Today in History

Today in History

Today is Saturday, Aug. 10, the 222nd day of 2019. There are 143 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On August 10, 1993, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was sworn in as the second female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

On this date:

In 1861, Confederate forces routed Union troops in the Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri, the first major engagement of the Civil War west of the Mississippi River.

In 1921, Franklin D. Roosevelt was stricken with polio at his summer home on the Canadian island of Campobello.

In 1944, during World War II, American forces overcame remaining Japanese resistance on Guam.

In 1945, a day after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Imperial Japan conveyed its willingness to surrender provided the status of Emperor Hirohito remained unchanged. (The Allies responded the next day, saying they would determine the Emperor's future status.)

In 1969, Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were murdered in their Los Angeles home by members of Charles Manson's cult, one day after actress Sharon Tate and four other people were slain.

In 1975, television personality David Frost announced he had purchased the exclusive rights to interview former President Richard Nixon.

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a measure providing $20,000 payments to still-living Japanese-Americans who were interned by their government during World War II.

In 1991, nine Buddhists were found slain at their temple outside Phoenix, Arizona. (Two teen-agers were later arrested; one was sentenced to life in prison, while the other received 281 years.)

In 1995, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were charged with 11 counts in the Oklahoma City bombing (McVeigh was convicted of murder and executed; Nichols was convicted of conspiracy and involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to life in prison). Norma McCorvey, "Jane Roe" of the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, announced she had joined the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue.

In 2004, a boat carrying Dominican migrants seeking a better life in Puerto Rico drifted back to almost the same spot where the voyage began nearly two weeks earlier; at least 55 of the 86 people on board had died.

In 2006, British authorities announced they had thwarted a terrorist plot to simultaneously blow up 10 aircraft heading to the U.S. using explosives smuggled in hand luggage.

In 2008, at the Beijing Olympics, Michael Phelps began his long march toward eight gold medals by winning the 400-meter individual medley in 4:03.84 -- smashing his own world record. Soul crooner Isaac Hayes, 65, died in Memphis, Tennessee.

Ten years ago: A double truck bombing tore through the village of a small Shiite ethnic minority near Mosul, Iraq, killing at least 28 people. Country duo Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn posted a message on their Web site announcing they had agreed to "call it a day" after 20 years of making music together.

Five years ago: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki resisted calls for his resignation and accused the country's new president, Fouad Massoum, of violating the constitution (al-Maliki stepped down three days later). Rory McIlroy won his second straight major championship and fourth of his young career, rallying on the back nine in the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky.

One year ago: Richard Russell, a 29-year-old airline ground agent, stole a commercial plane from Sea-Tac International Airport near Seattle; he flew for 75 minutes, performing dangerous stunts while being chased by military jets before crashing into a remote island in Puget Sound, killing himself.

Today's Birthdays: Actress Rhonda Fleming is 96. Singer Ronnie Spector is 76. Actor James Reynolds is 73. Rock singer-musician Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) is 72. Country musician Gene Johnson (Diamond Rio) is 70. Singer Patti Austin is 69. Actor Daniel Hugh Kelly is 67. Folk singer-songwriter Sam Baker is 65. Actress Rosanna Arquette is 60. Actor Antonio Banderas is 59. Rock musician Jon Farriss (INXS) is 58. Singer Julia Fordham is 57. Journalist-blogger Andrew Sullivan is 56. Actor Chris Caldovino is 56. Singer Neneh Cherry is 55. Singer Aaron Hall is 55. Boxer Riddick Bowe is 52. Actor Sean Blakemore is 52. Rhythm-and-blues singer Lorraine Pearson (Five Star) is 52. Singer-producer Michael Bivins is 51. Actor-writer Justin Theroux is 48. Actress Angie Harmon is 47. Country singer Jennifer Hanson is 46. Actor-turned-lawyer Craig Kirkwood is 45. Actress JoAnna Garcia Swisher is 40. Singer Cary Ann Hearst (Shovels & Rope) is 40. Rhythm-and-blues singer Nikki Bratcher (Divine) is 39. Actor Aaron Staton is 39. Actor Ryan Eggold is 35. Actor Charley Koontz is 32. Actor Lucas Till is 29. Reality TV star Kylie Jenner is 22. Actor Jeremy Maguire is 8.

Thought for Today: "A man may fulfill the object of his existence by asking a question he cannot answer, and attempting a task he cannot achieve." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes, American author (1809-1894).