Today in History

Today is Tuesday, July 9, the 190th day of 2013. There are 175 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 9, 1943, during World War II, the Allies launched Operation Husky, their invasion of Sicily, with nighttime landings of American and British troops; a full-scale incursion by sea began in the small hours of July 10. (More than a month later, the Allies secured the island from the Axis.)

On this date:

In 1540, England's King Henry VIII had his 6-month-old marriage to his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, annulled.

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read aloud to Gen. George Washington's troops in New York.

In 1816, Argentina declared independence from Spain.

In 1850, the 12th president of the United States, Zachary Taylor, died after serving only 16 months of his term. (He was succeeded by Millard Fillmore.)

In 1896, William Jennings Bryan delivered his famous "cross of gold" speech at the Democratic national convention in Chicago.

In 1918, 101 people were killed in a train collision in Nashville, Tenn. The Distinguished Service Cross was established by an Act of Congress.

In 1938, Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Cardozo died in Port Chester, N.Y., at age 68.

In 1953, the MGM movie musical "The Band Wagon," starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse, had its world premiere at New York's Radio City Music Hall.

In 1962, pop artist Andy Warhol's exhibit of 32 paintings of Campbell's soup cans opened at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles.

In 1974, former U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren died in Washington, D.C., at age 83.

In 1986, the Attorney General's Commission on Pornography released the final draft of its report, which linked hard-core porn to sex crimes.

In 1992, Democrat Bill Clinton tapped Tennessee Sen. Al Gore to be his running mate. Former CBS News commentator Eric Sevareid died in Washington at age 79.

Ten years ago: The Bush administration defended the war against Iraq, saying that information on Saddam Hussein's alleged illicit weapons programs was solid even though one of President George W. Bush's claims -- that Iraq had sought uranium from Africa -- was based on faulty evidence.

Five years ago: Citing new DNA tests, prosecutors cleared JonBenet Ramsey's parents and brother in the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old beauty queen in Boulder, Colo. Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, battling a brain tumor, walked into the Senate to cast a dramatic vote in favor of long-stalled Medicare legislation. Iran test-fired nine missiles, including ones capable of hitting Israel. Gunmen stormed a guard post at the U.S. consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, touching off a firefight that killed three police officers and three assailants.

One year ago: Facing sagging jobs numbers, President Barack Obama sought to recast the November election as a fight over tax fairness, urging tax cut extensions for all families earning less than $250,000 but denying them to households making more than that. The remains of 6 U.S. airmen lost over Laos in 1965 were laid to rest in a single casket at Arlington National Cemetery. Detroit's Prince Fielder became only the second player, after Ken Griffey Jr., to win multiple titles in the All-Star Home Run Derby, thrilling the crowd at Kauffman Stadium with eight splash shots into the right-field fountain and beating Toronto's Jose Bautista 12-7 in the final.

Today's Birthdays: Actor-singer Ed Ames is 86. Former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is 81. Neurologist and author Oliver Sacks is 80. Actor James Hampton is 77. Actor Brian Dennehy is 75. Actor Richard Roundtree is 71. Author Dean Koontz is 68. Football Hall-of-Famer O.J. Simpson is 66. Actor Chris Cooper is 62. TV personality John Tesh is 61. Country singer David Ball is 60. Rhythm-and-blues singer Debbie Sledge (Sister Sledge) is 59. Actor Jimmy Smits is 58. Actress Lisa Banes is 58. Actor Tom Hanks is 57. Singer Marc Almond is 56. Actress Kelly McGillis is 56. Rock singer Jim Kerr (Simple Minds) is 54. Actress-rock singer Courtney Love is 49. Rock musician Frank Bello (Anthrax) is 48. Actor David O'Hara is 48. Rock musician Xavier Muriel (Buckcherry) is 45. Actor Scott Grimes is 42. Actor Enrique Murciano is 40. Musician/producer Jack White is 38. Rock musician Dan Estrin (Hoobastank) is 37. Actor-director Fred Savage is 37. Country musician Pat Allingham is 35. Actress Megan Parlen is 33. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kiely Williams (3lw) is 27. Actor Mitchel Musso is 22. Actress Georgie Henley is 18.

Thought for Today: "Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough." -- Mary McLeod Bethune, American educator and reformer (1875-1955).

Copyright 2013, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.