WORLD’S FIRST COMPUTER MADE PUBLIC ON THIS DATE IN 1946

eniac makers 
Left to right above are John W. Mauchly and John P. Eckert

ENIAC short for Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer, was the world’s
first general-purpose electronic computer. It was a digital computer capable of being reprogrammed to solve a full range of computing problems. ENIAC was designed to calculate artillery firing data for the U.S. Army’s Ballistic Research Laboratory. The computer was conceived and designed by John W. Mauchly and John P. Eckert
(photo above) of the University of Pennsylvania’s Moore School of Electrical
Engineering. The project was financed by the U.S. Army during World War ll.

ENIAC02
eniac_spl_416
ENIAC 
Above are photos of the ENIAC and programmers at the University of Pennsylvania

posted by Bob Karm in ANNIVERSARY,DEBUT,HISTORY,MILITARY,Science,TECHNICAL,WAR and have No Comments

AVIATION HISTORY ON THIS DATE IN 1911

eugene ely

ely behind the controls
Eugene B. Ely (above) made the first successful landing of an aircraft
on a floating vessel when he flew his Curtiss Pusher onto the deck of  
the USS Pennsylvania in San Francisco Bay. He was 24 years old.

first landing of aircraft on a ships deck in 1911
ely on deck
taking off from the deck

posted by Bob Karm in AIRCRAFT,ANNIVERSARY,HISTORY,MILITARY and have No Comments

AMERICAN STATESMAN BORN ON THIS DATE IN 1706

benfranklin main

Benjamin Franklin  was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author and printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove, and a carriage odometer. He formed both the first public lending library in America and the first fire department in Pennsylvania.  

book on elec by ben f.

cartoon by ben
A political cartoon by Franklin urged the colonies to join together during
the French and Indian War.

posted by Bob Karm in BIRTHDAY,HISTORY,HUMOR,LITERARY,POLITICAL,Science and have No Comments

RICHARD ‘DICK’ WINTERS DEAD AT 92

Richard winters

Richard “Dick” Winters, the Easy Company commander whose World War ll exploits were made famous by the book and television miniseries “Band of Brothers,” died last week in central Pennsylvania. He was 92.

According to a statement made by a longtime friend, Winters died following a several-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. (AP)

posted by Bob Karm in DEATH,HISTORY,LITERARY,MILITARY,TV and have No Comments

IT WAS ON THIS DATE IN 1777

the march to valley forge
valley forge
General George Washington lead his army of nearly 11,000 poorly
nourished and battle fatigued men to the Valley Forge military camp
of the Continental Army in Pennsylvania. The ill-equipped army spent 
the winter there during the Revolutionary War. At one point the supply shortages caused nearly 4,000 men to be listed as unfit for duty. About
half of these men died from sickness and disease.

valley forge today 
valleyforge5   
Valley Forge became a National Historical Park in 1976.

george w ashington's headqurters    
               George Washington’s headquarters

posted by Bob Karm in ANNIVERSARY,HISTORY,MILITARY,WAR and have No Comments