Today in History

Today is Saturday, July 9, the 190th day of 2022. There are 175 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On July 9, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read aloud to Gen. George Washington's troops in New York.

On this date:

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

In 1937, a fire at 20th Century Fox's film storage facility in Little Ferry, New Jersey, destroyed most of the studio's silent films.

In 1943, during World War II, the Allies launched Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily.

In 1944, during World War II, American forces secured Saipan as the last Japanese defenses fell.

In 1947, the engagement of Britain's Princess Elizabeth to Lt. Philip Mountbatten was announced.

In 1965, the Sonny & Cher single "I Got You Babe" was released by ATCO Records.

In 1982, Pan Am Flight 759, a Boeing 727, crashed in Kenner, Louisiana, shortly after takeoff from New Orleans International Airport, killing all 145 people aboard and eight people on the ground.

In 2004, a Senate Intelligence Committee report concluded the CIA had provided unfounded assessments of the threat posed by Iraq that the Bush administration had relied on to justify going to war.

In 2010, the largest U.S.-Russia spy swap since the Cold War was completed on a remote stretch of Vienna airport tarmac as planes from New York and Moscow arrived within minutes of each other with 10 Russian sleeper agents and four prisoners accused by Russia of spying for the West.

In 2015, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley relegated the Confederate flag to the state's "relic room" after the legislature passed a measure removing the flag from the grounds of the Statehouse in the wake of the slaughter of nine African-Americans at a church Bible study.

In 2018, President Donald Trump chose Brett Kavanaugh, a solidly conservative, politically connected federal appeals court judge, for the Supreme Court to fill the seat left vacant by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy. (Kavanaugh would be confirmed in October after a contentious nomination fight.)

In 2020, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio used a roller to help paint "Black Lives Matter" in front of President Donald Trump's namesake Manhattan tower. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of a New York prosecutor's demands for Trump's tax records.

Ten years 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 six 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.

Five years ago: A cease-fire arranged by the United States, Russia and Jordan took effect in three war-torn provinces of southern Syria. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi celebrated with Iraqi troops in Mosul after they drove Islamic State militants from some of their last strongholds.

One year ago: Relaxing its COVID-19 guidelines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said vaccinated teachers and students did not need to wear masks inside school buildings. The White House said President Joe Biden told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call that Putin must "take action" against cybercriminals in his country, and that the U.S. reserved the right to "defend its people and its critical infrastructure" from future attacks.

Today's Birthdays: Actor-singer Ed Ames is 95. Actor Richard Roundtree is 80. Singer Dee Dee Kenniebrew (The Crystals) is 77. Author Dean Koontz is 77. Football Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson is 75. Actor Chris Cooper is 71. TV personality John Tesh is 70. Country singer David Ball is 69. Business executive/TV personality Kevin O'Leary (TV: "Shark Tank") is 68. R&B singer Debbie Sledge (Sister Sledge) is 68. Actor Jimmy Smits is 67. Actor Tom Hanks is 66. Singer Marc Almond is 65. Actor Kelly McGillis is 65. Rock singer Jim Kerr (Simple Minds) is 63. Actor-rock singer Courtney Love is 58. Rock musician Frank Bello (Anthrax) is 57. Actor David O'Hara is 57. Actor Pamela Adlon is 56. Actor Scott Grimes is 51. Actor Enrique Murciano is 49. Rock singer-musician Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse) is 47. Musician/producer Jack White is 47. Rock musician Dan Estrin (Hoobastank) is 46. Actor-director Fred Savage is 46. Actor Linda Park is 44. Actor Megan Parlen is 42. R&B singer Kiely Williams (3lw) is 36. Actor Mitchel Musso is 31. Actor Georgie Henley is 27.