1586- Birthday of Thomas Hooker, colonial American pastor and an originator of the earliest system of federal government in America.   He was a prominent Puritan colonial leader, who founded the Colony of Connecticut after dissenting with Puritan leaders in Massachusetts. He was known as an outstanding speaker and a leader of universal Christian suffrage.
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h544.html
http://nvnv.essortment.com/thomashooker_rlfj.htm
http://www.famousamericans.net/thomashooker/
http://www.colonialwarsct.org/1636.htm
    1742 - A Spanish force invading Georgia ran headlong into the colony's British defenders. A handful of British and Spanish colonial troops faced each other on a Georgia coastal island and decided the fate of a colony.
    1777 - American troops gave up Fort Ticonderoga, on Lake Champlain, to the British.
    1778 - Allied French fleet under Comte d'Estaing arrives in America.
    1754 - In New York City, Kings College opened. For its first year of operation, the institution admitted eight students and one faculty member, Dr. Samuel Johnson, who would also serve as the school president. In 1784, Kings College was renamed Columbia College, and later would became Columbia University. Many prestigious awards hail from the university today, including the Columbia Award for Journalism and the Pulitzer Prize for Journalism that was named after former Columbia professor, Joseph Pulitzer.
    1802 - Created by Robert Rusticoat in Hudson, New York, the first comic book to ever be published was "The Wasp."
    1807- First account of the Lewis & Clark expedition is published, Pittsburgh, PA.
    1846 - Commander J.D. Sloat of the United State Navy raised the American flag in Monterey, proclaiming United States citizenship for California. Sloat decided to take possession of California because he feared the British might occupy Monterey, and he was concerned about the reported revolution in Sonoma. The Commodore told the people of Monterey that he came to bring greater political freedom and stability, and henceforth California would be a part of the United States. Population the pueblo of Yerba Buena estimated at about 1000 non-natives. There were about 50 buildings in the pueblo.
    1851-San Francisco's population estimated at 30,000; the Gold Rush was on.
    1851 - Birthday of Lillian Jane Martin, founder of Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco, the first mental hygienic clinic for normal pre-school children.  She was also a famed psychologist who started the field of gerontology by opening a clinic for the aged in 1929, when she was 78. She lived to an advanced age, doing such things as traveling through the jungles of South America at 87. In her "before" career, she worked through the ranks at Stanford to become a full professor of psychology in 1911. She was the first woman to head any department there. After mandatory retirement at 65, she got bored and began feeling old so she taught herself to type and then did strenuous exercises to strengthen her body. In 1920 (at 69) she founded Mt. Zion Hospital.
http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/martin.html
    1851- Birthday of Charles A. Tindley, African-American Methodist preacher and songwriter. His most enduring gospel hymns include 'Stand By Me,' 'Nothing Between,' 'Leave It There', and 'By and By.' Died July 26, 1933, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/t/i/tindley_ca.htm
http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/1903/
Charles_A_Tindley_was_a_servant_of_the_Lord
http://www.templeumc.org/archives/Charles_Tindley.html
    1861-Birthday of Dr. Nettie Maria Stevens - U.S. biologist who in 1905 announced that chromosomes X and Y were responsible for the sex of the individual. She was never rightfully given full credit for her discovery.
http://www.dwwood.com/wise/science.html#stevens
    1863-Lt. Colonel Christopher "Kit" Carson ( for whom I was named as my father was writing the radio series in 1942) leaves Santa Fe with his troops, beginning his campaign against the Indians of New Mexico and Arizona. A famed mountain man before the Civil War, Carson was responsible for waging a destructive war against the Navajo that resulted in their removal from the Four Corners area to southeastern New Mexico. Carson was perhaps the most famous trapper and guide in the West. He traveled with the expeditions of John C. Fremont in the 1840s, leading Fremont through the Great Basin. Fremont's flattering portrayal of Carson made the mountain man a hero when the reports were published and widely read in the east. Later, Carson guided Stephen Watts Kearney to New Mexico during the Mexican-American War. In the 1850s, he became the Indian agent in Taos for New Mexico, a position he left in 1861 to accept a commission as lieutenant colonel in the 1st New Mexico Volunteers.
Although Carson's unit saw action in the New Mexico battles of 1862, he was most famous for his campaign against the Indians. Despite his reputation for being sympathetic and accommodating to tribes such as the Mescaleros, Kiowas, and Navajo, under orders of the US Military, Carson waged a brutal campaign against the Navajo in 1863. When bands of Navajo refused to accept confinement on reservations, Carson terrorized the Navajo lands--burning crops, destroying villages, and slaughtering livestock. Carson rounded up some 8,000 Navajo and marched them across New Mexico for imprisonment on the Bosque Redondo, over 300 miles from their homes, where they remained for the duration of the war. [delete-redundant] Kit Carson guided Stephen W. Kearny's party from New Mexico to California during the Mexican War and his bravery saved the company. Kit Carson was appointed in 1853 as Indian agent for Taos, New Mexico. Kit Carson was extremely qualified and helped calm the Apaches on several different occasions that appeared nearly hopeless short the entrance of his masterful skills During the Civil War Kit Carson joined the Union's Army 1st New Mexican Volunteers he was promoted to brigadier general for his outstanding campaign record After the Civil War Kit Carson commanded Fort Garland garrison in Colorado. When he retired, he moved his family back to Taos, New Mexico, where he died May 23, 1868.
http://members.aol.com/RVSNorton/Lincoln5.html
http://www.civilwarphotos.net/files/images/201.jpg
http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/jan/papr/kitcarson.html
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsrandGScid=38154
    1865 - Mary E. Surratt became the first woman to be executed by the US government after being found guilty of conspiring with John Wilkes Booth to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. Her conviction was a subject of controversy as the only crime she appeared to have committed was to own the boarding house where Booth planned Lincoln's assassination. The president and those living in the area condemned her for allowing the plot to be hatched in her house. Whether she was part of the plot or knew of it was never proven. Three others, also convicted in the conspiracy, were hanged along with Mary E. Surratt: Lewis Payne, David E. Harold and George A. Atzerodt. This took place at Buzzard Point, site of the first U.S. Penitentiary. She was the first woman hanged in the United States.
Her son, one of the original conspirators whose plan it was to kidnap Lincoln, broke with Booth at the suggestion of assassination. Mary Surratt and the three men who were actually part of the conspiracy were hung after a trial replete with suppression of evidence, legal errors, etc. According to President Andrew Johnson, she "kept the nest that hatched the egg," and that was enough to kill her by an official act of the United States Army. Her son who had escaped to Canada was later was tried by a civilian court. He went free when the majority of the hung jury voted for his acquittal. The complicity of Mary Surratt in the plot was never completely proven. Sightings of the ghost of Mary Surratt have been made here, at her boarding house on K Street, and at the site of the Old Brick Capitol (now the site of the Supreme Court). The ghost of Anna Surratt, is said to be heard occasionally banging at the White House door to plead for the life of her mother as she did in fact on the eve of the execution.
http://members.aol.com/RVSNorton/Lincoln26.html
http://www.surratt.org/documents/dmarye.html
    1876 - The most notorious train robber of the American West, Jesse James, held up the Missouri-Pacific train and robbed about $15,000. Accompanied by his gang, Jesse James came to typify the hazards of the 19th-century frontier as it has been portrayed in motion-picture Westerns.
    1887- Beatrice Fox Auerbach birthday - Hartford, Connecticut, business executive and philanthropist who established a foundation to train women's groups in the techniques of community organization. She succeeded her father as president of Hartford's G. Fox and Company and developed it into the largest privately- owned retail store in the nation. Died 1968.
http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/biography/fox.html
http://www.cwhf.org/browse/auerbach.htm
    1896-The Presidential campaign was, in many ways, a battle over money. As was expected, the Republican campaign, led by the party's presidential nominee, Ohio governor William McKinley, centered on maintaining the gold standard. On the other side of the fence, the Democrats took a cue from the Populist party and latched on to the free coinage of silver as one of their guiding issues. While the Democrats’ decision to support silver shocked a number of political observers, their nominee for the Oval Office proved to be even more surprising. The Democrats had already settled on their issue, but the summer of 1896 found them without a clear candidate for the Oval Office. That all changed at the party's national convention in Chicago on July 7 when William Jennings Bryan, then just a young scribe from Nebraska, stepped to speak before the Democrats’ 20,000 delegates. An ardent supporter of the silver movement, Bryan seized the reins of the party by railing against the Republicans and their "demand for a gold standard." During his speech, Bryan laid down his now famous vow against gold and the Republicans: "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns, you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold." These indelible words sent the delegates into frenzy and effectively sealed Bryan's unlikely nomination as the Democrats’ candidate for President. Alas, Bryan's fiery oratory proved to be no match for McKinley's fat coffers.  Backed by the money and influence of the nation's business leaders, the Republicans were able to lavish roughly $7 million on their campaign. Bryan, on the other hand, spent a scant $300,000 and ultimately lost his bid for the White House. The electoral vote was McKinley, 271; William Jennings Bryan, 176. The popular vote was McKinley 7,103,779, Bryan 5,402,925. The Republicans not only gained the White House but four seats in the Senate to lead 47-34, seven seats going to minor parties. In the House, the Republicans lost 40 seats but still held a 204-113 majority, 40 seats going to minor parties. The Republican Party was free to have its way and on January 12, the new National Monetary Conference met at Indianapolis, Ind, and endorsed the existing gold standard.
    1898-Hawaii was annexed by the US. President William McKinley, who signed a resolution.  No change in government took place until 1900, when Congress passed an act making Hawaii an “incorporated” territory of the US. This act remained in effect until Hawaii became a state in 1959.                   1899 – Birthday of motion picture director George Cukor in lower Manhattan.  He was replaced as the director of “Gone with the Wind”, but he went on to direct “The Philadelphia Story” (1940), “Gaslight” (1944), “Adam’s Rib” (1949), Born Yesterday” (1950), “A Star is Born” (1954) and “My Fair Lady (1964). He continued to work into the 1980s.  Cukor died on January 24, 1983
    1905 - Temperatures reached 127ø F (53ø C), Parker Arizona (state record)
    1906 – (Believed to be) Birthday of legendary pitcher Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige.  Paige is one of the folk heroes, perhaps the most celebrated, of baseball's Negro leagues who became a rookie pitcher in the major leagues at the age of 42.  His exact age was one of the mysteries in the legend that accompanied him into the big leagues in 1948 with the Cleveland Indians, and it was still a mystery when he pitched his final three innings for the Kansas City A's in 1965 when he was admitting to 59.  He was celebrated for his homespun wit as well as for his fastball and stamina, and most especially for his admonition: ''Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you.''  He struck out Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby five times in one exhibition game and Joe DiMaggio called him ''the best I've ever faced, and the fastest.''
“Sometimes I feel like I will never stop
Just go forever
Till one fine morning
I'll reach up and grab me a handful of stars
and swing out my long lean leg
and whip three hot strikes burning down the heavens
and look over at God and say
How about that!”
— Samuel Allen, "To Satch" http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul07.html
    1907 -- Robert A. Heinlein birthday (1907-1988). Prolific American writer, grand master of science fiction. His first stories appeared in action-adventure pulp magazine "Astounding Science Fiction" in 1939. His first novel, “Rocket Ship Galileo”, appeared in 1947 and paved way to children's science fiction. Wrote “The Green Hills of Earth”, the militarist “Starship Troopers”, and the 60s hippie-oriented “Stranger in a Strange Land” (a favorite of mass murderer Charles Manson).
In 1975 Heinlein was awarded the first Grand Master Nebula.
http://www.nitrosyncretic.com/rah/
http://www.wegrokit.com/
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0451912535/inktomi-bkasin-20/
002-2909458-5798421
    1908- Harriette Louisa Simpson Arnow birthday - U.S. author who described the Southern Appalachian life and people with honesty and authenticity. She earned a college degree, which shocked her family who were descendants of original Kentucky settlers that didn't believe in women's education. She had to move to Cincinnati to live. Her most critically acclaimed best seller was “Hunter's Horn” (1949)
http://athena.english.vt.edu/~appalach/writersA/arnow.html
http://www.oriscus.com/kywriters/arnow.htm
http://webpages.marshall.edu/~broyles2/overv1.html
    1913-Birthday of sax player Hank Mobley, Eastman, GA.  Died May 30, 1986
http://members.tripod.com/~hardbop/mobley.html
http://www.wright.edu/~martin.maner/mobley.htm
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/11.20.97/jazz-9747.html
    1915 - Birthday of black author Margaret Walker, writer, at Birmingham, Alabama.  Died November 30, 1998
http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/english/ms-writers/dir/alexander_margaret_walker/
http://www.ibiblio.org/ipa/walker/
http://dept.english.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/walker-margaret.html
    1917-Birthday of jazz guitarist Lloyd "Tiny" Grimes guitar Newport News VA. Played with Charlie Parker and later became a rock 'n' roll guitarist.
http://www.geocities.com/bighollowtwang/TinyGrimes.html
http://www.geocities.com/bighollowtwang/TinyGrimes.html
http://www.centrohd.com/biogra/g2/tiny_grimes_b.htm
http://www.geocities.com/doo_wop_gino/cats.htm
    1917- John (Lonzo) Sullivan of the country comedy duo of Lonzo and Oscar was born in Edmonton, Kentucky. John's Brother, Rollin, was Oscar. The brothers' original songs included such ditties as "I'm My Own Grandpa" - a hit before the Second World War - "You Blacked My Blue Eyes Too Often" and "Take Them Cold Feet Out of My Back." In 1947, Lonzo and Oscar began a 20 year association with the Grand Ole Opry which ended in June 1967 with John Sullivan's death. Died June 5, 1967.
   1917 – Birthday of former Postmaster General (Johnson Administration) and NBA Commissioner Larry O’Brien, at Springfield, MA, coincidentally the birthplace of basketball.  O’Brien led John F. Kennedy’s successful Senate campaign, and repeated it in the 1960 Presidential campaign.  The NBA Championship trophy is named for him.
    1923-Famed San Franciscan Lefty O'Doul, who will become an outstanding major league hitter later in his career, gives up 13 runs in the sixth inning as the Indians rout the Red Sox, 27-3. He will finish his 11-year stint in the majors with a lifetime batting average of .349.
    1927- Trumpeter and conductor Doc Severinsen was born at Arlington, Oregon, perhaps best known as the band leader for “The Tonight Show, Starring Johnny Carson.”
http://www.delafont.com/music_acts/Doc-Severinsen.htm
http://www.pianodesk.com/oldpage/doc.htm
http://www.dwerden.com/doc/
    1928- Singer Mary Ford, who had a series of pop hits with her husband, guitarist Les Paul, in the 1950's, was born in Pasadena, California. Their successes included "Mockin' Bird Hill," "How High the Moon" and "Waiting For the Sunrise." Their recordings were among the earliest to use the technique of multitracking, and featured Ford's voice answering Paul's talking guitar. The hits stopped in 1961, and Les Paul and Mary Ford were divorced two years later. Ford died on September 30th, 1977.
http://us.imdb.com/Name?Ford,+Mary+(I )
http://www.reevesaudio.com/visitlesandmary.html
http://www.gould68.freeserve.co.uk/Les'n'MaryCol.html
    1930 – Construction began on Boulder Dam, now Hoover Dam, on the Colorado River.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boulder_Dam.                             1934 -- F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Wolfe, & Maxwell Perkins, lunch together. Fitzgerald advises Wolfe, struggling with Perkins over revisions to “Of Time & the River”: "You never cut anything out of a book you regret later."
    1937- With President Franklin D. Roosevelt in attendance at Griffith Stadium in Washington, Yankees' first baseman Lou Gehrig drives in four runs with a home run and a double to lead the AL to an 8-3 victory over the National League in All-Star action.
    1940-Birthday of drummer, singer, musician Ringo Starr (The Beatles) at Liverpool, England as Richard Starkey.   He replaced Pete Best as the Beatles drummer in August, 1962. He had two million-selling No. 1 solo singles: "Photograph" and "You're Sixteen." He married actress Barbara Bach in 1981 and appeared in several films, including "That'll Be the Day," "Cave Man" and Paul McCartney's "Give My Regards to Broad Street."
   1945-BAKER, THOMAS A. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company A, 105th Infantry, 27th Infantry Division. Place and date: Saipan, Mariana Islands, 19 June to 7 July 1944. Entered service at: Troy, N.Y. Birth: Troy, N.Y. 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 at Saipan, Mariana Islands, 19 June to 7 July 1944. When his entire company was held up by fire from automatic weapons and small-arms fire from strongly fortified enemy positions that commanded the view of the company, Sgt. (then Pvt.) Baker voluntarily took a bazooka and dashed alone to within 100 yards of the enemy. Through heavy rifle and machinegun fire that was directed at him by the enemy, he knocked out the strong point, enabling his company to assault the ridge. Some days later while his company advanced across the open field flanked with obstructions and places of concealment for the enemy, Sgt. Baker again voluntarily took up a position in the rear to protect the company against surprise attack and came upon 2 heavily fortified enemy pockets manned by 2 officers and 10 enlisted men which had been bypassed. Without regard for such superior numbers, he unhesitatingly attacked and killed all of them. Five hundred yards farther, he discovered 6 men of the enemy who had concealed themselves behind our lines and destroyed all of them. On 7 July 1944, the perimeter surrounding Sgt. Baker was attacked from 3 sides by from 3,000 to 5,000 Japanese. During the early stages of this attack, Sgt. Baker was seriously wounded but he insisted on remaining in the line and fired at the enemy at ranges sometimes as close as 5 yards until his ammunition ran out. Without ammunition and with his own weapon battered to uselessness from hand-to-hand combat, he was carried about 50 yards to the rear by a comrade, who was then himself wounded. At this point Sgt. Baker refused to be moved any farther stating that he preferred to be left to die rather than risk the lives of any more of his friends. A short time later, at his request, he was placed in a sitting position against a small tree. Another comrade, withdrawing, offered assistance. Sgt. Baker refused, insisting that he be left alone and be given a soldier's pistol with its remaining 8 rounds of ammunition. When last seen alive, Sgt. Baker was propped against a tree, pistol in hand, calmly facing the foe. Later Sgt. Baker's body was found in the same position, gun empty, with 8 Japanese lying dead before him. His deeds were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army
    1944 -  AGERHOLM, HAROLD CHRIST  Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Born: 29 January 1925, Racine, Wis. Accredited to: Wisconsin. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 4th Battalion, 10th Marines, 2d Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Saipan, Marianas Islands, 7 July 1944. When the enemy launched a fierce, determined counterattack against our positions and overran a neighboring artillery battalion, Pfc. Agerholm immediately volunteered to assist in the efforts to check the hostile attack and evacuate our wounded. Locating and appropriating an abandoned ambulance jeep, he repeatedly made extremely perilous trips under heavy rifle and mortar fire and single-handedly loaded and evacuated approximately 45 casualties, working tirelessly and with utter disregard for his own safety during a grueling period of more than 3 hours. Despite intense, persistent enemy fire, he ran out to aid 2 men whom he believed to be wounded marines but was himself mortally wounded by a Japanese sniper while carrying out his hazardous mission. Pfc. Agerholm’s brilliant initiative, great personal valor and self-sacrificing efforts in the face of almost certain death reflect the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
    1944 - MOTO, KAORU  Medal of Honor
Private First Class Kaoru Moto distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 7 July 1944, near Castellina, Italy. While serving as first scout, Private First Class Moto observed a machine gun nest that was hindering his platoon’s progress. On his own initiative, he made his way to a point ten paces from the hostile position, and killed the enemy machine gunner. Immediately, the enemy assistant gunner opened fire in the direction of Private First Class Moto. Crawling to the rear of the position, Private First Class Moto surprised the enemy soldier, who quickly surrendered. Taking his prisoner with him, Private First Class Moto took a position a few yards from a house to prevent the enemy from using the building as an observation post. While guarding the house and his prisoner, he observed an enemy machine gun team moving into position. He engaged them, and with deadly fire forced the enemy to withdraw. An enemy sniper located in another house fired at Private First Class Moto, severely wounding him. Applying first aid to his wound, he changed position to elude the sniper fire and to advance. Finally relieved of his position, he made his way to the rear for treatment. Crossing a road, he spotted an enemy machine gun nest. Opening fire, he wounded two of the three soldiers occupying the position. Not satisfied with this accomplishment, he then crawled forward to a better position and ordered the enemy soldier to surrender. Receiving no answer, Private First Class Moto fired at the position, and the soldiers surrendered. Private First Class Moto’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.
   1944 - O’BRIEN, WILLIAM J.   Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry, 27th Infantry Division. Place and date: At Saipan, Marianas Islands, 20 June through 7 July 1944. Entered service at: Troy, N.Y. Birth: Troy, N.Y. 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 at Saipan, Marianas Islands, from 20 June through 7 July 1944. When assault elements of his platoon were held up by intense enemy fire, Lt. Col. O’Brien ordered 3 tanks to precede the assault companies in an attempt to knock out the strongpoint. Due to direct enemy fire the tanks’ turrets were closed, causing the tanks to lose direction and to fire into our own troops. Lt. Col. O’Brien, with complete disregard for his own safety, dashed into full view of the enemy and ran to the leader’s tank, and pounded on the tank with his pistol butt to attract 2 of the tank’s crew and, mounting the tank fully exposed to enemy fire, Lt. Col. O’Brien personally directed the assault until the enemy strongpoint had been liquidated. On 28 June 1944, while his platoon was attempting to take a bitterly defended high ridge in the vicinity of Donnay, Lt. Col. O’Brien arranged to capture the ridge by a double envelopment movement of 2 large combat battalions. He personally took control of the maneuver. Lt. Col. O’Brien crossed 1,200 yards of sniper-infested underbrush alone to arrive at a point where 1 of his platoons was being held up by the enemy. Leaving some men to contain the enemy he personally led 4 men into a narrow ravine behind, and killed or drove off all the Japanese manning that strongpoint. In this action he captured S machineguns and one 77-mm. fieldpiece. Lt. Col. O’Brien then organized the 2 platoons for night defense and against repeated counterattacks directed them. Meanwhile he managed to hold ground. On 7 July 1944 his battalion and another battalion were attacked by an overwhelming enemy force estimated at between 3,000 and 5,000 Japanese. With bloody hand-to-hand fighting in progress everywhere, their forward positions were finally overrun by the sheer weight of the enemy numbers. With many casualties and ammunition running low, Lt. Col. O’Brien refused to leave the front lines. Striding up and down the lines, he fired at the enemy with a pistol in each hand and his presence there bolstered the spirits of the men, encouraged them in their fight and sustained them in their heroic stand. Even after he was seriously wounded, Lt. Col. O’Brien refused to be evacuated and after his pistol ammunition was exhausted, he manned a .50 caliber machinegun, mounted on a jeep, and continued firing. When last seen alive he was standing upright firing into the Jap hordes that were then enveloping him. Sometime later his body was found surrounded by enemy he had killed His valor was consistent with the highest traditions of the service.
   1944 - TANOUYE, TED T.   Medal of Honor
Technical Sergeant Ted T. Tanouye distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 7 July 1944, near Molino A Ventoabbto, Italy. Technical Sergeant Tanouye led his platoon in an attack to capture the crest of a strategically important hill that afforded little cover. Observing an enemy machine gun crew placing its gun in position to his left front, Technical Sergeant Tanouye crept forward a few yards and opened fire on the position, killing or wounding three and causing two others to disperse. Immediately, an enemy machine pistol opened fire on him. He returned the fire and killed or wounded three more enemy soldiers. While advancing forward, Technical Sergeant Tanouye was subjected to grenade bursts, which severely wounded his left arm. Sighting an enemy-held trench, he raked the position with fire from his submachine gun and wounded several of the enemy. Running out of ammunition, he crawled 20 yards to obtain several clips from a comrade on his left flank. Next, sighting an enemy machine pistol that had pinned down his men, Technical Sergeant Tanouye crawled forward a few yards and threw a hand grenade into the position, silencing the pistol. He then located another enemy machine gun firing down the slope of the hill, opened fire on it, and silenced that position. Drawing fire from a machine pistol nest located above him, he opened fire on it and wounded three of its occupants. Finally taking his objective, Technical Sergeant Tanouye organized a defensive position on the reverse slope of the hill before accepting first aid treatment and evacuation. Technical Sergeant Tanouye’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.
    1946-Pope Pius XII presided over the canonization ceremonies for Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, as she became the first American to be canonized. She was the founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and her principal shrine is at Mother Cabrini High School, New York, NY. Carbrini was born at Sant’ Angelo Lodigiano in Lombard Province of Lodi in what was then part of the Austrian Empire, now Italy, on July 15, 1859 and died at Chicago, IL, December 22,1917. Her feast day is celebrated on December 22
    1948 - Satchel Paige was signed to pitch for the Cleveland Indians on his 42d birthday…we think.  Paige, who became a baseball legend playing in the Negro leagues, put on a major league uniform for the first time in his 23- year career. While he claimed to be 39, many speculated that he was actually in his 50's.  He ended the season with a 6-1 record and was instrumental in helping the Indians to the American League pennant.
    1948---Top Hits
“You Can't Be True, Dear” - The Ken Griffin Orchestra (vocal: Jerry Wayne)
“Nature Boy” - Nat King
“Woody Woodpecker Song” - The Kay Kaiser Orchestra (vocal: Gloria Wood   
   and The Campus Kids)
“Bouquet of Roses” - Eddy Arnold
    1949 - Jack Webb's "Dragnet" makes its radio debut on NBC radio. This was the first program to dramatize actual cases from police files. Each episode, on both radio and television, began with the announcement: "The story you are about to hear [see] is true; the names have been changed to protect the innocent;" and ended with the sentence the criminal was given. After a successful television preview on "Chesterfield Sound-Off Time," "Dragnet" made the permanent leap to television in January 1952. From 1952 to 1956, the show enjoyed simultaneous runs on radio and television, continuing on television until 1959. After a seven year hiatus, the show resurfaced as "Dragnet '67" to distinguish itself from its own reruns. This first real-life police drama series was such a success that it remains in syndication today.
      1950--BAUGH, WILLIAM B.  Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company G, 3d Battalion, 1st Marine, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Along road from Koto-ri to Hagaru-ri, Korea, 29 November 1950. Entered service at: Harrison, Ohio. Born: 7 July 1930, McKinney, Ky. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a member of an antitank assault squad attached to Company G, during a nighttime enemy attack against a motorized column. Acting instantly when a hostile hand grenade landed in his truck as he and his squad prepared to alight and assist in the repulse of an enemy force delivering intense automatic-weapons and grenade fire from deeply entrenched and well-concealed roadside positions, Pfc. Baugh quickly shouted a warning to the other men in the vehicle and, unmindful of his personal safety, hurled himself upon the deadly missile, thereby saving his comrades from serious injury or possible death. Sustaining severe wounds from which he died a short time afterward, Pfc. Baugh, by his superb courage and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice, upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
    1954--Two versions of "Sh-Boom" hit the top-10. The original version by the Chords was at #9 and the cover version by The Crew Cuts was at #5
    1954- Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips became the first DJ to play an Elvis Presley record when he premiered "That's All Right" on his "Red, Hot and Blue" show on station WHBQ. Phillips also interviewed Presley on the program. "That's All Right" and its flip side, an updating of the country tune "Blue Moon of Kentucky," were hits in the Memphis area.
    1956-- The Platters' "My Prayer" is released.
    1956---Top Hits
“The Wayward Wind” - Gogi Grant
“Be-Bop-A-Lula” - Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps
“Born to Be with You” - The Chordettes
“Crazy Arms” - Ray Price  
    1956 - A riot breaks out at a Fats Domino concert in San Jose, CA, with twelve injured.
    1956 - Johnny Cash makes his first appearance on "Grand Ole Opry." He later becomes a regular member of the cast.
    1956-O'BRIEN, WILLIAM J. Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry, 27th Infantry Division. Place and date: At Saipan, Marianas Islands, 20 June through 7 July 1944. Entered service at: Troy, N.Y. Birth: Troy, N.Y. 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 at Saipan, Marianas Islands, from 20 June through 7 July 1944. When assault elements of his platoon were held up by intense enemy fire, Lt. Col. O'Brien ordered 3 tanks to precede the assault companies in an attempt to knock out the strongpoint. Due to direct enemy fire the tanks' turrets were closed, causing the tanks to lose direction and to fire into our own troops. Lt. Col. O'Brien, with complete disregard for his own safety, dashed into full view of the enemy and ran to the leader's tank, and pounded on the tank with his pistol butt to attract 2 of the tank's crew and, mounting the tank fully exposed to enemy fire, Lt. Col. O'Brien personally directed the assault until the enemy strongpoint had been liquidated. On 28 June 1944, while his platoon was attempting to take a bitterly defended high ridge in the vicinity of Donnay, Lt. Col. O'Brien arranged to capture the ridge by a double envelopment movement of 2 large combat battalions. He personally took control of the maneuver. Lt. Col. O'Brien crossed 1,200 yards of sniper-infested underbrush alone to arrive at a point where 1 of his platoons was being held up by the enemy. Leaving some men to contain the enemy he personally led 4 men into a narrow ravine behind, and killed or drove off all the Japanese manning that strongpoint. In this action he captured S machineguns and one 77-mm. fieldpiece. Lt. Col. O'Brien then organized the 2 platoons for night defense and against repeated counterattacks directed them. Meanwhile he managed to hold ground. On 7 July 1944 his battalion and another battalion were attacked by an overwhelming enemy force estimated at between 3,000 and 5,000 Japanese. With bloody hand-to-hand fighting in progress everywhere, their forward positions were finally overrun by the sheer weight of the enemy numbers. With many casualties and ammunition running low, Lt. Col. O'Brien refused to leave the front lines. Striding up and down the lines, he fired at the enemy with a pistol in each hand and his presence there bolstered the spirits of the men, encouraged them in their fight and sustained them in their heroic stand. Even after he was seriously wounded, Lt. Col. O'Brien refused to be evacuated and after his pistol ammunition was exhausted, he manned a .50 caliber machinegun, mounted on a jeep, and continued firing. When last seen alive he was standing upright firing into the Jap hordes that were then enveloping him. Sometime later his body was found surrounded by enemy he had killed His valor was consistent with the highest traditions of the service.
    1958 - President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Alaska statehood bill.                        1962 - With "The Stripper," orchestra leader David Rose reached the number 1 spot on the popular music charts. The song stayed at the top spot for one week. Rose's previous success on the music charts was with "Holiday for Strings" in 1944.
    1962 - Riding Big Steve at Chicago, Illinois's Arlington Park, jockey Bill Hartack won his 3,000th race.
     1962 - David Rose's "The Stripper" hits #1
    1964---Top Hits
“I Get Around” - The Beach Boys
“My Boy Lollipop” - Millie Small
“Memphis” - Johnny Rivers
“Together Again” - Buck Owens
    1967 - The Monkees open a national tour with little-known Jimi Hendrix as the opening act.
    1968 -- Three years after Eric Clapton departed the Yardbirds and eight months after Jeff Beck left the group, the Yardbirds disband. Guitarist Jimmy Page had to fulfill the concert obligations and called his group The New Yardbirds. Keith Moon said "...it'll probably go over like a lead zeppelin." So Page changed the name of his group to Led Zeppelin.
http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=216
http://www.feelgood-design.com/music/yardbirds.htm
    1971-- Commissioner Bowie Kuhn and National Baseball Hall of Fame president Paul Kirk announced that former Negro League players will have full membership in the Cooperstown shrine, not a separate wing as previously planned.
    1972---Top Hits
“Song Sung Blue” - Neil Diamond
“Outa-Space” - Billy Preston
“Lean on Me” - Bill Withers
“Eleven Roses” - Hank Williams, Jr.
    1973 - Billy Preston's "Will It Go Round In Circles" hits #1
    1975-“Ryan's Hope” premiered on TV. This ABC soap ran until 1989 and was set mostly at the fictional Ryan's Tavern on Riverside Hospital at New York City.
    1980---Top Hits
“Coming Up” - Paul McCartney and Wings
“The Rose” - Bette Midler
“It's Still Rock and Roll to Me” - Billy Joel
“He Stopped Loving Her Today” - George Jones 
    1980 – American two-time Olympic medalist and five-time world champion skater Michelle Kwan  born at Torrance, CA.
    1981 - President Reagan nominated Sandra Day O'Connor to become a Supreme Court justice; she became the first woman member of the Supreme Court in September. She retired in 2006.
http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/justices/oconnor.bio.html
    1981-- Parts of Montana, in a rare snow storm, was covered under 10 inches of snow at Glacier National Park with winds to 90 mph. Not far to the south, Denver was setting a record high with 101!
    1984 - "When Doves Cry," the first single to be released from Prince's 1984 album “Purple Rain”, hits the top of the charts. The song stayed on top for five weeks and became the best-selling single of 1984. Meanwhile, the album topped the charts for 24 weeks and sold more than 10 million copies.
    1984 -- Mr. Ed fan club holds first national convention labelled "Edstock". Billed as "a few hours of Ed, love & music." Tiny Tim won the "Ed Award" for the greatest live performance of the Mr. Ed theme.
    1986 - Jackie Joyner-Kersee was the United State's biggest success at the Goodwill Games. At the event held in Moscow, Russia, she broke the heptathlon world record with 7,148 points. The same year, Jackie broke her own record when she scored 7,158 points in the United States Olympic Sports Festival where she won all the heptathlon's seven events.
    1987--Temperatures fluctuate at Greensburg, KS from 75 at 7 am to 95 in a few minutes then drop back to 86 by 8 am. This was accompanied by dust devils and strange clouds.
    1988 - Thirty-eight cities in the north central and northeastern U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date. Youngstown, OH, hit 100 degrees, and for the second day in a row, Flint, MI, reached 101 degrees, equaling all-time records for those two cities.
    1988---Top Hits
“Dirty Diana” - Michael Jackson
“The Flame” - Cheap Trick
“Mercedes Boy” - Pebbles
“If It Don't Come Easy” - Tanya Tucker
    1989 - Compact discs begin to outsell vinyl records for the first time.
    1989 - Thunderstorms produced severe weather during the day, with more than 100 reports of large hail and damaging winds from Ohio to Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Thunderstorm winds reached 90 mph in Sullivan County, NH, and golf ball size hail was reported in Pennsylvania. Twenty-four cities, mostly in the southwestern U.S., reported record high temperatures for the date. Afternoon highs of 105 degrees at Cedar City, UT, and 114 degrees at Moab, UT, were all-time records for those locations
    1990- The world's three most famous tenors - Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras - performed their first concert together. The performance, in Rome on the eve of the World Cup soccer final, earned millions of dollars for charity. An album of the event, "Carerras-Domingo-Pavorotti in Concert," was a surprise hit on the pop charts, and eventually became the best-selling classical album of all-time.
    1998 -In the highest-scoring game in All-Star history, the American League beats the senior circuit, 13-8 in the thin air at Coors Field in Denver. The 21-run total surpasses the previous record set in 1954 when the American League beat the Nationals,11-9 in Cleveland's Municipal Stadium.
    1999 - The soundtrack album from Disney's film "Tarzan" was certified platinum on this date.
    1999-- The Colorado Rockies tie a 1903 major league record by scoring in 15 consecutive innings. Phillies' ace Curt Schilling ends the streak.
    1999-The San Francisco Landmark Preservation Board voted to bestow landmark status to the Doggie Diner restaurant across from the city zoo. Sloat Garden Center, the owner of the property, ordered the diner operator to close shop in 60 days.
    2003 – A federal judge approved a settlement fining WorldCom $750 million for its $11 billion accounting scandal. 
    2005 --The American sports of baseball and softball are dropped from the 2012 Olympic Games scheduled to be played in London. It is the first time in 69 years events have been cut from the world games.