Today in History

Orakzai bombing, Afghanistan: members of the Taliban drive an explosive-laden truck into a meeting of 600 people discussing ways to rid their area of the Taliban; the bomb kills 110.

An Egyptian plane carrying hijackers of the Achille Lauro cruise ship is intercepted by US Navy F-14s and forced to land at a NATO base in Sicily.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., stock car racing driver and team owner; won Most Popular Driver Award in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 10 times (2003–2012).

Spiro Agnew resigns the vice presidency amid accusations of income tax evasion. President Richard Nixon names Gerald Ford as the new vice president. Agnew is later convicted and sentenced to three years probation and fined $10,000.

The London Bridge, built in 1831 and dismantled in 1967, reopens in Lake Havusu City, Arizona, after being sold to Robert P. McCulloch and moved to the United States.

The Quebec Provincial Minister of Labour, Pierre Laporte, is kidnapped by terrorists.

Brett Favre, pro football player; only pro quarterback to throw for over 70,000 yards, completing 6,000 passes, including over 500 for touchdowns.

U.S. Forces launch Operation Robin, in Hoa Province south of Saigon in South Vietnam, to provide road security between villages.

Daniel Pearl, journalist; captured and beheaded by Al Queda in Pakistan; Daniel Pearl Foundation to promote tolerance and understanding internationally founded in his memory.

Tanya Tucker, singer whose first hit, “Delta Dawn,” came when she was just 13.

David Lee Roth, singer, songwriter, actor, author; lead vocalist for hard rock band Van Halen; member of Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame (2007).

The Mutual Defense Treaty between the US and South Korea signed.

Wang Wanxing, Chinese rights advocate; prisoner for 13 years in detention centers and psychiatric institutions (Ankang), he is the only person thus far to be released from these institutions and allowed to live in a Western country.

Ben Vereen, actor (Roots miniseries).

Soviet troops halt the German advance on Moscow.

Winston Spencer-Churchill, British politician; grandson of famed Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill.

At Rio de Janeiro, nations of the Western Hemisphere sign a non-aggression and conciliation treaty. President Roosevelt adopts a “good neighbor” policy toward Latin America and announces a policy of nonintervention in Latin American affairs at the December 7th International American Conference at Montevideo, Uruguay.

Harold Pinter, British playwright (The Homecoming, Betrayal).

James Clavell, novelist (Shogun, Noble House).

Thelonius Monk, jazz pianist and composer.

The Panama Canal opens.

Alberto Giacometti, sculptor and painter.

Helen Hayes, American actress.

Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer is buried at West Point in New York.

The first telegraph line to Denver is completed.

The U.S. Naval Academy is founded at Annapolis, Md.

Giuseppe Verdi, composer (Rigoletto, Aida).

Russian General Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov crushes the rebel Polish army at Maciejowice, Poland.

In Versailles France, Joseph Guillotin says the most humane way of carrying out a death sentence is decapitation by a single blow of a blade.

France declares war on Austria over the question of Polish succession.

Henry Cavendish, English physicist who measured the density and mass of the Earth.

At Tours, France, Charles Martel kills Abd el-Rahman and halts the Muslim invasion of Europe.

Germanicus, the best loved of Roman princes, dies of poisoning. On his deathbed he accuses Piso, the governor of Syria, of poisoning him.