Today in History

North Korea reportedly tests its first nuclear device.

Last flight of the Lockheed SR-71 “Blackbird” stealth reconnaissance aircraft.

The president of South Korea, Doo Hwan Chun, with his cabinet and other top officials are scheduled to lay a wreath on a monument in Rangoon, Burma, when a bomb explodes. Hwan had not yet arrived so escaped injury, but 17 Koreans–including the deputy prime minister and two other cabinet members–and two Burmese are killed. North Korea is blamed.

Chris O’Dowd, comedian, actor (The IT Crowd and Family Tree TV series, Bridesmaids).

Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld, writer, radio host; prominent figure in Modern Orthodox Judaism.

U.N. forces, led by the First Cavalry Division, cross the 38th parallel in South Korea and begin attacking northward towards the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.

Harvard Law School begins admitting women.

Jackson Browne, singer, songwriter, musician, producer; member of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (“Running on Empty,” “Take It Easy”).

Eugene O’Neill’s play The Iceman Cometh opens at the Martin Beck Theatre in New York.

Trent Lott, politician, Republican Senate Majority Whip (1995-96), Senate Majority Leader (1996–2001) and Minority Leader (2001-02); resigned during controversy over making remarks that praised Strom Thurmond’s 1948 presidential campaign that had called for preservation of racial segregation.

John Lennon, musician, singer, songwriter; one of the Beatles (“Imagine,” “Give Peace a Chance”).

In Marseilles, a Macedonian revolutionary associated with Croat terrorists in Hungary assassinates King Alexander of Yugoslavia and French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou. The two had been on a tour of European capitals in quest of an alliance against Nazi Germany. The assassinations bring the threat of war between Yugoslavia and Hungary, but confrontation is prevented by the League of Nations.

Germans take Antwerp, Belgium, after 12-day siege.