1976

Today in History 07/29 (Battle of Gravelines)

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Arc de Triomphe in Paris in 1856 (© SSPL/Getty Images)(1588) English spoil the Spanish Armada’s invasion plans
The Spanish Armada, a force of 130 ships and 20,000 soldiers bent on invading England and overthrowing its monarch Queen Elizabeth I, is cunningly repelled off the coast of France at Gravelines by England’s navy under commanders Lord Charles Howard and Sir Francis Drake.
The Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the center of Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly named Place de l’Étoile — the étoile or “star” of the juncture formed by its twelve radiating avenues.
Opened: 1836
Height: 164 feet (Architectural)
Architect: Jean Chalgrin
Architectural style: Neoclassicism

Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, Paris, France
Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile, Paris, France
wiki/Battle_of_Gravelines_(1558)
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(1588) English spoil the Spanish Armada’s invasion plans.
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1836 | France honors its war veterans with a triumphal arch in Paris
Standing 164 feet tall and 148 feet wide, Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, a neoclassical monument to the heroism of Revolutionary and Napoleonic War veterans, creates a breathtaking sight and will quickly become a favorite backdrop for struggles and celebrations in the City of Light.
1976 | ‘Son of Sam’ shootings begin, terrorizing New York City
Just after 1 AM in New York City’s Bronx borough, David Berkowitz approaches a car and shoots two teenage girls, killing one and wounding the other. He will continue his serial shooting spree for a year, killing five and injuring six more, sparking citywide paranoia before he’s arrested.
1981 | London’s royal wedding transfixes millions
Deemed the ‘wedding of the century,’ the nuptials between Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles are broadcast live to more than 700 million global viewers. Over 2,000 guests, including the groom’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, witness the vows at London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Today in History 07/29/17

Police photo of David Berkowitz, the 'Son of Sam' killer, circa 1977 (© NYPD/AP)(1976) Shootings begin, terrorizing New York City
Just after 1 AM in New York City's Bronx borough, David Berkowitz approaches a car and shoots two teenage girls, killing one and wounding the other. He will continue his serial shooting spree for a year, killing five and injuring six more, sparking citywide paranoia before he's arrested.
David Richard Berkowitz, known also as the Son of Sam and the.44 Caliber Killer, is an American serial killer who was convicted of eight separate shooting attacks that began in New York City during the summer of 1976. The crimes were perpetrated with a.44 caliber Bulldog revolver. He killed six people and wounded seven others by July 1977. As the number of victims increased, Berkowitz eluded the biggest police manhunt in the history of New York City while leaving letters that mocked the police and promised further crimes, which were highly publicized by the press. The killing spree terrorized New Yorkers and achieved worldwide notoriety.
Born: Jun 01, 1953 (age 64) · Brooklyn, NY
Height: 5' 8" (1.73 m)
Parents: Betty Broder · Joseph Kleinman
David Berkowitz
Highlights
  • 1953: Three years later she became pregnant with a child to whom she chose to give the surname Falco—Richard David Falco was born on June 1, 1953 in Brooklyn, New York.

  • 1977: Not until August 9, 1977, did NYPD detective James Justis telephone Yonkers police to ask them to schedule an interview with Berkowitz.

  • 1978: On June 12, 1978, Berkowitz was sentenced to 25-years-to-life in prison for each murder, to be served consecutively.

  • 2002: Before his first parole hearing in 2002, Berkowitz sent a letter to New York Governor George Pataki asking that it be canceled.

  • 2006: Neysa Moskowitz, who previously had not hidden her hatred of Berkowitz, wrote him a letter shortly before her own death in 2006, forgiving him for killing her daughter, Stacy.

  • 2006: In October 2006, Berkowitz and Harmatz settled out of court, with Harmatz agreeing to return the disputed items and to donate part of his book profits to the New York State Crime Victims Board.

wiki/David_Berkowitz
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Today in History 07/28 (Tangshan Earthquake)

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People work to clear up ruins after an earthquake in Tangshan, China, on July 28, 1976 (© Sovfoto/UIG via Getty Images)(1976) Devastating earthquake strikes Tangshan, China
At 3:24 AM an earthquake hits Tangshan, an industrial center in northeastern China. The magnitude 7.8 quake levels the city and will cause over 240,000 deaths and more than 160,000 serious injuries. China’s government will turn down offers of help from outside nations.
The 1976 Tangshan earthquake, also known as the Great Tangshan earthquake, was a natural disaster resulting from a magnitude 7.6 earthquake that hit the region around Tangshan on July 28, 1976, at 3:42 in the morning. In minutes the city of Tangshan, an industrial city with approximately one million inhabitants, ceased to exist. Eight-five percent of the buildings in the city collapsed or were unusable, all services failed, and most of the highway and railway bridges collapsed or were seriously damaged. At least 242,000 people died, making this the third deadliest earthquake in recorded history.
Fatalities: 242,769
Date: Jul 28, 1976
Areas affected: People’s Republic of China
Depth: A: 12.2 km B: 16.7 km
Casualties: 242,769–700,000 dead (3rd deadliest earthquake of modern history)

1976 Tangshan Earthquake
1976 Tangshan earthquake
wiki/1976_Tangshan_earthquake
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(1976) Devastating earthquake strikes Tangshan, China.
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1935 | Stalwart of Allied air power, Boeing B-17 ‘Flying Fortress’, takes its first flight
Boeing sends its new four-engine bomber on a test flight, and a reporter dubs the behemoth, fitted out with multiple machine guns, the ‘flying fortress.’ Before a decade is over, the B-17 bomber will live up to that nickname, with extensive service in the skies over Europe and the Pacific in World War II.
1996 | Prehistoric remains of ‘Kennewick Man’ found on banks of the Columbia
A Paleoamerican skull is accidentally discovered near the Columbia River in Washington, and later, archaeologists will recover most of the skeleton of ‘Kennewick Man’ and date it to around 9,000 years old. Controversy will erupt over his possible ancestry to local Native Americans.
2000 | Kathie Lee Gifford says goodbye to ‘Live!’
After 15 years of bantering with Regis Philbin, Gifford says goodbye to her co-host and their morning TV audience to pursue acting and singing opportunities. The show will continue, with Kelly Ripa taking Gifford’s spot.

Today in History 07/28/17

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in flight in 1944 (© Galerie Bilderwelt/Getty Images)(1935) Stalwart of Allied air power takes its first flight
Boeing sends its new four-engine bomber on a test flight, and a reporter dubs the behemoth, fitted out with multiple machine guns, the 'flying fortress.' Before a decade is over, the B-17 bomber will live up to that nickname, with extensive service in the skies over Europe and the Pacific in World War II.
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engine heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps. Competing against Douglas and Martin for a contract to build 200 bombers, the Boeing entry outperformed both competitors and exceeded the air corps' performance specifications. Although Boeing lost the contract because the prototype crashed, the air corps ordered 13 more B-17s for further evaluation. From its introduction in 1938, the B-17 Flying Fortress evolved through numerous design advances.
Maximum speed: 287.01 mph (461.90 km/h)
Length: 74' 4" (22.66 m)
Wingspan: 104 feet (31.60 m)
Passengers: 10
Retired: 1968
Manufacturer: Boeing
World operators of the B-17
Military operators of the B-17
Civil operators of the B-17
Civil operators of the B-17

wiki/Boeing_B-17_Flying_Fortress
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Today in History 07/20 (Apollo 11 / Moon Landing)

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In this July 20, 1969 file photo, Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, right, trudges across the surface of the moon (© AP)(1969) One giant leap for mankind as Armstrong walks on moon
NASA’s Apollo 11 Lunar Module lands 238,855 miles from Earth in the Sea of Tranquility and six hours later astronaut Neil Armstrong exits the vehicle, descends a short ladder, and becomes the first human to walk on the moon. Minutes later, astronaut Buzz Aldrin will join Armstrong on the surface. Millions back home tune in to the historic event.
Apollo 11 was the spaceflight that landed the first two people on the Moon. Mission commander Neil Armstrong and pilot Buzz Aldrin, both American, landed the lunar module Eagle on July 20, 1969, at 20:17 UTC. Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface six hours after landing on July 21 at 02:56:15 UTC; Aldrin joined him about 20 minutes later. They spent about two and a quarter hours together outside the spacecraft, and collected 47.5 pounds of lunar material to bring back to Earth. Michael Collins piloted the command module Columbia alone in lunar orbit while they were on the Moon’s surface. Armstrong and Aldrin spent 21.5 hours on the lunar surface before rejoining Columbia in lunar orbit.
Mission start: Jul 16, 1969
Mission end: Jul 24, 1969
Astronauts: Neil Armstrong · Buzz Aldrin · Michael Collins
Space program: Apollo program
Destination: Moon

Buzz salutes the U.S. Flag
Buzz Aldrin salutes the U.S flag on the Moon (mission time: 110:10:33). His fingertips are visible on the far side of his faceplate. Note the well-defined footprints in the foreground. Buzz is facing up-Sun. There is a reflection of the Sun in his visor. At the bottom of Buzz’s faceplate, note the white ‘rim’ which is slightly separated from his neckring. This ‘rim’ is the bottom of his gold visor, which he has pulled down. We can see the LEC straps hanging down inside of the ladder strut. In the foreground, we can see the foot-grabbing loops in the TV cable. The double crater under Neil’s LM window is just beyond the LM shadow.
wiki/Apollo_11
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(1969) One giant leap for mankind as Armstrong walks on moon.
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1944 | German conspirators target Hitler in ’20 July Plot’ and fail
Adolf Hitler is only slightly injured with a concussion and mild burns when a briefcase bomb detonates at the ‘Wolf’s Lair,’ his Eastern Front command post in Prussia. Conspirators in the assassination plot, most of them high-level German Army officers, will be captured and executed.
1976 | Mars receives its first successful manmade visitor, Viking 1
Exactly seven years to the day that humans first walked on the moon, NASA’s Viking 1 becomes the first manmade object to land on another planet and complete its mission. Just hours after touchdown, the lander got to work, capturing the first clear image of the Martian surface.
1989 | Aung San Suu Kyi, a force for Burmese democracy becomes a political prisoner
Having helped form the National League for Democracy the previous year, Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi is put under house arrest by her country’s ruling military junta, and will remain confined to her home on-and-off for 21 years. She will receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.

Today in History 07/20/17

The first color photograph taken on the surface of Mars, by the Viking 1 probe, July 20, 1976 (© MPI/Getty Images)(1976) Mars receives its first successful manmade visitor
Exactly seven years to the day that humans first walked on the moon, NASA's Viking 1 becomes the first manmade object to land on another planet and complete its mission. Just hours after touchdown, the lander got to work, capturing the first clear image of the Martian surface.
Viking 1 was the first of two spacecraft sent to Mars as part of NASA's Viking program. On July 20, 1976, it became the first spacecraft to land successfully on Mars and perform its mission. Viking 1 held the record for the longest Mars surface mission of 2307 days or 2245 sols until that record was broken by Opportunity on May 19, 2010.
Website: nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/viking.html
Manufacturer: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

wiki/Viking_1
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Today in History 07/18 (Nelson Mandela)

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Nelson Mandela (© Allan Tannenbaum/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images)(1918) A South African political icon is born
Rolihlahla Mandela, later given the name Nelson by a teacher, is born in Mvezo, South Africa. He will go on to become a lawyer and political activist, spending 27 years in prison for conspiring to overthrow the state, before serving as president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country’s first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by tackling institutionalised racism and fostering racial reconciliation. Ideologically an African nationalist and socialist, he served as President of the African National Congress party from 1991 to 1997.
Lived: Jul 18, 1918 – Dec 05, 2013 (age 95)
Height: 6′ 0″
Spouse: Graça Machel (m. 1998 – 2013) · Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (m. 1958 – 1996) · Evelyn Mase (m. 1944 – 1958)
Parties: African National Congress · South African Communist Party
Education: University of South Africa · University of the Witwatersrand (1943 – 1949) · University of Fort Hare (1939 – 1940) · University of London International Programmes · University of London · Healdtown Comprehensive School (1937 – 1939)
Founded: Umkhonto we Sizwe · Truth and Reconciliation Commission · African National Congress Youth League · The Elders

Nelson Mandela in Umtata at the age of 19
Photograph of young Mandela, taken in Umtata in 1937
wiki/Nelson_Mandela
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(1918) A South African political icon is born.
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1334 | First artist of the Renaissance, Giotto, begins work on a bell tower
Florence Cathedral needs a new campanile, or bell tower, and Italian artist Giotto di Bondone, famous for his paintings and frescoes, begins work on what will be a 277-foot structure made vibrant with geometric patterns of Carrara white, Prato green, and Siena red marble.
1927 | A ferocious batter, Ty Cobb, becomes the first to hit 4 grand
Once described as “daring to the point of dementia,” baseball player Ty Cobb has a surly reputation to match his spectacular play on the field, and now he adds to his legend by getting his 4,000th hit for a double off of his old Tigers teammate, pitcher Sam Gibson.
1976 | A Romanian gymnast, Comăneci, performs a flawless Olympic routine
Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci, 14, is rewarded for her Montreal Olympics uneven bars routine with the unprecedented score of a perfect 10. The first perfect score in modern Olympics history stuns the sports world and will catapult Comăneci to international fame.

Today in History 07/18/17

Curious onlookers inspect Sen. Ted Kennedy's car in July 1969, Chappaquiddick Island, MA (© AP)(1969) Senator Ted Kennedy drives off bridge and into scandal
Just after 11PM, Senator Ted Kennedy drives his colleague Mary Jo Kopechne away from a party near Martha's Vineyard, and about an hour later their car goes off a bridge and into a pond, where Kennedy escapes, but Kopechne does not. The ensuing scandal will be blamed for hindering Kennedy's presidential ambitions.
The Chappaquiddick incident was a single-vehicle car accident on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts, on July 18, 1969, that was the result of U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy's negligence and resulted in the death of his 28-year-old companion, Mary Jo Kopechne, who was trapped inside the vehicle.
Date: Jul 18, 1969

Map of Chappaquiddick
wiki/Chappaquiddick_incident
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Today in History 11/18/17

Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez and his wife, Ambaro, cast their votes in 1977 in the first free elections in Spain (© Saris/AP)(1976) Spain’s parliament approves bill to establish a democracy
A year after the death of Fascist dictator Francisco Franco, Spain’s parliament members essentially vote themselves out of office, approving a bill to transition to democracy by allowing elections and the creation of a two-chamber parliament. The bill will later be approved by public referendum.
The Spanish transition to democracy (Spanish: Transición española a la democracia), or simply the Transition (Spanish: La Transición) was the restoration of democracy in Spain after the death of Francisco Franco in 1975. The transition began shortly after Franco’s death on 20 November 1975, while its completion has been variously said to be marked by the Spanish Constitution of 1978, the failure of an attempted coup on 23 February 1981, or the electoral victory of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) on 28 October 1982. Though faced with political and economic crises at the time, the transition to democracy was one of the factors that allowed Spain to join the European Economic Community and NATO.
Political posters from the 1970s on a simulated street wall in an exhibition celebrating 20 years of the Spanish Constitution of 1978.
Political posters in an exhibition celebrating 20 years of the Spanish Constitution of 1978.

wiki/Spanish_transition_to_democracy
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