Today in History

Today is Friday, Nov. 2, the 307th day of 2012. There are 59 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Nov. 2, 1962, President John F. Kennedy delivered a brief statement to the nation in which he said that aerial photographs had confirmed that Soviet missile bases in Cuba were being dismantled, and that "progress is now being made toward the restoration of peace in the Caribbean."

On this date:

In 1783, Gen. George Washington issued his Farewell Orders to the Armies of the United States near Princeton, N.J.

In 1795, the 11th president of the United States, James Knox Polk, was born in Mecklenburg County, N.C.

In 1865, the 29th president of the United States, Warren Gamaliel Harding, was born near Marion, Ohio.

In 1889, North Dakota and South Dakota became the 39th and 40th states.

In 1917, British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour issued a declaration expressing support for a "national home" for the Jews in Palestine.

In 1936, the British Broadcasting Corp. inaugurated "high-definition" television service from Alexandra Palace in London.

In 1947, Howard Hughes piloted his huge wooden flying boat, the Hughes H-4 Hercules (derisively dubbed the "Spruce Goose" by detractors), on its only flight, which lasted about a minute over Long Beach Harbor in California.

In 1948, President Harry S. Truman surprised the experts by winning a narrow upset over Republican challenger Thomas E. Dewey.

In 1959, former game show contestant Charles Van Doren admitted to a House subcommittee that he'd been given questions and answers in advance when he appeared on NBC's "Twenty-One."

In 1963, South Vietnamese President Ngo Dihn Diem was assassinated in a military coup.

In 1979, black militant JoAnne Chesimard escaped from a New Jersey prison, where she'd been serving a life sentence for the 1973 slaying of New Jersey state trooper Werner Foerster. (Chesimard, who took the name Assata Shakur, is believed to be living in Cuba.)

In 1992, movie producer Hal Roach died in Los Angeles at age 100.

Ten years ago: President George W. Bush called Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein a "dangerous man" with links to terrorist networks, and said that U.N. inspections for weapons of mass destruction were critical.

Five years ago: Speaking at a graduation ceremony at Fort Jackson, S.C., President George W. Bush said U.S. military deaths had fallen to their lowest levels in 19 months and the Iraqi people were slowly "taking back their country" in the wake of the American troop buildup there. Michael Mukasey drew closer to becoming attorney general after two key Senate Democrats, Charles Schumer and Dianne Feinstein, said they would vote for him despite his refusal to say whether waterboarding was torture. Choreographer Igor Moiseyev, who transformed folk dance into a legitimate art, died in Moscow at age 101.

One year ago: The Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to some 19,000 Japanese-Americans who'd served in the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service.

Today's Birthdays: Rhythm-and-blues singer Earl "Speedo" Carroll (The Cadillacs; The Coasters) is 75. Singer Jay Black (Jay and the Americans) is 74. Political commentator Patrick Buchanan is 74. Actress Stefanie Powers is 70. Author Shere Hite is 70. Rock musician Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake and Palmer) is 68. Country-rock singer-songwriter J.D. Souther is 67. Actress Kate Linder is 65. Rock musician Carter Beauford (The Dave Matthews Band) is 55. Singer-songwriter k.d. lang is 51. Rock musician Bobby Dall (Poison) is 49. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage is 48. Actress Lauren Velez is 48. Actor David Schwimmer is 46. Christian/jazz singer Alvin Chea (Take 6) is 45. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is 45. Rock musician Fieldy is 43. Rock singer-musician John Hampson (Nine Days) is 41. Rhythm-and-blues singer Timothy Christian Riley (Tony Toni Tone) is 38. Rapper Nelly is 38. Prodigy (Mobb Deep) is 38. Actor Danny Cooksey is 37. Rock musician Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie) is 37. Country singer Erika Jo ("Nashville Star") is 26. Actor-singer Kendall Schmidt is 22.

Thought for Today: "Drop the question what tomorrow may bring, and count as profit every day that Fate allows you." -- Horace, Roman poet (65 B.C.-8 B.C.)

Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.