On August 3, 1958, the U.S. nuclear submarine Nautilus
accomplished the first undersea voyage to the geographic
North Pole. The world’s first nuclear submarine dived at
Point Barrow, Alaska, and traveled nearly 1,000 miles under
the Arctic ice cap to reach the top of the world. It then went 
on to Iceland, pioneering a new and shorter route from the 
Pacific to the Atlantic and Europe.

ROSS SIMPSON

Charles Robert Darwin ( February 12, 1809 – April 19, 1832)

On this day in 1831, English naturlist Charles Darwin set out on a
voyage to the Pacific aboard the HMS Beagle. His discoveries
during the voyage helped him form the basis of his theories on
evolution.

HMS Beagle, a 10-gun, Cherokee-class brig sloop of the Royal
Navy’s survey service, sets sail from Plymouth, England on its
second voyage as a survey vessel. On board, at the invitation
of Beagle captain Robert FitzRoy, is a young biologist called
Charles Darwin.

ROSS SIMPSON

On this day in 1831, Charles Darwin (above) set out on a
voyage to the Pacific aboard the HMS Beagle. Darwin’s
discoveries during the voyage helped him form the basis
of his theories on evolution.

The British naval vessel HMS Beagle.

James Barrie’s play "Peter Pan" premiered in London
on this day in 1904.

Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet (May 9, 1860 – June 19, 1937)  

Historical newspaper report on “Peter Pan”.

Peter Pan statue by Sir George Frampton in Kensington
Gardens, London.

CAMILLE BOHANNON

On this day in 1945, Japan surrendered to the U.S. aboard the USS
Missouri, ending World War II. The war ended six years and one day
after it began.

Douglas MacArthur signs the Japanese surrender documents.

On this day in 1864, during the U.S. Civil War, Union forces led by
Gen. William T. Sherman (below) occupied Atlanta following the
retreat of the Confederates.

On this day in 1944, future President George Herbert Walker Bush
is serving as a torpedo bomber pilot in the Pacific theater of World
War II when his squadron is attacked by Japanese anti-aircraft guns
forcing Bush to bail out of the plane over the ocean. According to
the Navy’s records, Bush’s squadron was conducting a bombing
mission on a Japanese installation on the island of Chi Chi Jima in
the Pacific when they encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire. The engine
on Bush’s plane was set ablaze, yet Bush managed to release his
bombs and head back toward the aircraft carrier San Jacinto before
bailing out over the water.

George H.W. Bush turned 94 in June.

The Great Fire of London broke out on this day in 1666. It burned for three days destroying 10,000 buildings including St. Paul’s Cathedral
with only six fatalities.        
     
    

It was announced on this day in 1985, the Titanic had been found on 
by a U.S. and French expedition 560 miles off Newfoundland. The
luxury liner had been missing for 73 years.

A photograph of the Titanic believed to have been taken the day
before she left on her ill-fated voyage in 1912.

The last known photo of Titanic heading out for open sea off the
coast of Ireland.

JOHN BELMONT

On this day in 1964, the U.S. Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, which gave President Johnson broad powers in dealing
with reported North Vietnamese attacks on U.S. forces.

U.S. forces landed at Guadalcanal on this day in 1942, marking the
start of the first major allied offensive in the Pacific during World
War II.

U.S. Marines rest in the field during the Guadalcanal campaign.

On this day in 1947, the balsa wood raft Kon-Tiki, which had carried
a six-man crew (below) 4,300 miles across the Pacific Ocean,crashed
into a reef in a Polynesian archipelago.

On this day in 2007, at the Giants home AT&T Park in San Francisco, Berry Bonds hit a 435 foot (133 m) home run, his 756th, off a pitch
from Mike Bacsik of the Washington Nationals, breaking the all-
time career home run record, formerly held by Hank Aaron. Bonds,
was indicted later that year on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice for allegedly lying under oath to a federal grand jury looking
into steroid use among pro athletes.   

    
    
    
    
   

Barry Lamar Bonds turned 54 in July.