Marvin Gaye (Marvin Pentz Gay Jr.) (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984)
The funeral procession for President John F. Kennedy is pictured
crossing the bridge to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.
On this day in 1963, the body of President John F. Kennedy was laid
to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. The funeral was attended by
heads of state and representatives from more than 100 countries,
with untold millions more watching on television.
President Kennedy’s widow, Jacqueline, along with brother’s Bob
and Ted Kennedy together lit the “eternal flame”(above) which will
forever burn at the gravesite of JFK.
During the Revolutionary War on this day in 1783, British forces
evacuated New York, their last military position in the U.S. It was
also George Washington’s Triumphal Entry in New York City, as
depicted in the above painting. The events marked the cessation
of hostilities between Great Britain and its former colonies.
On this day in 1859, Abolitionist John Brown led a raid on the federal
arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, VA (now located in West Virginia). He was
hoping to instigate a wider slave rebellion.
"John Brown’s Fort" at Harpers Ferry.
John Brown (May 9, 1800 – December 2, 1859)
On this day in 1987, Rescuers freed Jessica McClure from the
abandoned well that she had fallen into in Midland, TX. She
was trapped for 58 hours.
Jessica McClure Morales turned 32 on March 26.
On this day in 2001, former president of Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia Slobodan Milošević surrenders to police special
forces, to be tried on charges of war crimes.
On this day in 1945, American forces invaded Okinawa during WW II.
Nazi Germany begins persecution of Jews by boycotting Jewish businesses on this day in 1933.
Nazis affix a sign to Jewish store urging shoppers not to patronize
it.
On this day in 1984, Marvin Gaye, the Grammy-winning
singer who topped the soul charts with such classics as
“I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” was shot twice in the
chest and killed by his minister father. The Rev. Marvin
Gaye Sr. picked up a handgun during a family dispute
over an “insurance matter”. The singers death was one
day short of his 45th birthday.
Marvin Gaye SR. being escorted in handcuffs.
Marvin Gaye (Marvin Pentz Gay Jr.) (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984)
Jessica Dawn Lynch is a former U.S. Army soldier who was serving as a unit
supply specialist with the 507th Maintenance Company when her convoy was ambushed by Iraqi forces during the Battle of Nasiriyah. Lynch was seriously injured. Her subsequent recovery by U.S. Special Operations Forces on April
1, 2003 received considerable media coverage; it was the first successful
rescue of an American prisoner of war since World War II and the first ever
of a woman.
The above photo is from combat video footage of Jessica Lynch
on a stretcher during her rescue in Iraq.
Jessica Lynch will be 35 on April 26.
It was on this day in 1963.
On this day in 1986, President Ronald Reagan and Attorney Gen.
Edwin Meese revealed that profits from secret arms sales to Iran
had been diverted to rebels in Nicaragua. The National Security
Advisor John Poindexter resigned and Oliver North was fired.
From left: President Reagan and Attorney Gen. Edwin Meese.
During the Revolutionary War on this day in 1783, the British
evacuated New York. It was their last military position in the
United States.
A group of fishermen from Florida spotted Elián Gonzales off the
coast of Fort Lauderdale. He was completely alone, floating in an
inner tube. He was rescued on this day in 1999.
The boat that Elian and his mother, and 10 other people had been traveling on to the United States from Cuba had been ripped apart
in the rough seas, and he was one of the only survivors.
Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe, 1954
Baseball’s Joe Dimaggio was born on this day in 1914.