Complicated and tension-filled negotiations between the United States and
the Soviet Union finally result in a plan to end the two-week-old Cuban
Missile Crisis. A frightening period in which nuclear holocaust seemed
imminent began to come to an end. 

Since President John F. Kennedy’s October 22 address warning the Soviets
to cease their reckless program to put nuclear weapons in Cuba and
announcing a naval “quarantine” against additional weapons shipments
into Cuba, the world held its breath waiting to see whether the two
superpowers would come to blows. U.S. armed forces went on alert and
the Strategic Air Command went to a Stage 4 alert (one step away from
nuclear attack). On October 24, millions waited to see whether Soviet
ships bound for Cuba carrying additional missiles would try to break
the U.S. naval blockade around the island. At the last minute, the vessels
turned around and returned to the Soviet Union.

Khrushchev                Castro                                 Kennedy

      
CAMILLE
BOHANNON

On this day in 1977, Voyager 2 was launched by NASA from a
spaceport in Cape Canaveral, Florida with a Titan IIIE / Centaur
rocket . The spacecraft was carrying a copper phonograph
record containing greetings in dozens of languages and
samples of music (below).

Singer Robert Anthony Plant is 71 today.

Led Zepplin reunited for a show at London’s O2 arena, 2007.

MIKE GRACIA

The first successful gasoline-powered manned airplane flight took
place near Kitty Hawk, NC. on this day in 1903. Orville and Wilbur
Wright made the flight.

While Wright Brothers were building the Flyer they continued to make 
practice flights with their 1902 glider (above). They made about 2000
total glides. 

Television history was made on this day in 1969 when singer Tiny
Tim and Miss Vicki Budinger were married on "The Tonight Show"
with Johnny Carson on NBC.

Tiny Tim (Herbert Buckingham Khaury)
(April 12, 1932 – November 30, 1996)

Tiny Tim suffered a heart attack just as he began singing at a ukulele festival at the Montague Grange Hall in Montague, Massachusetts.

CAMILLE BOHANNON

U.S. military forces attacked a terrorist camp in Afghanistan and a chemical plant in Sudan on this day in 1998. Both targets were
chosen for cruise missile strikes due to their connection with
Osama bin Laden.

In a speech to the nation, President Bill Clinton detailed strikes
against terrorist-related facilities in Sudan and Afghanistan.

On this day in 1968, the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact nations began invading Czechoslovakia to crush the "Prague Spring" liberalization.

Voyager 2 was launched by the United States on this day in 1977 and
aboard was a copper 12 inch phonograph record containing greetings
in dozens of languages, samples of music and sounds of nature.

A photo of the 12 inch copper record that was sent into
space on both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2.

Robert Anthony Plant is 70 years old today.

Iconic rock star Robert Plant gained fame as the vocalist and songwriter
of the classic rock band Led Zeppelin, known for such hits as "Stairway
to Heaven" and "When the Levee Breaks." He was named the #1 Lead
Singer of All Time by Rolling Stone Magazine in 2011. Plant was once 
training as a chartered accountant, but quit to become part of the
English Midlands blues scene. 

MIKE GRACIA

The first successful gasoline-powered airplane flight took place near Kitty Hawk, NC. on this day in 1903. Orville Wright was piloting the
craft while his brother Wilbur ran alongside.

The United States successfully test-fired the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time on this day in 1957.

South American patriot Simon Bolivar died in Colombia on this day
in 1830. Cause of death was listed as Tuberculosis. He was 47.

Television history was made on this day in 1969 when singer Tiny
Tim and Miss Vicki Budinger were married on "The Tonight Show"
with Johnny Carson.