MIKE  GRACIA

    

On this day in 1958, Explorer 1 became the United States’ first
satellite in space. The launch of the satellite — twice the size
of a basketball — was an important moment for the country,
as the Space Race with the Soviet Union was just beginning.

The three men responsible for the success of Explorer 1, at left is Dr. William H. Pickering, former director of JPL, which built and operated
the satellite. Dr. James A. van Allen, center, of the State University of Iowa, designed and built the instrument on Explorer that discovered
the radiation belts which circle the Earth. At right is Dr. Wernher von Braun, leader of the Army’s Redstone Arsenal team which built the
first stage Redstone rocket that launched Explorer 1.

On this day in 1945, Private Eddie Donald Slovik became the only
U.S. soldier since the American Civil War to be executed for
desertion.

MIKE GRACIA

Henry Kissinger (seated center) signs the Paris Peace Accords on
this day in 1973 in Paris. The war ended on April 30, 1975, when
Saigon surrendered almost without fighting to the communist
forces, ending the United States’ involvement in Vietnam.

Nguyen Duy Trinh (center) heads the delegation from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

At Cape Kennedy, FL, on this day in 1967, astronauts Virgil I.
"Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White and Roger B. Chaffee died
in a flash fire during a test aboard their Apollo I spacecraft.

The charred remains of the Apollo 1 cabin interior.

Alton Glenn Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944)

People magazine recently reported a retired trawlerman from
England is “utterly convinced” he pulled up the wreck of the
famed American bandleader’s aircraft in his fishing net 32 years
ago. And now, U.S.-based historical aircraft researchers from
TIGHAR say his account is “totally credible.”

According to TIGHAR, which stands for The International Group
for Historic Aircraft Recovery, the man was advised to drop his
unusual catch back into the English Channel, where it has
remained ever since. But he recorded the coordinates and the
magazine noted it is this key piece of evidence that may finally
lead to the site of Miller’s final resting place.

Miller, recognized as “the hottest recording artist of his era,”
dominated the swing music scene during his lifetime and was
famous for his self-penned signature tune, 1939’s “Moonlight
Serenade.”

A C-64 Norseman aircraft (above) is similar to the one Glenn Miller
was traveling to Paris in when it disappeared over the English 
Channel on December 15, 1944.

ED DANAHUE

Carol Elaine Channing (January 31, 1921 – January 15, 2019)

The White House announced the start of Operation Desert Storm on
this day in 1991. The operation was designed to drive Iraqi forces
out of Kuwait. Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf is shown above at ease
with his tank troops in Saudi Arabia in January 12, 1991 before the
U.S. executed the operation. 

On the evening of January 16,1991, President George H. W. Bush addressed the nation to discuss the launch of Operation Desert
Storm.

Coalition troops from Egypt, Syria, Oman, France and Kuwait
during Operation Desert Storm.

The launch of Space Shuttle Columbia was planned to begin on
January 11, 2001, but the mission was delayed 18 times and
eventually launched on January 16, 2003 (above).  

Remains of a helmet found in a field after the space shuttle Columbia disaster.

Capt. McBroom was the Pilot of United
Airlines Flight 173. He said he tried to
aim the plane at a dark spot.

A United Airlines Douglas DC-8 similar to the one involved in the
crash.

The crash site as it looks today.