Today in History

Queen Elizabeth II becomes the oldest monarch in the history of the UK; previously, that honor belonged to Queen Victoria.

NeXT merges with Apple Computer, leading to the development of groundbreaking Mac OS X.

NATO begins peacekeeping operation in Bosnia.

U.S. troops invade Panama to oust General Manuel Noriega and replace him with Guillermo Endara.

Adam Powell, Welsh game designer; co-founder of Neopets and Meteor Games companies.

Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, elder daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain; fourth in line of succession to the Spanish throne.

In its first free election in 38 years, the Dominican Republic chooses leftist Juan Bosch Gavino as president.

National Liberation Front is formed by guerrillas fighting the Diem regime in South Vietnam.

Alan Parsons, musician (The Alan Parsons Project); producer who was involved with The Beatles’ Abbey Road and Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon.

Dick Wolf, television producer (Miami Vice, Law & Order).

Soviet forces halt a German army trying to relieve the besieged city of Stalingrad.

The Flying Tigers, American pilots in China, enter combat against the Japanese over Kunming.

First electronic television system is patented.

The German government announces 400,000 citizens are to be sterilized because of hereditary defects.

Thousands of Spaniards sign a revolutionary manifesto.

Adolf Hitler is released from prison after serving less than one year of a five year sentence for treason.

George Roy Hill, film director (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting).

Harry F. Byrd Jr., first independent ever elected to US Senate by a majority of the popular vote (Virginia).

Virgil “Spud” Davis, pro baseball catcher, coach, scout and manager.

Robert J. Van de Graff, physicist, invented the Van de Graaff generator.

Branch Rickey, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Harvey Firestone, industrialist and tire maker.

English transports loaded with 8,000 troops set sail for Canada so that troops are available if the “Trent Affair” is not settled without war.

South Carolina secedes from the Union.

The United States buys the Louisiana territory from France.

Stephen Urosh IV of Serbia dies while marching to attack Constantinople.

Vespians’s supporters enter Rome and discover Vitellius in hiding. He is dragged through the streets before being brutally murdered.