Break Your Heart”, "Only the Strong Survive", "Moon River", and "Let It Be Me" (with Betty Everett).  He has co-hosted the PBS Series “Rock ‘n’ Doo Wop” and “My Music” as well.
1940 - Birthday of David Carradine, “grasshopper,” at Hollywood, California.
http://www.ieway.com/~ckbales/david.html
http://www.davidcarradine.org/
    1940 - The most lopsided victory: The Chicago Bears won the NFL championship by defeating the Washington Redskins, 73-0, the most one-sided victory in the league’s title game. Played at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC, the Bears won the Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy. This game was also the first professional football championship game broadcast on radio. The Mutual Broadcasting System paid $25,000 for the rights to the game, which was broadcast by Walter Lanier “Red” Barber.
    1941 - Jimmy Dorsey band records, “Tangerine,” Decca 4123
    1941 - Trumpet/flugelhorn player Franco Ambrosetti born Lugano Switzerland
http://www.weinmanntours.ch/current/artists/franco_ambrosetti
/franco_ambrosetti.html
http://www.enjarecords.com/FRANCO_AMBROSETTI.htm
http://www.inderbinen.com/franco.htm
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/ambrosetti_franco/bio.jhtml
    1941 - America's Pacific fleet lay in ruins at Pearl
Harbor, after the sneak attack by Japan the day before.  President Franklin Roosevelt requests, and receives, a declaration of war against Japan. Leaning heavily on the arm of his son James, a Marine captain, FDR walked haltingly into the House of Representatives at noon to request a declaration of war from the House and address the nation via radio. "Yesterday," the president proclaimed, "December 7, 1941-a date which will live in infamy-the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory." Roosevelt's 10-minute speech, ending with an oath-"So help us God"-was greeted in the House by thunderous applause and stamping of feet. Within one hour, the president had his declaration of war, with only one dissenting vote, from a pacifist in the House. FDR signed the declaration at 4:10 p.m., wearing a black armband to symbolize mourning for those lost at Pearl Harbor. On both coasts, civilian defense groups were mobilized. In New York, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia ordered the rounding up of Japanese nationals, who were transported to Ellis Island and held in custody indefinitely. In California, anti-aircraft batteries were set up on Long Beach and the Hollywood Hills. Reports on supposed spy activity on the part of Japanese-Americans began pouring into Washington, even as Japanese-Americans paid for space in newspapers to declare unreservedly their loyalty to the United States. War is also declared upon Japan by Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, the Free French, several South American countries. China declares war upon Germany, Italy and Japan. The latter is a formal declaration only as a de facto state of war has existed between China and Japan for 7 years. Montanan Jeanette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress and a dedicated lifelong pacifist, casts the sole Congressional vote against the U.S. declaration of war on Japan.
    1941 - Japanese troops occupy the city of Shanghai and capture a small US garrison in the foreign section.
    1941 - A US tanker was shelled by a Japanese submarine off Cape Mendocino. During this time period, oil fields were fired upon, small submarines landed, balloon bombs in Oregon, more likely more a "fear" tactic, but it worked, resulting in many defense projects for landings by Japanese.  The internment of American citizens of Japanese descent was also begun.
    1941 - USS Wake (PR-3), a river gunboat moored at Shanghai, is only U.S. vessel to surrender during World War II.
    1941 - The Japanese attack begins with the capture of Bataan Island and the creation of an airstrip for plane refueling. Japanese invasion troops leave Paulau for the Philippines. The main attack begins with massive air bombardment which reduces the American defenses to 17 B-17's and less than 40 fighters. Most of the planes are destroyed on the ground. American General Douglas MacArthur has under his command 130,000 troops (20,000 Americans). His plan to defend the island becomes nonviable after the destruction of the main portion of his air force and the losses at Pearl Harbor.
    1941- Fears of offending American public opinion by violating Thailand's neutrality have prevented the British from preparing defenses in Thailand and difficulties with Thai border guards prevent a quick response to the Japanese landings further north.
    1941 - Japanese aircraft attacked Wake Island within hours of the fateful attack on Pearl Harbor. Marines of the 1st Defense Battalion and Marine Fighting Squadron 211 resisted Japanese invasion attempts for over two weeks before finally succumbing to an overwhelming force. A small Japanese landing force leaves Kwajalein escorted by a cruiser and two destroyers.
    1941 - Japanese General Yamashita began his attack against the British army at Singapore. General Tomoyuki Yamashita earned the name “Tiger of Malaya” for his masterful capture of Singapore and the whole Malay Peninsula from the British, who had a superior number of troops. Yamashita’s forces landed on the northern Malay Peninsula and southern Thailand on December 8, 1941, and moved rapidly southward toward Singapore, which surrendered on February 15, 1942. The peninsula and Singapore remained under Japanese control throughout the war. Later in the war, while defending the Philippines from Gen. MacArthur‘s return, Yamashita's troops wantonly slaughtered more than 100,000 Filipinos in Manila. He was later tried and executed for war crimes.
    1942 - Eight PT boats (PT 36, PT 37, PT 40, PT 43, PT 44, PT 48, PT 59, and PT 109) turn back 8 Japanese destroyers attempting to reinforce Japanese forces on Guadalcanal.
    1943 - U.S. carriers sank two cruisers and down 72 planes in the Marshall Islands.
    1943 - Birthday of James Morrison at Melbourne, FL.  Singer, songwriter, known as "The Lizard King," lead singer of The Doors, Jim Morrison is considered to be one of the fathers of contemporary rock. He died at Paris, France, July 3, 1971.
http://www.americanlegends.com/morrison/
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/morrison.htm
http://www.thedoors.com/band/jim/?fa=home
    1944 - An American naval force, commanded by Admiral Smith and consisting of 3 heavy cruisers and a destroyer escort, bombarded Iwo Jima.
    1944 - On Leyte, Philippines, the US 77th Division advances from its beachhead to within 1 mile of Ormoc. Attacks by the Japanese 26th Division, near Buri, are repulsed by other US forces.
    1944 - FRYAR, ELMER E., Medal of Honor.
Rank and organization: Private, U .S. Army, Company E, 511th Parachute Infantry, 11th Airborne Division. Place and date: Leyte, Philippine Islands, 8 December 1944. Entered service at: Denver, Colo. Birth: Denver, Colo. G.O. No.: 35, 9 May 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Pvt. Fryar's battalion encountered the enemy strongly entrenched in a position supported by mortars and automatic weapons. The battalion attacked, but in spite of repeated efforts was unable to take the position. Pvt. Fryar's company was ordered to cover the battalion's withdrawal to a more suitable point from which to attack, but the enemy launched a strong counterattack which threatened to cut off the company. Seeing an enemy platoon moving to outflank his company, he moved to higher ground and opened heavy and accurate fire. He was hit, and wounded, but continuing his attack he drove the enemy back with a loss of 27 killed. While withdrawing to overtake his squad, he found a seriously wounded comrade, helped him to the rear, and soon overtook his platoon leader, who was assisting another wounded. While these 4 were moving to rejoin their platoon, an enemy sniper appeared and aimed his weapon at the platoon leader. Pvt. Fryar instantly sprang forward, received the full burst of automatic fire in his own body and fell mortally wounded. With his remaining strength he threw a hand grenade and killed the sniper. Pvt. Fryar's indomitable fighting spirit and extraordinary gallantry above and beyond the call of duty contributed outstandingly to the success of the battalion's withdrawal and its subsequent attack and defeat of the enemy. His heroic action in unhesitatingly giving his own life for his comrade in arms exemplifies the highest tradition of the U.S. Armed Forces.
    1945 - The Toyota Motor Company received permission from the occupation government to start production of buses and trucks--vehicles necessary to keep Japan running. After World War II ended with Japan's surrender on September 3, 1945, Japan remained under Allied occupation ruled by an occupation government. Its war industries were shut down completely. This was the first rumble of the postwar auto industry in Japan.
    1945 - Top Hits
“It’s Been a Long, Long Time” - The Harry James Orchestra
   (Vocal: Kitty Kallen)
“That’s for Me” - Dick Haymes
“It Might as Well Be Spring” - The Sammy Kaye Orchestra
    (vocal: Billy Williams)
“It’s Been So Long, Darling” - Ernest Tubb
    1946 - The first snow-melting apparatus using pipes embedded in the sidewalk was tested by Best and Company, a department store in New York City, which installed a system of 15 coils comprising 4,530 feet of pipe. A solution of about 67 percent water and 33 percent antifreeze by volume was circulated as protection against freezing temperatures as low as five degrees below zero. The system was put into full operation during a blizzard on December 26.
    1947 – Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers was born in Nashville.
    1949 - "On the Town", the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, starring Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Ann Miller and Vera-Ellen, is released
    1949 - As they steadily lose ground to the communist forces of Mao Zedong, Chinese Nationalist leaders depart for the island of Taiwan, where they establish their new capital. Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek left for the island the following day. This action marked the beginning of the "two Chinas" scenario that left mainland China under communist control and vexed U.S. diplomacy for the next 30 years.
    1949 – The UN established an agency to provide aid to Palestinian refugees who left their homes during the 1948 exodus.
    1950 - Ralph J Bunche becomes the first Black person awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.
http://www.michmarkers.com/startup.asp?startpage=S0363.htm
http://www.nobelprizes.com/nobel/peace/1950a.html
http://www.ralphbunche.com/
http://www.pbs.org/ralphbunche/
    1951 - "Tree Grows in Brooklyn" closes at the Alvin Theater, NYC after 267 performances
    1951 – The American League altered its restrictions on night games, adopted the National League’s suspended game rule, and lifted its ban on lights for Sunday games
    1952 – Television’s first acknowledged pregnancy was shown with Lucille Ball on “I Love Lucy”.
    1953 – President Dwight Eisenhower delivered his “Atoms for Peace” speech, which leads to an American program to supply equipment and information on nuclear power to schools, hospitals, and research institutions around the world.
    1953 - Top Hits
“Rags to Riches” - Tony Bennett
“Many Times” - Eddie Fisher
“Vaya Con Dios” - Les Paul & Mary Ford
“There Stands the Glass” - Webb Pierce
    1953 - Los Angeles became the third largest city in the United States, edging out Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the distinction in a special census. Today, Los Angeles is the second largest United States city, and the 16th most populated city in the world.
    1953 - Singer Diane Schuur born Seattle, WA http://www.arizonamusicscene.com/bios/bio_dianeschuur.htm
http://www.dianeschuurfanclub.com/bio.html
http://www.delafont.com/music_acts/Diane-Schuur.htm
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=
831749&sourceid=1500000000000000294900
    1953 – Actress Kim Basinger was born Kimila Ann Basinger in Athens, GA.  Basinger's breakout role was as Domino Petachi in “Never Say Never Again” (1983). To promote her role in the Bond film, she posed nude pictorial for Playboy.  Basinger said the Playboy appearance led to good opportunities, such as “The Natural” (1984), for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination as Best Supporting Actress. After “9 ½ Weeks” (1986), “Nadine” (1987), and several others flops, the highest-grossing film of her career thus far was the 1989 blockbuster “Batman” where she played the role of photojournalist Vicki Vale opposite Jack Nicholson.  In 1997, after a three-year hiatus from acting, Basinger made a comeback in “L.A. Confidential”.  The role earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, the Golden Globe, and the Screen Actor’s Guild Awards.  She is also the only actress who has both posed nude in Playboy and won an Academy Award.
    1955 – Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella won his third MVP in five years.
    1956 - "Singing The Blues" by Guy Mitchell tops the Billboard chart for the first of an eleven week stay. Marty Robbins' version of the same song was released simultaneously and peaked at number 17.
    1958 - "The Chipmunk Song" by David Seville and the Chipmunks entered the Billboard Top 40 chart on its way to a four week stint at #1.
    1959 - The first movie with scent was “Behind the Great Wall”, a travelogue of modern China, presented at the De Mille Theatre, New York City. The film depicted a tiger hunt, fishing with cormorants, a May Day parade in Beijing and other scenes. The scent was forced through ceiling vents by the Aromarama process.
http://www.tvguide.com/movies/database/showmovie.asp?MI=19386
    1959 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: "Heartaches by the Number," Guy Mitchell.
    1960 – The newly-formed Los Angeles Angels, owned by Gene Autry, signed a four-year lease to play their games at Dodger Stadium.
    1960 - Fabian visited Elvis Presley at Graceland and lent him his pants when Elvis ripped his demonstrating karate.
    1961 - The Supremes begin recording their third single, the Smokey Robinson penned "Your Heart Belongs To Me", which will become the group's first Billboard charting record, peaking at #95.
    1961 - The Beach Boys first recording, "Surfin'", is released on Candis Records, a small LA-based company. The song was written by Brian Wilson and his cousin Mike Love and recorded with Brian's brothers, Carl and Dennis and their friend Alan Jardine. Carl played acoustic guitar, Al played double bass and Brian kept time on a garbage can.  "Surfin” became a local hit in Los Angeles, but only made it to #75 nationally. The surfing music craze wouldn't sweep across America for another year. By the time "Surfin’ Safari" hit Top 40, in September 1962, the Beach Boys were riding a wave of popularity.
    1961 - Top Hits
“Please, Mr. Postman” - The Marvelettes
“Goodbye Cruel World” - James Darren
“The Twist” - Chubby Checker
“Big Bad John” - Jimmy Dean.
    1962 - International Typographical Union's striking workers closed nine New York City newspapers. The strike lasted 114 days, before it ended on April 1, 1963, affecting a total of 5,700,000 readers. The loss of coverage made people turn on radio and television. Hot lead typesetting, linotype, went out in the early 1960’s.
    1963 - 19 year old Frank Sinatra Jr. was abducted at gunpoint from his hotel room at Harrah's Casino in Lake Tahoe, California. Two days later, he was released unharmed after his father paid the kidnappers' $240,000 ransom demand. Three amateur criminals were rounded up within a week and later tried, convicted and sent to prison. Today he sings his father's songs at charity and other private events.
    1963 - Lightning caused the crash of Pan Am Flight 214, killing 81 persons at Elkton, MD
    1964 - Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr,
http://www.almaz.com/nobel/peace/MLK-nobel.html
    1965 - On Broadway, Humphrey Bogart’s wife, Lauren Bacall, opened in "Cactus Flower", also starring Barry Nelson. The production ran for 1,234 performances, and was awarded Best Play honors.
    1966 – Stunningly, the New York Yankees traded single season HR record holder Roger Maris to the St. Louis Cardinals for 3B Charley Smith…really.  Since he broke Babe Ruth’s record of 60 HRs in 1961, Maris had suffered a series of debilitating injuries that not only limited his time on the field but his performance as well.  Maris was one of the reasons the Cardinals won the 1967 World Series against the Red Sox and returned there against the Tigers in 1968.
    1967 - Traffic's "Mr. Fantasy" LP is released.
    1967 – The Beatles’ “Magical Mystery Tour” album was released in the UK.
    1968 - TAYLOR, KARL G., SR., Medal of Honor.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company 1, 3d Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 8 December 1968. Entered service at: Baltimore, Md. Born: 14 July 1939, Laurel, Md. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving at night as a company gunnery sergeant during Operation MEADE RIVER. Informed that the commander of the lead platoon had been mortally wounded when his unit was pinned down by a heavy volume of enemy fire, S/Sgt. Taylor along with another marine, crawled forward to the beleaguered unit through a hail of hostile fire, shouted encouragement and instructions to the men, and deployed them to covered positions. With his companion, he then repeatedly maneuvered across an open area to rescue those marines who were too seriously wounded to move by themselves. Upon learning that there were still other seriously wounded men Lying in another open area, in proximity to an enemy machinegun position, S/Sgt. Taylor, accompanied by 4 comrades, led his men forward across the fire-swept terrain in an attempt to rescue the marines. When his group was halted by devastating fire, he directed his companions to return to the company command post; whereupon he took his grenade launcher and in full view of the enemy, charged across the open rice paddy toward the machinegun position, firing his weapon as he ran. Although wounded several times, he succeeded in reaching the machinegun bunker and silencing the fire from that sector, moments before he was mortally wounded. Directly instrumental in saving the lives of several of his fellow marines, S/Sgt. Taylor, by his indomitable courage, inspiring leadership, and selfless dedication, upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Service.
    1968 – Former Major League pitcher Mike Mussina, (Orioles and Yankees) was born in Williamsport, PA
    1968 - Graham Nash announced the formation of Crosby, Stills and Nash three days after he quit the Hollies.
    1969 - Top Hits
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye - Steam
Leaving on a Jet Plane - Peter, Paul & Mary
Down on the Corner/Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Okie from Muskogee - Merle Haggard
    1972 – The first crash of a 737, at Chicago’s Midway Airport, killing 45.
    1977 - Top Hits
“You Light Up My Life” - Debby Boone
“Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” - Crystal Gayle
“How Deep is Your Love” - Bee Gees
“Here You Come Again” - Dolly Parton
    1979 – Styx’s “Babe” hits #1.
    1980 - Former Beatle John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, arrived at New York's Dakota, the apartment house in which they lived, after an early-evening recording session. As they walked through the apartment gates, a lone gunman stopped and fired five bullets into Lennon, killing him almost instantly. The gunman, a crazed fan named Mark David Chapman, did not attempt to escape and was immediately apprehended. Lennon's untimely death set off a week of worldwide mourning, and the murder was considered to be the most shocking in the history of rock music.
    1980 - Pat Benatar receives a platinum record for her debut album, "In the Heat of the Night." The former waitress and bank teller was discovered late one night at the Catch a Rising Star club in New York. Her album made it to the Top Ten and the follow up, "Crimes of Passion," will go to #2.
    1980 – Bravo first appeared on cable TV.
    1982 – Protesting nuclear weapons, Norman Mayer holds Washington Monument hostage. He is killed by police after 10 hours, although it was later revealed that he had no explosives.
    1982 – Rapper Nicki Minaj was born in Trinidad.
    1984 - "Out Of Touch" becomes Hall and Oates' sixth US number one single, confirming their status as the most successful duo in Rock history
    1985 - Top Hits
“Broken Wings” - Mr. Mister
“Never” - Heart
“Say You, Say Me” - Lionel Richie
“I Don’t Mind the Thorns (If You’re the Rose)” - Lee Greenwood
    1985 – New York Jets QB Ken O’Brien hit Wesley Walker with a 96 yard TD pass, still the Jets record.
    1987 - Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers became the first goalie in NHL history to shoot the puck into the opposing team’s net in a 5-2 victory over the Boston Bruins.
    1987 - A cold front crossing the northwestern U.S. continued to produce high winds along the coast, and heavy snow blanketed parts of the western U.S. Snowfall totals in the mountains of western Nevada ranged up to 18 inches at Heavenly Valley, and near the Boreal Ski Resort, and winds at Reno, NV gusted to 56 mph. Thunderstorms over southern Florida deluged the Florida Keys with up to five inches of rain. Strong winds, gusting to 48 mph at Gage, OK, ushered wintry weather into the Central High Plains. Goodland, KS, which one day earlier was 63 degrees, was blanketed with two inches of snow.
    1988 - Santa Ana winds buffeted southern California, with gusts to 92 mph reported at Laguna Peak. The high winds unroofed buildings, and downed trees and power lines, igniting five major fires, and numerous smaller ones. Damage was estimated at 15 to 20 million dollars
    1990 - Stevie B's "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)" reaches No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100, a position it holds for four weeks. Billboard ranks it the top song of 1990.
    1991 - The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ceased to exist, as the republics of Russia, Belorussia and Ukraine signed an agreement at Minsk, Belorussia, creating the Commonwealth of Independent States. The remaining republics, with the exception of Georgia, joined in the new Commonwealth as it began the slow and arduous process of removing the yoke of Communism and dealing with strong separatist and nationalistic movements within the various republics. Khrushchev was long buried as were many communist leaders who had threatened to “bury the U.S.”
    1991 - Kimberly Bergalis, the first patient believed to have contracted the AIDS virus from a health care professional, died at Fort Pierce, FL. It is theorized she was infected from her dentist while receiving dental care.  Her case sparked controversy over how the disease is transmitted and incited calls to ban infected health care professionals from the workplace.
http://www.aegis.com/news/mh/1991/MH911212.html
    1992 - Barry Bonds signs the richest contract in major league history. Bobby's son will make $43-million over the next six years with the Giants.  He was now able to afford all the clear and cream he needed!!
    1993 - President Clinton signed the North American Free Trade Agreement which cut tariffs and eliminated other trade barriers between the US, Canada and Mexico. The Agreement went into effect Jan 1, 1994.
    1993 - Dow-Jones hits record 3734.53
    1994 - Top Hits
“On Bended Knee” - Boyz II Men
“Here Comes The Hotstepper” (From "Ready To Wear") - Ini Kamoze
“Another Night” - Real McCoy
“Always” - Bon Jovi
    1995 - The Grateful Dead announced they were breaking up, four months after the death of lead guitarist Jerry Garcia.
    1998 - The Supreme Court ruled that police could not search a person or their cars after ticketing for a routine traffic violation.
    1998 - The FBI opened its files on Frank Sinatra to the public. The file contained over 1,300 pages.
    1998 - AT&T Corp. announced that it was buying IBM's data networking business for $5 billion cash.
    1999 - Top Hits
Smooth - Santana Featuring Rob Thomas
Back at One - Brian McKnight
I Wanna Love You Forever - Jessica Simpson
My Love Is Your Love - Whitney Houston
    2000 - Mario Lemieux announced to the Pittsburgh Penguins that he planned to return to the NHL as a player at age 35. He would be the first modern owner-player in US pro sports.  
    2008 - Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told the Guantanamo war crimes tribunal he would confess to masterminding the Sept. 11 attacks; four other men also abandoned their defenses.
    2012 - UN climate conference agrees to extend the Kyoto Protocol to 2020.