SANDY KOZEL

Charles A. Lindberg completed the first solo nonstop airplane flight across the Atlantic Ocean on this day in 1927. The trip began May 20.

The American branch of the Red Cross was founded by Clara Barton
on this day in 1881.

Clarissa "Clara" Harlowe Barton (December 25, 1821 – April 12, 1912)

Fourteen-year-old Bobby Franks (above) was murdered in a
"thrill killing" committed by Nathan Leopold Jr. and Richard
Loeb (below) on this day in 1924. The killers were students
at the University of Chicago.

On this day in 1959, the musical "Gypsy" opened on Broadway
and played 702 performances, closing on March 25, 1961 at the
Imperial Theatre.

From left: Sandra Church as Louise, Ethel Merman starred as
Rose, and Jack Klugman as Herbie.

CAMILLE BOHANNON

On this day in 1927, Charles Lindbergh (below) took off from New
York to cross the Atlantic for Paris aboard his airplane the "Spirit
of St. Louis." The flight took 33 1/2 hours.

On this day in 1932, Amelia Earhart took off to fly solo across the
Atlantic Ocean. She became the first woman to achieve the feat.

The Lockheed Vega 5B flown by Amelia Earhart as seen on display
at the National Air and Space Museum.

In Spain on this day in 1506, explorer Christopher Columbus died in
poverty at age 54. He had been in poor health and bedridden for
some time.

Gilda Susan Radner (June 28, 1946 – May 20, 1989)

Gilda Radner was a comedian, writer, actress, and one of seven original
cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live. Her
SNL work established her as an iconic figure in the history of American
comedy. 

Radner was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on
May 17, 1989, to undergo a CT scan. She was given a sedative and went
into a coma during the scan. She did not regain consciousness and died
three days later, from ovarian cancer and complications due to intestinal perforation on May 20, 1989; husband Gene Wilder was at her side.

Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner, January 30, 1989.

President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single
holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military
members for their patriotic service in support of our country.

On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson
announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace
separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days.

The single day celebration stemmed from the unification of
the Armed Forces under the Department of Defense.

Louis Arthur Johnson
(January 10, 1891 – April 24, 1966)

CAMILLE BOHANNON

Marilyn Monroe performed a sultry rendition of "Happy Birthday" for President John F. Kennedy (below). The event was a fund-raiser at
New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Malcolm X  (Malcolm Little) (May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965)

Iconic Muslim minister, leader of the Nation of Islam, and human rights
activist, Malcom X spoke out against disenfranchisement of African
Americans and white supremacy.  His autobiography, published shortly
after his assassination in 1965, is considered one of the most important
nonfiction books of the 20th century. 
 
 

John and Jacqueline Kennedy.

Aristotle and Jacqueline Onassis.

Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis (Bouvier)  
(July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994)

In Massapequa, NY. on this day in 1992, Mary Jo Buttafuoco
was shot and seriously wounded by Amy Fisher. Fisher was
her husband Joey’s teen-age lover.

Amy Elizabeth Fisher will be 44 on August 21. 

Mary Jo and her husband Joey Buttafuoco.

Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend is 73 years old today.

Pete Townshend is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and
multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead guitarist, backing
vocalist, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Who. His
career with the Who spans over 50 years, during which time the
band grew to be considered one of the most influential bands of
the 20th century.

CAMILLE
BOHANNON

On this day in 1980, Mount St. Helens in Washington erupts, causing
a massive avalanche and killing 57 people on this day in 1980. Ash
from the volcanic eruption fell as far away as Minnesota. Seismic
activity at Mount St. Helens, which is 96 miles south of Seattle,
began on March 16.

USGS geologist Don Swanson (in red) and his colleague, Jim
Moore, view a car filled with ash deposits from the eruption of
Mount St. Helens.

On this day in 1896, the U.S. Supreme court upheld the "separate but equal" policy in the Plessy vs. Ferguson decision. The ruling was overturned 58 years later with Brown vs. Board of Education.

Pope Saint John Paul II (Karol Józef Wojtyła)
(May 18, 1920 – April 2, 2005)

Pope John Paul was the second longest-serving pope
in history who was the leader of the Catholic Church
from 1978 to 2005. He was one of the most influential
leaders of the 20th century who worked to bring Jews,
Christians, and Muslims together. He was canonized
as a Saint in April of 2014.

Frank Russell Capra (Francesco Rosario Capra)
(May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991)

Capra became one of America’s most influential directors during
the 1930s, winning three Oscars from his six nominations as 
Best Director, along with three other Oscar wins from nine
nominations in other categories. Among his leading films
were It Happened One Night (1934), You Can’t Take It with You
(1938), and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington(1939); Capra was
nominated as Best Director and as producer for Academy
Award for Best Picture on all three films, winning both
awards on the first two.

1946

On this day in 2003, "Les Miserables" closed after 6,680 shows and
16 years on Broadway.

Les Misérables has been voted the greatest musical of all time in
a public poll conducted by a new online radio station dedicated
to musical theatre.