ROSS SIMPSON
On this day in 1927, "The Jazz Singer" opened in New York starring Al
Jolson. The film was based on the short story "The Day of Atonement"
by Sampson Raphaelson. It is the first feature-length motion picture
with not only a synchronized recorded music score but also lip-
synchronous singing and speech in several isolated sequences
LTJG Kennedy (standing at far right) with his crew on PT-109 in 1943.
On this day in 1943, future President John F. Kennedy was serving as the
commander of a torpedo boat in the Solomon Islands when his ship was
fired upon by the Japanese navy.
As a young man, Kennedy had desperately wanted to go into the Navy but
was originally rejected because of chronic health problems, particularly a
back injury he had sustained playing football while attending Harvard
University. In 1941, though, his politically connected father used his
influence to get Jack, as he was called, into the Navy. In 1942,
Kennedy volunteered for PT (motorized torpedo) boat duty in the
Pacific.
TIM MAGUIRE
The New York Yankees retired Mickey Mantle’s number (7) on this
day in 1969.
Mickey Mantle delivering his speech the day his number was retired.
Mickey Mantle’s retired uniform No. 7 at Yankee Stadium.
ROSS SIMPSON
In New York on this day in 2002, a ceremony was held to officially
mark the end of the clean up from the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
ED DONAHUE
On this day in 1995, the Oklahoma City bombing was a
domestic terrorist truck bombing on the Alfred P. Murrah
Federal Buildingin downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Perpetrated by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, the
bombing happened at 9:02 am and killed at least 168 people,
injured more than 680 others, and destroyed one – third of
the building.
One of the many injured in the bombing attack.
A firefighter holding a dying toddler in his arms.
Bombing suspect Timothy McVeigh (center) is escorted from
the courthouse in Perry, Oklahoma.
