On this day in 1974, Mariner 10, the U.S. space probe became the
first spacecraft to reach the planet Mercury. It had been launched
on November 3, 1973. Mariner 10 was the first spacecraft to return
high-resolution digital color images.
A photomosaic of Mercury images taken by Mariner 10, tinted to approximate the appearance of Mercury.
BRIAN THOMAS
Buddy Holly (22), Ritchie Valens (17), the Big Bopper (28) and pilot
Roger Peterson died in a plane crash in Iowa on this day in 1959.
Crash site memorial north of Clear Lake, Iowa.
The first rocket-assisted controlled landing on the Moon was made
by the Soviet space vehicle Luna 9 (above) on this day in 1966.
Eileen Marie Collins is a retired NASA astronaut and a retired United States
Air Force colonel. A former military instructor and test pilot, Collins was the
first female pilot and first female commander of a Space Shuttle on this day
in 1995 aboard STS-63. She was awarded several medals for her work. She
has logged 38 days 8 hours and 20 minutes in outer space. Collins retired
on May 1, 2006, to pursue private interests.
On this day in 2003, Phillip Harvey Spector became notorious for the murder of the actress Lana Clarkson (below). He was convicted of
murder in second degree.
Recently released prison mugshots of Phil Spector (AP).
Hundreds of people were feared drowned in the Red Sea on this day
in 2006 after an Egyptian ferry carrying 1,400 passengers and crew
sank in rough weather in one of the worst shipping disasters in the
world. Rescuers found at least 200 survivors in lifeboats and were
brought ashore.
Norman Percevel Rockwell (February 3, 1894 – November 8, 1978)
Norman Rockwell was a 20th-century American author, painter and illustrator
whose works have a broad popular appeal in the U.S. for their reflection of American culture. Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations that
depict everyday life he created for The Saturday Evening Post magazine over
nearly five decades.
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
(February 3, 1809 – November 4, 1847)
Born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early romantic period. Mendelssohn wrote symphonies, concertos, oratorios, piano music and chamber music. His best-known works include his Overture and incidental music for A Midsummer
Night’s Dream, and the Italian Symphony.
CARLATA BRADLEY
NASA’s space shuttle Columbia exploded while re-entering the
Earth’s atmosphere on this day in 2003. All seven astronauts on
board were killed.
This picture was taken by Eddie Adams in Saigon on February 1,
1968, the second day of North Vietnam’s Tet offensive. It captures
the summary execution of ÂNguyá»…n Văn Lém by Brigadier General
Nguyá»…n Ngoc Loan, chief of the South Vietnam police.
Eddie Adams (June 12, 1933 – September 18, 2004)
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (center) was welcomed in Tehran as he ended nearly 15 years of exile on this day in 1979.
William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901 – November 16, 1960)
Often referred to as "The King of Hollywood", Clark Gable began his
career as a stage actor and appeared as an extra in silent films between
1924 and 1926, and progressed to supporting roles with a few films for
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1931. The following year, he landed his first
leading his first leading Hollywood role and over the next three decades
he became a leading man in more than 60 motion pictures.
1939
1961
MIKE GRACIA
On this day in 1945, Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration
camps Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland.
The Vietnam peace accords were signed in Paris on this day in 1973.
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.
Mozart was born on this day in 1756.
Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945)
Jerome Kern was an American composer of musical theatre and popular
music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the
early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over 100 stage
works, including such classics as "Ol’ Man River", "Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat
Man", and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes".
Buzz Aldrin (Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr.) was born in Glen Ridge,
New Jersey.
As the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 11, he was one of the first two
humans to land on the Moon, and the second person to walk on
it. He set foot on the Moon, on July 21, 1969, following mission
commander Neil Armstrong.
