MIKE GRACIA

On this day in 1948, Harry S. Truman defeated Thomas E. Dewey for
the U.S. presidency. The Chicago Tribune published an early edition
that had the headline "DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN." The Truman
victory surprised many polls and newspapers.

On this day in 1945, Howard Hughes flew his "Spruce Goose," a huge wooden airplane, for eight minutes in California. It was the plane’s
first and only flight and never went into production.

Take-off: Howard Hughes’ H-4, the "Spruce Goose." 

Hughes watches engineer Chal Bowen, October 31, 1947, two days before the flight as the radio operator looks on. Thirty-six people
were on board for the test flight.

Flight-deck seats, put in for military observers, seven guests from
the press corps and an additional seven industry representatives. 

On this day in 1959, Charles Van Doren, a game show contestant
on the NBC-TV program "Twenty-One" admitted that he had been
given questions and answers in advance.

Van Doren (at left) faces Herb Stempel (far right) on “Twenty-One,”
in 1956, under the eye of the show’s host, Jack Barry. Some fifty
million people watched the climax of their rivalry.

Charles Lincoln Van Doren turned 92 in February.

SANDY KOZEL

On this day in 1517, Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses on the door
of the Wittenberg Palace Church. The event marked the start of the Protestant Reformation in Germany.

Martin Luther statue in Wittenberg, Germany.

President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered a halt to all U.S. bombing of
North Vietnam on this day in 1968. He also announced his intention
not to run for re-election.

Above — a B-52 bomber drops a load of conventional bombs on
North Vietnam.

CARLATA BRADLEY

In London on this day in 2003, the last commercial supersonic
Concorde flight landed.

"The Last Touchdown." (With British: ‘Union Jack’ Flag & American: ‘Stars & Stripes’ Flag.)

On this day in 2002, The D.C. Sniper suspects were caught at
Myersville rest stop. Law enforcement officers search the car
that John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo were in when
police arrested them at the rest stop along I-70.  

John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo.

"The Bushmaster rifle used by convicted sniper John Allen
Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo is seen at the Montgomery
County Judicial Center after it was entered into evidence
during the murder trial.

The United Nations officially came into existence on this day in 1945, when representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco at the
United Nations Conference on International Organization to draw
up the United Nations Charter.

TIM MAGUIRE

General Douglas MacArthur (center) fulfilled his promise to return
to the Philippines on this day in 1944 when an amphibious retaking
of the islands by allied forces took place.

It was on this day in 1977.

The Convair aircraft before the crash.

On this day in 1947, Hollywood came under scrutiny as the House
Un-American Activities Committee opened hearings into alleged Communist influence within the motion picture industry.

Hollywood stars (Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart in the lead) descend on the Capitol to lodge their note of protest against the
HUAC’s proceedings.

Photograph of HUAC hearing with actor Gary Cooper (far left).

NANCY LYONS

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 508 points on this day in 1987. It was called Black Monday, the worst one-day percentage
decline, 22.6%, in history.

The supersonic Concorde made its first landing at John F. Kennedy
Airport in New York City on this day in 1977.   

Concorde Press Conference at JFK Airport.