Today in History

Severe flooding in Myanmar.

Croatian War of Independence: Battle of Vukovar begins, an 87-day siege of a Croatian city by the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA), supported by various Serbian paramilitary forces.

Mayumi Moriyama, formerly head of Japan’s Environmental Agency, becomes Japan’s first female cabinet secretary

Blake Lively, actress, model (Gossip Girl TV series, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants).

Voyager 2 spacecraft makes its closest approach to Saturn.

Zimbabwe joins the United Nations.

Rachael Ray, chef, author, TV host.

Blair Underwood, actor, director (L.A. Law TV series, The Second Coming); won Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album, An Inconvenient Truth.

Tim Burton, director, producer, screenwriter (Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas).

Elvis Costello, Grammy Award–winning singer, songwriter (“Watching the Detectives”).

President Harry Truman orders the U.S. Army to seize control of the nation’s railroads to avert a strike.

Gene Simmons, singer, songwriter; member of the band Kiss, one of the top-selling bands of all time.

The House Un-American Activities Committee holds first-ever televised congressional hearing.

Paris is liberated from German occupation by Free French Forces under General Jacques LeClerc.

The Allies complete the occupation of New Georgia.

British and Soviet forces enter Iran, opening up a route to supply the Soviet Union.

The first parachute wedding ceremony is performed by Rev. Homer Tomlinson at the New York City World’s Fair for Arno Rudolphi and Ann Hayward. The minister, bride and groom, best man, maid of honor and four musicians were all suspended from parachutes.

Frederick Forsyth, author of thrillers (The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File).

Wayne Shorter, jazz saxophonist and composer.

Sean Connery, Scottish actor famous for playing the character James Bond in the Ian Flemming movie series.

Althea Gibson, African American tennis player, the first to play at the U.S. Open and Wimbledon.

A. Phillip Randolph organizes the Sleeping Car Porters’ Union.

Brian Moore, Irish novelist (The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne).

George C. Wallace, governor of Alabama and presidential candidate.

Leonard Bernstein, conductor, composer and pianist.

The National Park Service is established as part of the Department of the Interior.

Walt Kelly, cartoonist who created the comic strip “Pogo.”

“”Captain” Matthew Webb becomes the first man to swim across the English Channel.

Confederate General A.P. Hill pushes back Union General Winfield Scott Hancock from Reams Station where his army has spent several days destroying railroad tracks.

Union and Confederate troops skirmish at Waterloo Bridge, Virginia, during the Second Bull Run Campaign.

The “Tom Thumb” steam locomotive runs its famous race with a horse-drawn car. The horse wins because the engine, which had been ahead, breaks down.

In protest over the stamp tax, American colonists sack and burn the home of Massachusetts governor Thomas Hutchinson.

The Prussian army defeats the invading Russians at the Battle of Zorndorf.

Edward III of England defeats Philip VI’s army at the Battle of Crecy in France.

Julian Caesar defeats the Alamanni at Strasbourg in Gaul.