What is heroic?
I don't know that Sgt Bowe Bergdahl is NOT a hero. I don't know that he is. The jury is out. The evidence in terms of statements made by members of his unit is certainly suggestive that he left his unit without authority. That is almost certainly a crime under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, be it AWOL or Desertion.
But this is still the United States of America, where everyone has the presumption of innocence. So while I certainly understand those who are upset (and I'm one of them, BTW) that people were calling his service "heroic"; I don't see why our anger should be stopping his hometown from wanting to extend a welcome home to him. Calling his hometown's city hall and screaming obscenities, making threats and the like are not appropriate. Showing up and protesting would be. And if Haily, Idaho feels it isn't equipped to handle those protests, then cancelling the welcome home soiree is probably a good idea.
Going AWOL and/or deserting is not acceptable, particularly in the face of the enemy in a time of war. But we need to let the military investigate Sgt Bergdahl and determine what action, if any, is warranted.
I'm reminded of the Iran Hostage crisis and the story of another young Army sergeant. Joseph Subic was assigned to the Embassy in Iran in a desk job. There are confirmed reports that he identified his fellow hostages to their captors by giving them their full names and actual positions in the Embassy. Subic was the only military member held hostage who was not decorated for his conduct during the time he was held hostage. In fact, General Edward C. Meyer (Army Chief of Staff during the crisis) told one of the freed hostages, and writer Tim Wells (author of 444 Days) that he had wanted to court-martial Subic, but orders from "the top" said to let the matter drop.
That may or may not happen in the case of Sgt Bowe Bergdahl. But until there is an investigation, he retains that presumption of innocence.
* * *
Meanwhile, Susan Rice is proving she's a dunderhead. On Sunday she said that Bergdahl had "...served with honor and distinction." In defending those comments today she said "But what I was referring to was that this was a young man who volunteered to serve his country at a time of war. That in and of itself is a very honorable thing."
True enough. The choice to volunteer is indeed honorable. But that's not the same as serving honorably. By Rice's definition, William Calley served with honor and distinction. As did Chelsea Manning. Former Major Nidal Hassan volunteered to serve in uniform during a time of war. Was his mass murder at Fort Hood serving honorably? Remember Lynndie England, who tortured prisoners at Abu Graib? Was her service honorable? Apparently not, since she was dishonorably discharged.
We know that Bergdahl enlisted of his own volition. How he actually served is still to be determined.
* * *
Now let's talk about real heroes, and truly heroic actions. Today is the 70th anniversary of D-Day. It was named Operation Neptune, while the name of the actual invasion and conquest of Normandy was Operation Overlord.
156,000 Allied soldiers were involved in the invasion of the beaches at Normandy. They suffered over 14,000 casualties, with 4,414 confirmed dead. I've always been surprised that the death toll wasn't higher, given the daunting conditions the invaders faced on those beaches.
Did you know that President Theodore Roosevelt, himself a recipient of the Medal of Honor had a son? Theodore Roosevelt III (commonly referred to as "Ted" or "Theodore Roosevelt Jr.") was a Brigadier General on June 6, 1944. He had to put in his request to accompany the invaders three times before it was approved. For his actions on that beach and beyond, on that day, General Roosevelt was awarded the Medal of Honor. He died of a heart attack before it could be presented.
Thousands and thousands of young men, knowing they were risking death, walked onto the landing craft and then stormed those five beaches. This was a heroic act. Let us never forget these heroes who are being rapidly lost to history.
And major kudos to Jim "Pee Wee" Martin. The 93 year old was a member of the 101st Airborne Division on D-Day and he jumped into Normandy 70 years ago today. To commemorate the 70th anniversary, he suited up and parachuted into Normandy again, at his advanced age. Amazing and awe-inspiring. Mr. Martin you may feel humbled and the like by the adulation, but you deserve all of it. Well done. Thank you for your service.
* * *
The tabloids are reporting that Demi Moore's long-time friendship with Madonna has ended, due to Ashton Kutcher having "stolen" Madonna's manager as a friend. It raises a question that I've had to deal with, and seen how others deal with. Who gets the friends and relationships with professionals in a divorce?
I do taxes for couples and when they split, it can become a conflict of interest for me to represent both of them from that point forward. So who gets the tax pro? Usually the one who had the relationship first, if that's possible to determine. If both people are willing and sign a waiver regarding the potential for conflict of interest, they can both use the same professional; but the risks of a conflict make that risky on the pro's part. Is it easy to use the same doctors as your ex, knowing that you should be able to rely on the confidentiality of the doctor-patient relationship? I was friends with my second wife's OB/Gyn. She changed doctors. I don't know if that was because she moved, or changed jobs (her new health plan might not have had my friend as a preferred provider) or what.
Friendships are even more tricky. Now when it came to the man my second wife was having the affair with, it was pretty clear my friendship with him wasn't going to survive the divorce. I got some of the mutual friends. She got some. Some we continued to share, although that made life hard for them at times. Tough to plan a social gathering when you have to decide which member of a former couple to invite and which to not invite. Especially if inviting one member means that someone in another couple will be angry that you chose that one instead of the one they are still close with.
The property settlements can get weird. Arguing over a beloved pet. I faced that problem, but with the helpful wisdom of my new girlfriend, that was easily handled. I bought the soon to be ex-wife her own dog. My ex wanted the big fancy microwave oven her father had bought for her when she'd first moved into her own place. I had no attachment to it. I went and bought a small counter-top microwave. Then she asked me to trade with her because her new place didn't have the space for the big one.
Music CDs were still fairly new when we split and the one CD player we had was hers. I'd bought it for her as a gift. So naturally she should have taken it. But why did she take the CDs that were mine? She didn't like those groups. I never did figure out why she took the binoculars I bought for myself. It was easier to just go buy a new pair.
Ultimately when you combine two people and their property into a relationship like that, there is always a chance the time will come to "consciously uncouple" and it isn't easy. I will almost certainly never face that problem again. But if I do, I hope I can be generous. It's just stuff when it comes to the things. The relationships however, are precious.
* * *
The primary reason we were given for the change to California's new primary system, where the two candidates who get the most votes in the primary compete in a run-off, was to make a fairer system. Fairer in light of the fact that while there are a number of political parties, the only two that really have any impact are the Republicans and the Democrats. In the recent primary, the candidates who weren't Republicans or Democrats split 4.8% of the vote amongst themselves. It was 4.7% in the race for Lieutenant Governor, 5.6% in the contest to be Controller, and 5.5% in the Attorney General primary. In the Secretary of State contest, the total was much higher. 11.9%, mostly due to the presence of Daniel Schnur, a well-respected, long-time figure in California politics. As a "declined to state party preference candidate, he pulled 9% of the votes (including mine).
Were the contests any different as a result of the change in primary? Not really. In a state where party affiliation definitely favors Democrats, most statewide offices will be won in November's general election by members of that party. However, the race for L. A. County Supervisor in the 3rd District will come down to a runoff between two popular Democrats. In the past, since neither of those two got a clear 50% majority of the votes, there would have been a Democratic party primary runoff to determine who would be on the ballot in November. Instead, they will be the only two competing at that time.
At least this new system is more efficient. Is it fairer? Too soon to tell.
* * *
Random Ponderings:
How embarrassing it is for the Secret Service for someone to have snapped a photo of President Obama working out? Very.
I think we should be more forgiving of the people who blow easy puzzles on Wheel of Fortune. It's easy to talk when you're sitting in your living room without the pressure of the bright lights and the studio audience.
Dave Coulier can't decide if he is or isn't the focus of the Alanis Morrissette song "You Oughta Know" and Alanis isn't talking. I doubt he's the one.
Let's not forget that the paparazzo that Jonah Hill shouted that gay slur at had been baiting and harassing him for hours.
Sara Blakely, the genius behind Spanx wanted a job at Walt Disney World as Goofy, but she was too short. Wonder if she'd been taller if she might have never come up with her wildly successful innovation?
If the Navy wants to ban the sale of tobacco at land bases in the U.S. where sailors and marines can buy cigarettes elsewhere, fine. But not on ships and not at overseas bases, where American cigarettes aren't available from alternative sources as similar pricing.
There's no need to remake "The Magnificent Seven" and even if there was, Denzel Washington isn't the right actor to build the title group around. He's 59. In the original cast, none of the "seven" were over 45, and in fact, six were 40 or younger. Now if Denzel wants to play "Calvera" that might be very interesting.
June 6th in History:
1508 – Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friuli by Venetian troops
1513 – Italian Wars: Battle of Novara. Swiss troops defeat the French under Louis de la Tremoille, forcing the French to abandon Milan. Duke Massimiliano Sforza is restored.
1523 – Gustav Vasa, the Swedish regent, is elected King of Sweden, marking a symbolic end to the Kalmar Union. This is the Swedish national day.
1586 – Francis Drake's forces raid St. Augustine in Spanish Florida.
1644 – The Qing dynasty Manchu forces led by the Shunzhi Emperor capture Beijing during the collapse of the Ming dynasty.
1654 – Queen Christina abdicates the Swedish throne and is succeeded by her cousin Charles X Gustav.
1674 – Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire, is crowned.
1683 – The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England, opens as the world's first university museum.
1752 – A devastating fire destroys one-third of Moscow, including 18,000 homes.
1762 – British forces begin a siege of Havana and temporarily capture the city in the Battle of Havana.
1808 – Napoleon's brother, Joseph Bonaparte, is crowned King of Spain.
1809 – Sweden promulgates a new Constitution, which restores political power to the Riksdag of the Estates after 20 years of enlightened absolutism. At the same time, Charles XIII is elected to succeed Gustav IV Adolf as King of Sweden.
1813 – War of 1812: Battle of Stoney Creek – A British force of 700 under John Vincent defeats an American force twice its size under William Winder and John Chandler.
1822 – Alexis St. Martin is accidentally shot in the stomach, leading to William Beaumont's studies on digestion.
1832 – The June Rebellion in Paris is put down by the National Guard.
1833 – Andrew Jackson becomes the first U.S. President to ride on a train.
1844 – The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) is founded in London.
1857 – Sophia of Nassau marries the future King Oscar II of Sweden–Norway.
1859 – Australia: Queensland is established as a separate colony from New South Wales (Queensland Day).
1862 – American Civil War: Battle of Memphis – Union forces capture Memphis, Tennessee, from the Confederates.
1882 – More than 100,000 inhabitants of Bombay are killed when a cyclone in the Arabian Sea pushes huge waves into the harbour.
1882 – The Shewan forces of Menelik II of Ethiopia defeat the Gojjame army in the Battle of Embabo. The Shewans capture Negus Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam, and their victory leads to a Shewan hegemony over the territories south of the Abay River.
1889 – The Great Seattle Fire destroys all of downtown Seattle.
1892 – The Chicago 'L' commuter rail system begins operation
1894 – Governor Davis H. Waite orders the Colorado state militia to protect and support the miners engaged in the Cripple Creek miners' strike.
1909 – French troops capture Abéché (in modern-day Chad) and install a puppet sultan in the Ouaddai Empire.
1912 – The eruption of Novarupta in Alaska begins. It is the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century.
1918 – World War I: Battle of Belleau Wood – The U.S. Marine Corps suffers its worst single day's casualties while attempting to recapture the wood at Château-Thierry.
1919 – The Republic of Prekmurje ends.
1921 – Southwark Bridge in London is opened to traffic by King George V and Queen Mary.
1932 – The Revenue Act of 1932 is enacted, creating the first gas tax in the United States, at a rate of 1 cent per US gallon (1⁄4¢/L) sold.
1933 – The first drive-in theater opens, in Camden, New Jersey, United States.
1934 – New Deal: the U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Securities Act of 1933 into law, establishing the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
1939 – Judge Joseph Force Crater, known as the "Missingest Man in New York", is declared legally dead.
1942 – World War II: Battle of Midway. U.S. Navy dive bombers sink the Japanese cruiser Mikuma and four Japanese carriers.
1944 – World War II: the Battle of Normandy begins. D-Day, code named Operation Overlord, commences with the landing of 155,000 Allied troops on the beaches of Normandy in France. The allied soldiers quickly break through the Atlantic Wall and push inland in the largest amphibious military operation in history.
1946 – The National Basketball Association is created with eleven teams.
1964 – Under a temporary order, the rocket launches at Cuxhaven, Germany are terminated. They never resume.
1968 – Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy: Robert F. Kennedy, Democratic Party senator from New York and brother of 35th President John F. Kennedy, dies from gunshot wounds inflicted on June 5.
1971 – Soyuz program: Soyuz 11 is launched.
1971 – A midair collision between a Hughes Airwest Douglas DC-9 jetliner and a United States Marine Corps McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II jet fighter near Duarte, California, claims 50 lives.
1971 – Vietnam War: the Battle of Long Khanh between Australian and Vietnamese communist forces begins.
1974 – A new Instrument of Government is promulgated making Sweden a parliamentary monarchy.
1981 – Bihar train disaster: a passenger train travelling between Mansi and Saharsa, India, jumps the tracks at a bridge crossing the Bagmati river. The government places the official death toll at 268 plus another 300 missing; however, it is generally believed that the death toll is closer to 1,000.
1982 – The 1982 Lebanon War begins. Forces under Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon invade southern Lebanon during Operation Peace for the Galilee, eventually reaching as far north as the capital Beirut.
1982 – A British Army Air Corps Gazelle helicopter is destroyed in a friendly fire incident, resulting in the loss of four lives.
1984 – Tetris, one of the best-selling video games of all time, is released.
1985 – The grave of "Wolfgang Gerhard" is opened in Embu, Brazil; the exhumed remains are later proven to be those of Josef Mengele, Auschwitz's "Angel of Death". Mengele is thought to have drowned while swimming in February 1979.
1992 – The Fantoft Stave Church in Norway is destroyed by Varg Vikernes. This was the first in a string of church arsons in the Early Norwegian black metal scene
1993 – Mongolia holds its first direct presidential elections.
1997 – Prom Mom incident: While attending her senior prom in Lacey Township, New Jersey, Melissa Drexler gives birth in a bathroom stall, leaves the baby to die in a trash can and then returns to the prom.
2002 – Eastern Mediterranean event. A near-Earth asteroid estimated at ten meters in diameter explodes over the Mediterranean Sea between Greece and Libya. The resulting explosion is estimated to have a force of 26 kilotons, slightly more powerful than the Nagasaki atomic bomb.
2004 – Tamil is established as a "classical language" by the President of India, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, in a joint sitting of the two houses of the Indian Parliament.
2005 – In Gonzales v. Raich, the United States Supreme Court upholds a federal law banning cannabis, including medical marijuana.
Famous Folk Born on this Date:
Nathan Hale
John Trumbull
Alexander Pushkin
David T. Abercrombie
Thomas Mann
Ted Lewis
Bill Dickey
Kirk Kerkorian
Eli Broad
Roy Innis
Gary U. S. Bonds
Eddie Giacomin
Alexander Cockburn
Robert Englund
Sandra Bernhard
Bjorn Borg
Jimmy Jam
Colin Quinn
Eric Cantor
Paul Giamatti
Uncle Kracker
Staci Keanan
Judith Barsi
Shannon Stewart
But this is still the United States of America, where everyone has the presumption of innocence. So while I certainly understand those who are upset (and I'm one of them, BTW) that people were calling his service "heroic"; I don't see why our anger should be stopping his hometown from wanting to extend a welcome home to him. Calling his hometown's city hall and screaming obscenities, making threats and the like are not appropriate. Showing up and protesting would be. And if Haily, Idaho feels it isn't equipped to handle those protests, then cancelling the welcome home soiree is probably a good idea.
Going AWOL and/or deserting is not acceptable, particularly in the face of the enemy in a time of war. But we need to let the military investigate Sgt Bergdahl and determine what action, if any, is warranted.
I'm reminded of the Iran Hostage crisis and the story of another young Army sergeant. Joseph Subic was assigned to the Embassy in Iran in a desk job. There are confirmed reports that he identified his fellow hostages to their captors by giving them their full names and actual positions in the Embassy. Subic was the only military member held hostage who was not decorated for his conduct during the time he was held hostage. In fact, General Edward C. Meyer (Army Chief of Staff during the crisis) told one of the freed hostages, and writer Tim Wells (author of 444 Days) that he had wanted to court-martial Subic, but orders from "the top" said to let the matter drop.
That may or may not happen in the case of Sgt Bowe Bergdahl. But until there is an investigation, he retains that presumption of innocence.
* * *
Meanwhile, Susan Rice is proving she's a dunderhead. On Sunday she said that Bergdahl had "...served with honor and distinction." In defending those comments today she said "But what I was referring to was that this was a young man who volunteered to serve his country at a time of war. That in and of itself is a very honorable thing."
True enough. The choice to volunteer is indeed honorable. But that's not the same as serving honorably. By Rice's definition, William Calley served with honor and distinction. As did Chelsea Manning. Former Major Nidal Hassan volunteered to serve in uniform during a time of war. Was his mass murder at Fort Hood serving honorably? Remember Lynndie England, who tortured prisoners at Abu Graib? Was her service honorable? Apparently not, since she was dishonorably discharged.
We know that Bergdahl enlisted of his own volition. How he actually served is still to be determined.
* * *
Now let's talk about real heroes, and truly heroic actions. Today is the 70th anniversary of D-Day. It was named Operation Neptune, while the name of the actual invasion and conquest of Normandy was Operation Overlord.
156,000 Allied soldiers were involved in the invasion of the beaches at Normandy. They suffered over 14,000 casualties, with 4,414 confirmed dead. I've always been surprised that the death toll wasn't higher, given the daunting conditions the invaders faced on those beaches.
Did you know that President Theodore Roosevelt, himself a recipient of the Medal of Honor had a son? Theodore Roosevelt III (commonly referred to as "Ted" or "Theodore Roosevelt Jr.") was a Brigadier General on June 6, 1944. He had to put in his request to accompany the invaders three times before it was approved. For his actions on that beach and beyond, on that day, General Roosevelt was awarded the Medal of Honor. He died of a heart attack before it could be presented.
Thousands and thousands of young men, knowing they were risking death, walked onto the landing craft and then stormed those five beaches. This was a heroic act. Let us never forget these heroes who are being rapidly lost to history.
And major kudos to Jim "Pee Wee" Martin. The 93 year old was a member of the 101st Airborne Division on D-Day and he jumped into Normandy 70 years ago today. To commemorate the 70th anniversary, he suited up and parachuted into Normandy again, at his advanced age. Amazing and awe-inspiring. Mr. Martin you may feel humbled and the like by the adulation, but you deserve all of it. Well done. Thank you for your service.
* * *
The tabloids are reporting that Demi Moore's long-time friendship with Madonna has ended, due to Ashton Kutcher having "stolen" Madonna's manager as a friend. It raises a question that I've had to deal with, and seen how others deal with. Who gets the friends and relationships with professionals in a divorce?
I do taxes for couples and when they split, it can become a conflict of interest for me to represent both of them from that point forward. So who gets the tax pro? Usually the one who had the relationship first, if that's possible to determine. If both people are willing and sign a waiver regarding the potential for conflict of interest, they can both use the same professional; but the risks of a conflict make that risky on the pro's part. Is it easy to use the same doctors as your ex, knowing that you should be able to rely on the confidentiality of the doctor-patient relationship? I was friends with my second wife's OB/Gyn. She changed doctors. I don't know if that was because she moved, or changed jobs (her new health plan might not have had my friend as a preferred provider) or what.
Friendships are even more tricky. Now when it came to the man my second wife was having the affair with, it was pretty clear my friendship with him wasn't going to survive the divorce. I got some of the mutual friends. She got some. Some we continued to share, although that made life hard for them at times. Tough to plan a social gathering when you have to decide which member of a former couple to invite and which to not invite. Especially if inviting one member means that someone in another couple will be angry that you chose that one instead of the one they are still close with.
The property settlements can get weird. Arguing over a beloved pet. I faced that problem, but with the helpful wisdom of my new girlfriend, that was easily handled. I bought the soon to be ex-wife her own dog. My ex wanted the big fancy microwave oven her father had bought for her when she'd first moved into her own place. I had no attachment to it. I went and bought a small counter-top microwave. Then she asked me to trade with her because her new place didn't have the space for the big one.
Music CDs were still fairly new when we split and the one CD player we had was hers. I'd bought it for her as a gift. So naturally she should have taken it. But why did she take the CDs that were mine? She didn't like those groups. I never did figure out why she took the binoculars I bought for myself. It was easier to just go buy a new pair.
Ultimately when you combine two people and their property into a relationship like that, there is always a chance the time will come to "consciously uncouple" and it isn't easy. I will almost certainly never face that problem again. But if I do, I hope I can be generous. It's just stuff when it comes to the things. The relationships however, are precious.
* * *
The primary reason we were given for the change to California's new primary system, where the two candidates who get the most votes in the primary compete in a run-off, was to make a fairer system. Fairer in light of the fact that while there are a number of political parties, the only two that really have any impact are the Republicans and the Democrats. In the recent primary, the candidates who weren't Republicans or Democrats split 4.8% of the vote amongst themselves. It was 4.7% in the race for Lieutenant Governor, 5.6% in the contest to be Controller, and 5.5% in the Attorney General primary. In the Secretary of State contest, the total was much higher. 11.9%, mostly due to the presence of Daniel Schnur, a well-respected, long-time figure in California politics. As a "declined to state party preference candidate, he pulled 9% of the votes (including mine).
Were the contests any different as a result of the change in primary? Not really. In a state where party affiliation definitely favors Democrats, most statewide offices will be won in November's general election by members of that party. However, the race for L. A. County Supervisor in the 3rd District will come down to a runoff between two popular Democrats. In the past, since neither of those two got a clear 50% majority of the votes, there would have been a Democratic party primary runoff to determine who would be on the ballot in November. Instead, they will be the only two competing at that time.
At least this new system is more efficient. Is it fairer? Too soon to tell.
* * *
Random Ponderings:
How embarrassing it is for the Secret Service for someone to have snapped a photo of President Obama working out? Very.
I think we should be more forgiving of the people who blow easy puzzles on Wheel of Fortune. It's easy to talk when you're sitting in your living room without the pressure of the bright lights and the studio audience.
Dave Coulier can't decide if he is or isn't the focus of the Alanis Morrissette song "You Oughta Know" and Alanis isn't talking. I doubt he's the one.
Let's not forget that the paparazzo that Jonah Hill shouted that gay slur at had been baiting and harassing him for hours.
Sara Blakely, the genius behind Spanx wanted a job at Walt Disney World as Goofy, but she was too short. Wonder if she'd been taller if she might have never come up with her wildly successful innovation?
If the Navy wants to ban the sale of tobacco at land bases in the U.S. where sailors and marines can buy cigarettes elsewhere, fine. But not on ships and not at overseas bases, where American cigarettes aren't available from alternative sources as similar pricing.
There's no need to remake "The Magnificent Seven" and even if there was, Denzel Washington isn't the right actor to build the title group around. He's 59. In the original cast, none of the "seven" were over 45, and in fact, six were 40 or younger. Now if Denzel wants to play "Calvera" that might be very interesting.
June 6th in History:
1508 – Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friuli by Venetian troops
1513 – Italian Wars: Battle of Novara. Swiss troops defeat the French under Louis de la Tremoille, forcing the French to abandon Milan. Duke Massimiliano Sforza is restored.
1523 – Gustav Vasa, the Swedish regent, is elected King of Sweden, marking a symbolic end to the Kalmar Union. This is the Swedish national day.
1586 – Francis Drake's forces raid St. Augustine in Spanish Florida.
1644 – The Qing dynasty Manchu forces led by the Shunzhi Emperor capture Beijing during the collapse of the Ming dynasty.
1654 – Queen Christina abdicates the Swedish throne and is succeeded by her cousin Charles X Gustav.
1674 – Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire, is crowned.
1683 – The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England, opens as the world's first university museum.
1752 – A devastating fire destroys one-third of Moscow, including 18,000 homes.
1762 – British forces begin a siege of Havana and temporarily capture the city in the Battle of Havana.
1808 – Napoleon's brother, Joseph Bonaparte, is crowned King of Spain.
1809 – Sweden promulgates a new Constitution, which restores political power to the Riksdag of the Estates after 20 years of enlightened absolutism. At the same time, Charles XIII is elected to succeed Gustav IV Adolf as King of Sweden.
1813 – War of 1812: Battle of Stoney Creek – A British force of 700 under John Vincent defeats an American force twice its size under William Winder and John Chandler.
1822 – Alexis St. Martin is accidentally shot in the stomach, leading to William Beaumont's studies on digestion.
1832 – The June Rebellion in Paris is put down by the National Guard.
1833 – Andrew Jackson becomes the first U.S. President to ride on a train.
1844 – The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) is founded in London.
1857 – Sophia of Nassau marries the future King Oscar II of Sweden–Norway.
1859 – Australia: Queensland is established as a separate colony from New South Wales (Queensland Day).
1862 – American Civil War: Battle of Memphis – Union forces capture Memphis, Tennessee, from the Confederates.
1882 – More than 100,000 inhabitants of Bombay are killed when a cyclone in the Arabian Sea pushes huge waves into the harbour.
1882 – The Shewan forces of Menelik II of Ethiopia defeat the Gojjame army in the Battle of Embabo. The Shewans capture Negus Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam, and their victory leads to a Shewan hegemony over the territories south of the Abay River.
1889 – The Great Seattle Fire destroys all of downtown Seattle.
1892 – The Chicago 'L' commuter rail system begins operation
1894 – Governor Davis H. Waite orders the Colorado state militia to protect and support the miners engaged in the Cripple Creek miners' strike.
1909 – French troops capture Abéché (in modern-day Chad) and install a puppet sultan in the Ouaddai Empire.
1912 – The eruption of Novarupta in Alaska begins. It is the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century.
1918 – World War I: Battle of Belleau Wood – The U.S. Marine Corps suffers its worst single day's casualties while attempting to recapture the wood at Château-Thierry.
1919 – The Republic of Prekmurje ends.
1921 – Southwark Bridge in London is opened to traffic by King George V and Queen Mary.
1932 – The Revenue Act of 1932 is enacted, creating the first gas tax in the United States, at a rate of 1 cent per US gallon (1⁄4¢/L) sold.
1933 – The first drive-in theater opens, in Camden, New Jersey, United States.
1934 – New Deal: the U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Securities Act of 1933 into law, establishing the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
1939 – Judge Joseph Force Crater, known as the "Missingest Man in New York", is declared legally dead.
1942 – World War II: Battle of Midway. U.S. Navy dive bombers sink the Japanese cruiser Mikuma and four Japanese carriers.
1944 – World War II: the Battle of Normandy begins. D-Day, code named Operation Overlord, commences with the landing of 155,000 Allied troops on the beaches of Normandy in France. The allied soldiers quickly break through the Atlantic Wall and push inland in the largest amphibious military operation in history.
1946 – The National Basketball Association is created with eleven teams.
1964 – Under a temporary order, the rocket launches at Cuxhaven, Germany are terminated. They never resume.
1968 – Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy: Robert F. Kennedy, Democratic Party senator from New York and brother of 35th President John F. Kennedy, dies from gunshot wounds inflicted on June 5.
1971 – Soyuz program: Soyuz 11 is launched.
1971 – A midair collision between a Hughes Airwest Douglas DC-9 jetliner and a United States Marine Corps McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II jet fighter near Duarte, California, claims 50 lives.
1971 – Vietnam War: the Battle of Long Khanh between Australian and Vietnamese communist forces begins.
1974 – A new Instrument of Government is promulgated making Sweden a parliamentary monarchy.
1981 – Bihar train disaster: a passenger train travelling between Mansi and Saharsa, India, jumps the tracks at a bridge crossing the Bagmati river. The government places the official death toll at 268 plus another 300 missing; however, it is generally believed that the death toll is closer to 1,000.
1982 – The 1982 Lebanon War begins. Forces under Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon invade southern Lebanon during Operation Peace for the Galilee, eventually reaching as far north as the capital Beirut.
1982 – A British Army Air Corps Gazelle helicopter is destroyed in a friendly fire incident, resulting in the loss of four lives.
1984 – Tetris, one of the best-selling video games of all time, is released.
1985 – The grave of "Wolfgang Gerhard" is opened in Embu, Brazil; the exhumed remains are later proven to be those of Josef Mengele, Auschwitz's "Angel of Death". Mengele is thought to have drowned while swimming in February 1979.
1992 – The Fantoft Stave Church in Norway is destroyed by Varg Vikernes. This was the first in a string of church arsons in the Early Norwegian black metal scene
1993 – Mongolia holds its first direct presidential elections.
1997 – Prom Mom incident: While attending her senior prom in Lacey Township, New Jersey, Melissa Drexler gives birth in a bathroom stall, leaves the baby to die in a trash can and then returns to the prom.
2002 – Eastern Mediterranean event. A near-Earth asteroid estimated at ten meters in diameter explodes over the Mediterranean Sea between Greece and Libya. The resulting explosion is estimated to have a force of 26 kilotons, slightly more powerful than the Nagasaki atomic bomb.
2004 – Tamil is established as a "classical language" by the President of India, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, in a joint sitting of the two houses of the Indian Parliament.
2005 – In Gonzales v. Raich, the United States Supreme Court upholds a federal law banning cannabis, including medical marijuana.
Famous Folk Born on this Date:
Nathan Hale
John Trumbull
Alexander Pushkin
David T. Abercrombie
Thomas Mann
Ted Lewis
Bill Dickey
Kirk Kerkorian
Eli Broad
Roy Innis
Gary U. S. Bonds
Eddie Giacomin
Alexander Cockburn
Robert Englund
Sandra Bernhard
Bjorn Borg
Jimmy Jam
Colin Quinn
Eric Cantor
Paul Giamatti
Uncle Kracker
Staci Keanan
Judith Barsi
Shannon Stewart
posted by me at 1:25 PM
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