Lieutenant John F. Kennedy, right, and his PT-109 crew are shown somewhere in the South Pacific, July 1943.
On August 1, 1943, a Japanese destroyer rams an American PT (patrol
torpedo) boat, No. 109, slicing it in two. The destruction is so massive
other American PT boats in the area assume the crew is dead. Two
crewmen were, in fact, killed, but 11 survived, including Lt. John F.
Kennedy. His actions made him a war hero.
1940
Vintage western belt buckle.
Herman Melville (born Melvill) (August 1, 1819 – September 28, 1891)
A towering figure in American literature, Herman Melville is the author of
several seafaring tales, including "Billy Budd, Sailor," "Typee," and "Moby
-Dick." He is also famous for shorter works such as "Bartleby, the Scrivener"
and "Benito Cereno."
Before fame, Melville worked as a surveyor for the Erie Canal before taking
a position on the crew of a New York ship headed for Liverpool. Later, he
sailed on the whaling ship Acushnet, an experience that inspired his
masterpiece novel, Moby-Dick.
On the morning of July 31, 1975, James Riddle Hoffa, one of the most
influential American labor leaders of the 20th century, was officially
reported missing after he failed to return home the previous night.
Though he is popularly believed to have been the victim of a Mafia hit,
conclusive evidence was never found and Hoffa’s fate remains a mystery.
Raymond William Stacy Burr
(May 21, 1917 – September 12, 1993)
Perry Mason is a legal drama series that originally aired on CBS – TV
from September 21, 1957, to May 22, 1966. It starred Raymond Burr as
Perry Mason, Barbara Hale as secretary Della Street, William Hopper
as private dective Paul Drake, William Talman as district attorney
Hamilton Burger, and Ray Collins as police Lt. Tragg.
Filming of the last episode (#271) of Perry Mason, "The Case of the
Final Fade-Out" (May, 22, 1966).
Perry Mason creator Erle Stanley Gardner made his sole appearance
as an actor, playing the judge presiding at the second trial. It was
Gail Patrick Jackson’s idea to give Gardner and other behind-the-
scenes members of the production crew a chance to appear in
uncredited cameos.
Erle Stanley Gardner
(July 17, 1889 – March 11, 1970)
