America’s iconic Crosley brand began in 1907 with the formation an
automobile company in Connersville, Indiana. The company failed
and the Crosley name was later applied to radios in the 1920’s along
with many world-class appliances manufactured today.

Powel Crosley Jr.
(September 18, 1886 – March 28, 1961)

ED DANAHUE

It was on this day in 1975.    
    
    

On this day in 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson (left) signed
into law the Social Security Act that established Medicare and
Medicaid. It went into effect the following year.

Wrecked warehouses and scattered debris after the explosion.

The Black Tom explosion on July 30, 1916, in Jersey City, New Jersey, was
an act of sabotage by German agents to destroy American-made munitions
that were to be supplied to the Allies in World War I. This incident, which
happened prior to American entry into the war, is also notable for causing
damage to the Statue of Liberty.

The Lehigh Valley pier after the blast.

The USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine on
this day in 1945. The ship had just delivered key components of the
Hiroshima atomic bomb to the Pacific island of Tinian. Only 316 out
of 1,196 men aboard survived the attack.

The USS Indianapolis in San Diego Harbor prior to the attack.

Ford at age 25.

Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947)

Founder of Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford, developed the assembly-
line process for mass production. One of his first cars was the Model T
(below).

Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is 70 years old today.

Bodybuilder, actor, and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger served as the governor
of California from 2003 to 2011. His best known films include Conan the Barbarian
(1982) Predator (1987), The Terminator series (beginning in 1984), and Total Recall
(1990). He decided to pursue a career as a bodybuilder at age fourteen, despite demonstrating ability in football. He became the youngest person to win the Mr.
Universe contest when he was 20.

John Deere (February 7, 1804 – May 17, 1886) was born in
Rutland, Vermont.

Entrepreneur John Deere was entrepreneur invented the steel plow and
founded Deere & Company that had a worth of more than $40 billion in
2010. He began working as a blacksmith’s apprentice at age 17.

1950

A phonograph turntable production line.

Howard Robard Hughes Jr.
(December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976)

Aviation millionaire Howard Hughes became a
movie producer and Las Vegas recluse. He was
one of the wealthiest people of his time.