Today in History

Today is Friday, June 14, the 165th day of 2019. There are 200 days left in the year. This is Flag Day.

Today's Highlight in History:

On June 14, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a measure adding the phrase "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance.

On this date:

In 1775, the Continental Army, forerunner of the United States Army, was created.

In 1777, the Second Continental Congress approved the design of the original American flag.

In 1940, German troops entered Paris during World War II; the same day, the Nazis began transporting prisoners to the Auschwitz (OWSH'-vitz) concentration camp in German-occupied Poland.

In 1943, the U.S. Supreme Court, in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, ruled 6-3 that public school students could not be forced to salute the flag of the United States.

In 1968, Dr. Benjamin Spock and three other peace activists were convicted in Boston of conspiring to encourage young men to evade the draft during the Vietnam War. (The verdicts were later overturned by an appeals court.) The Iron Butterfly single "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" was released by Atco Records.

In 1982, Argentine forces surrendered to British troops on the disputed Falkland Islands.

In 1985, the 17-day hijack ordeal of TWA Flight 847 began as a pair of Lebanese Shiite Muslim extremists seized the jetliner shortly after takeoff from Athens, Greece.

In 1986, death claimed Broadway librettist Alan Jay Lerner in New York at age 67; Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges in Geneva at age 86; and "Wild Kingdom" host Marlin Perkins in suburban St. Louis at age 81.

In 1990, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld, 6-3, police checkpoints that examined drivers for signs of intoxication.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1999, About 15,000 NATO peacekeepers spread out across Kosovo, including a convoy of about 1,200 U.S. Marines.

In 2017, a rifle-wielding gunman opened fire on Republican lawmakers at a congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, wounding House Whip Steve Scalise and several others; the assailant died in a battle with police. Fire ripped through the 24-story Grenfell Tower in West London, killing 71 people.

Ten years ago: The Los Angeles Lakers won their 15th championship, beating the Orlando Magic 99-86 in Game 5 of the NBA finals. Anna Nordqvist shot a 4-under par 68 to become the second rookie in a row to win the LPGA Championship. Bob Bogle, 75, lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock band The Ventures, died in Vancouver, Washington.

Five years ago: President Barack Obama forced union workers in Philadelphia's commuter rail strike to return to the job, granting Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett's request to create a presidential emergency board to mediate the contract dispute. Pro-Russia separatists shot down a Ukrainian transport plane, killing all 49 people on board. Afghans braved threats of violence and searing heat to vote in a presidential runoff (Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai was eventually declared the winner).

One year ago: A Justice Department watchdog report on the FBI's handling of the Hillary Clinton email probe criticized the FBI and its former director, James Comey, but did not find evidence that political bias tainted the investigation. AT&T and Time Warner completed their merger, one of the biggest media deals ever, two days after a federal judge approved the combination. Betting on professional sports became legal in New Jersey; the state had fought for eight years against a federal law that limited sports betting to Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregon. Attorney General Jeff Sessions cited the Bible in defending the border policy that was separating children from parents; he said the Apostle Paul had commanded that the laws of government should be obeyed because "God has ordained them for the purpose of order."

Today's Birthdays: Actress Marla Gibbs is 88. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., is 80. Country-rock musician Spooner Oldham is 76. Rock singer Rod Argent (The Zombies; Argent) is 74. President Donald Trump is 73. Singer Janet Lennon (The Lennon Sisters) is 73. Rock musician Barry Melton is 72. Rock musician Alan White (Yes) is 70. Actor Eddie Mekka is 67. Actor Will Patton is 65. Olympic gold medal speed skater Eric Heiden is 61. Jazz musician Marcus Miller is 60. Singer Boy George is 58. Rock musician Chris DeGarmo is 56. Actress Traylor Howard is 53. Actress Yasmine Bleeth is 51. Actor Faizon Love is 51. Actor Stephen Wallem is 51. International Tennis Hall of Famer Steffi Graf is 50. Actor Sullivan Stapleton is 42. Screenwriter Diablo Cody is 41. Actor Lawrence Saint-Victor is 37. Actor Torrance Coombs is 36. Actor J.R. Martinez is 36. Actor-singer Kevin McHale is 31. Actress Lucy Hale is 30. Pop singer Jesy Nelson (Little Mix) is 28. Country singer Joel Crouse is 27. Actor Daryl Sabara is 27.

Thought for Today: "The flag of the United States has not been created by rhetorical sentences in declarations of independence and in bills of rights. It has been created by the experience of a great people, and nothing is written upon it that has not been written by their life. It is the embodiment, not of a sentiment, but of a history." -- President Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), in an address delivered on June 14, 1915.