On September 21, 1780, during the American Revolution, American
General Benedict Arnold met with British Major John Andre to discuss
handing over West Point to the British, in return for the promise of
a large sum of money and a high position in the British army. The
plot was foiled and Arnold, a former American hero, became
synonymous with the word “traitor.”

Arnold was born into a respected family in Norwich, Connecticut,
on January 14, 1741.  He died in London June 13, 1801 at age 60. He
had been in poor health for several months.

ROSS SIMPSON

Soldiers run for cover during crossfire between pro-Ceaucescu
troops and anti-regime supporters near the Republican square in Bucharest.

Romanian demonstrators sit on top of a tank as it passes in
front of a burning building, December 22, 1989.

ROSS SIMPSON

Romania’s hard-line Communist ruler, Nicolae Ceausescu, was overthrown in a popular uprising on this day in 1989.

Foreign protesters campaign against the Ceaucescu regime.

Ceausescu and his wife Elena attempted to flee Romania but were 
caught and executed in Targoviste on Christmas Day.

The above photo shows the wall where the two were shot. The site
became part of a museum in 2013.

Richard Colvin Reid, also known as the Shoe Bomber, is a British terrorist who attempted to detonate an explosive device packed
into his shoes while on American Airlines Flight 63 from Paris to
Miami on this day in 2001.

One of Richard Reid’s explosive shoes.

SANDY KOZEL

Edmund Hillary (left) and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became first men
to  reach the top of Mount Everest on this day in 1953.

John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy
(May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963)

Commonly referred to by his initials JFK, John F. Kennedy 
was a politician who served as the 35th President of the
United States from January 1961 until his assassination 
in November 1963.

John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy the morning of November 22,
1963.

On this day in 1765, Patrick Henry denounced the
Stamp Act before Virginia‘s House of Burgesses.

Today, churchgoers still attend services at St. John’s
Episcopal Church in Richmond, Va., where Patrick
Henry made his “Give me Liberty, or give me Death” 
speech.  

Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope  (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003)

Legendary vaudeville comedian, radio personality, and actor Bob
Hope entertained military personnel in 57 USO tours between 1942
and 1988. He performed hundreds of acts with his special humor
per year during the height of his career, hosted The Academy
Awards fourteen times, and appeared in over 70 films and shorts.

At a young age, he began performing for voluntary donations on the
Luna Park streetcar by singing and making jokes. In 1915 Bob Hope
won an amateur talent contest for his Charlie Chaplin impersonation.    

In 1997, the U.S. Congress declared Bob Hope the "first and only
honorary veteran of the U.S. armed forces."

Comedian Bob Hope and his wife, Dolores are shown in their Palm
Springs, Calif., home in May 1998.

ROSS SIMPSON

Romania’s hard-line Communist ruler, Nicolae Ceausescu, was overthrown in a popular uprising on this day in 1989.

The ‘’shoe bomber’’ is sentenced to life in prison by U.S. Federal
Judge William Young.

On this day in 1894, French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was
convicted of treason in a court-martial that triggered worldwide
charges of anti-Semitism. Dreyfus was eventually vindicated.

Alfred Dreyfus standing before a court-martial at Rennes, France.

Singer Madonna and Guy Ritchie were married on this day in 2000
and were divorced November 21, 2008.   

Madonna Louise Ciccone is referred to as the “Queen of Pop”
turned 59 on August 16.