Harvey Samuel Firestone  (December 20, 1868  –  February 7, 1938)

Firestone was a  businessman, and the founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber 
Company in Akron, Ohio, one of the first global makers of automobile tires. In 1973,
Firestone was posthumously inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.

It’s a Wonderful Life was nominated for five Oscars without winning any, although
the film has since been recognized by the American Film Institute as one of the 100
best American films ever made, and was placed at the top of their list of the most inspirational American films of all time.

On Friday December 20, Elvis Presley received his Army draft notice (above). He
was initially ordered to report for duty January 20, but was granted a deferment to
finish the filming of King Creole which was already in pre-production. On March 24,
1958 Presley was inducted into the U.S. Army as a private at Fort Chaffee, near
Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Peter, Paul and Mary’s version of Leaving On A Jet Plane first appeared on their 
1967 Album 1700. It didn’t become a hit until it was released as a single. It turned 
out to be their biggest and final hit and the group’s only #1 on the Billboard Hot 
100 chart.