Today in History

[goofywife]

1950: North Korea invades South Korea
Armed forces from Communist North Korea invaded the American-supported republic of South Korea today when they crossed the 38th parallel, the boundary that divides the zones. It was unclear at first whether the United States would take direct military action to defend the nation. However, South Korean Ambassador John Myun Chang said during a conference at the State Department, "I don't think the United States will abandon us."

"The extent and purpose of the attacks remained unclear for hours after the first fragmentary reports of the invasion were received," reported The Cedar Rapids Gazette on June 25, 1950. "But shortly after noon, the Communists' radio at Pyongyang, the Northern capital, said that war had been declared effective at 11 a.m."

NOTE: Two days after the invasion, President Truman authorized the use of American forces to aid South Korea. The June 25 attacks marked the beginning of the Korean War, a conflict that lasted until 1953.

1981: Male-only draft registration declared constitutional
The U.S. Supreme Court declared today that Congress has the constitutional power to exclude women when authorizing a military draft registration. "Women's groups had cautioned that the outcome of the case would have significant impact on the legal future of equality between the sexes," informed the European Stars And Stripes on June 26, 1981. "But [Justice] Rehnquist said, 'This case is quite different from several of the gender-based discrimination cases we have considered.' He said Congress' deliberation 'clearly establishes that the decision to exempt women from registration was not the accidental byproduct of a traditional way of thinking about women.'"

1971: Titian artwork sells for more than $4 million
A 400-year-old painting by Italian artist Titian sold for $4,032,000 today at Christie's auction house in London. The masterpiece, called "The Death of Actaeon," was sold to American art dealer Julius Weitzner. At the time, it was the second highest price paid for a painting. "Only Velasquez's 'Juan de Parreja,' auctioned here last November to New York dealer Alec Wildenstein for $5,604,000, has carried a higher price tag, but Weitzner shrugged: 'The bids were so low – I thought they would go higher,'" explained The Odessa American on June 26, 1971. NOTE: The most expensive art sold to date is Jackson Pollock’s No. 5, for $140 million in 2006.

1951: CBS airs first color telecast
Seven sponsors paid $1,000 each for a one-minute ad today on the first commercial color television show. The historic program was transmitted by the Columbia Broadcasting System after the company won a battle against RCA-Victor in the Supreme Court. While color television sets were generally not available yet, it was estimated that about 40,000 people saw the first color program. "CBS said there are at least 1,000 sets in the New York area alone that have been home-built or home-converted for color broadcasts. CBS estimated that for the big premiere an average of 10 persons watch each of those sets," reported the Long Beach Press-Telegram on June 26, 1951.

1876: Custer is defeated at Little Bighorn
Lt. Col. George A. Custer and the 7th Calvary were annihilated by Sioux and Cheyenne Indians today during the Battle of Little Bighorn in the Montana Territory. "From the reports which have come to hand, it appears that, after assigning Major Reno with seven companies to attack the lower part of the Indian camp, and stationing three companies in reserve, Gen. Custer placed himself at the head of five companies – about 300 men – and dashed into a nest of three or four thousand Sioux warriors, the same men who, under Sitting Bull, recently defeated Gen. Crook on Rosebud Creek," explained The Decatur Republican on July 13, 1876. While Custer was respected for his military experience, a Chicago Tribune reporter called him "reckless, hasty and impulsive" in 1876.

[DianaB]

I can remember watching my first color TV program when I was in the 4th grade. I went to a friend's house and we watched Cinderella and it was so beautiful! I've never seen that program since. It ended up that we were the first in our neighborhood to have a color TV. That was quite the thing back then!!!!

[goofywife]

My parents would not let us watch! It was going to ruin our eyes.

Originally Posted by DianaB

I can remember watching my first color TV program when I was in the 4th grade. I went to a friend's house and we watched Cinderella and it was so beautiful! I've never seen that program since. It ended up that we were the first in our neighborhood to have a color TV. That was quite the thing back then!!!!

[Janet]

Was the Cinderella that you saw Diana the one with Leslie Ann Warren in it and they were dancing and singing? I loved that show, but I've only seen it twice and it was beautiful too.

[goofywife]

1963: Kennedy gives 'I am a Berliner' speech
U.S. President John F. Kennedy delivered a speech in West Berlin today criticizing communism and the construction of the Berlin wall. The speech contained his famous quote, "Ich bin ein Berliner" - "I am a Berliner."

"They waved American Flags, rhythmically chanted 'Ken-ne-dy, Ken-ne-dy' and showered the president with confetti during his tour that included two stops at the Reds' anti refugee wall," reported The Modesto Bee and News-Herald on June 27, 1963. "Germans were particularly pleased by Kennedy's City Hall statement: 'All free men wherever they live are citizens of this city and therefore as a free man I am proud to say: Ich bin ein Berliner (I am a Berliner).'''

NOTE: Although newspapers at the time translated Kennedy's quote just as the president had intended, there has been some disagreement around what was actually said. There is a German pastry named a Berliner Pfannkuchen, also referred to as a Berliner. Because of this, some Americans believe that Kennedy may have made a language slip-up and really said, "I am a jelly doughnut."

1979: Muhammad Ali retires
Muhammad Ali, one of the most famous African American prize fighters in history, retired from boxing today. "Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, saying he's no longer willing 'to kill myself training for 15 rounds,' confirmed Tuesday that he sent a letter to the World Boxing Association resigning his title, effective immediately. 'Everybody gets old, you can't go on like years ago,' Ali said by telephone from his Los Angeles home," relayed The Frederick Post on June 27, 1979. NOTE: During his boxing career, Ali won the world heavyweight title three times over a 15-year span.

1974: First bar code reader scans chewing gum
The first retail product with a UPC bar code symbol was sold today. "Twenty-five years ago, on June 26, 1974, at 8:01 a.m. in a Marsh supermarket in Troy, Ohio, a consumer named Clyde Dawson purchased a package of Wrigley's chewing gum. And for the first time, a laser beam in an NCR checkout terminal 'read' a universal product code on the package and automatically rang up his purchase. It was the world's first bar code scanning in an actual supermarket. It was the beginning of a new era," reported the Syracuse Herald Journal on June 23, 1999. NOTE: When the UPC codes were first introduced in stores, some consumer groups saw it as a threat.

1948: Airlifts to Berlin begin
The Western Allies began airlifting food and other supplies into Berlin today. In an effort to force the Allies to abandon West Berlin, the Soviet Union had organized a land and water blockade around the city. An article on June 27, 1948 in The Charleston Daily Mail explained, "The Americans flew in powdered and canned milk and promised Army 'C' rations for civilians in the Russian siege of Berlin Saturday. A Flying Fortress brought medical supplies in the first of several such flights to bring in vitally needed goods to keep the city's economy going." NOTE: The blockade was lifted in May of 1949, but the airlifts continued through September.

1945: United Nations Charter is signed
The United Nations Charter, which established the international peace organization, was signed today in San Francisco. "With great issues of war and peace hanging on their pen strokes, delegates of 50 countries went to a flag-draped conference auditorium today to sign the new United Nations charter, and then hear President Truman make his first major address on American foreign policy. A triumphant meeting of the United Nations conference - its last working session - last night approved the final version of the charter," reported the Charleston Daily Mail on June 26, 1945.

[Gina]

I use to watch Cinderella with Lesley Ann Warren every year I loved it, it was my favorite. My friends and I use to put on plays and take turns being cinderella. lol oh the innocence of being young.. lol

Thanks Michelle, some of the history makings I remember as if it was yesterday.

[goofywife]

1950: Truman sends troops to Korea
U.S. President Harry S. Truman sent American troops to support South Korea today, two days after it was invade by North Korea. When 15 other U.N. member nations joined in supporting South Korea, Truman appointed Gen. Douglas MacArthur as the commander of the U.N. forces.

"American planes and warships were dispatched Tuesday to the aid of South Korea," reported the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin on June 27, 1950. "In Tokyo, Gen. MacArthur's headquarters reported American fighters have already shot down four Communist-manned North Korean planes. The first task of the U.S. planes was said to be bomb all towns captured by North Korean troops. The South Koreans were reliably reported to have hurled back the Communist invaders to a point 20 miles from Seoul, the capital."

NOTE: The war lasted more than three years, with an armistice agreement signed on July 27, 1953.

1995: Atlantis heads to space station
NASA launched Atlantis today, sending the space shuttle off to the Russian space station Mir and marking the first U.S. and Russian docking mission in 20 years. "Atlantis will bring back American astronaut Norman Thagard and two cosmonauts, who have been aboard Mir since March 16, and drop off two Russians to take control of the station. The 100-ton shuttle and the 123-ton station will be joined for five days while their crews conduct experiments to see how Thagard and his crewmates fared physically during their stay in space," reported the Syracuse Herald Journal on June 28, 1995.

1985: Route 66 is decommissioned
Route 66, one of the original federal highways, was officially removed from the U.S. Highway System today. "Route 66 - the 2,200-mile highway immortalized in song, novel and television - is officially history, having fallen victim to the nation's interstate highway system. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials on Thursday decertified the 59-year-old road, and also voted to remove Route 66 highway signs," reported The Daily Intelligencer on June 30, 1985. "Most of the road followed a wilderness path that was forged in 1857 by a caravan of camels commanded by U.S. Navy Lt. Edward Beale. Wagon trains, then cattlemen and finally cars and trucks followed."

1957: Hurricane Audrey kills 500
Hurricane Audrey struck Louisiana and Texas today, killing around 500 people. Cameron, a settlement along Louisiana's Gulf Coast, was hit hard by the storm. On July 3, 1957, The Sheboygan Press described Cameron as a "ghost town." "Stories of Cameron survivors for the first time pin-pointed the magnitude of Louisiana's worst catastrophe of the century. Death estimates now reach 500 and property damage uncounted tens of millions of dollars," wrote the paper. For more information about Audrey, as well as other deadly hurricanes,

1918: Draft numbers are chosen
The United States military began its second national draft lottery for World War I today. "Drawing of the draft numbers for America's class of 1918 was completed in two hours today when 1200 numbered pellets were drawn from the bowl in the Senate office building, giving every man who has become 21 years since the first registration his place in the selective service. The first number drawn from the bowl was 246 and the last was 225," wrote the Clearfield Progress on June 27, 1918.

[DianaB]

Originally Posted by Janet

Was the Cinderella that you saw Diana the one with Leslie Ann Warren in it and they were dancing and singing? I loved that show, but I've only seen it twice and it was beautiful too.

I don't know who was in it. I was only in the 4th grade about 10 years old. They did sing and dance and I remember that Cinderella's dress was so beautiful!

[DianaB]

The Route 66 isn't too far from us but we've never been on it that I can remember. In the Joplin Mall it's decorated with a Route 66 theme and it's really cute. The route cuts across the bottom of the southeast corner of Kansas. I read that a few of the characters from the movie "Cars" is based on people who live around in that area!

[Janet]

You were still a baby then weren't you????....LOL.

[DianaB]

Originally Posted by Janet

You were still a baby then weren't you????....LOL.

Yep, but I think that some of the old highway is still used. I checked and it's called Historic Route 66 and you can still travel on some of it!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_66