Today is Monday, June 6, the 158th day of 2016. There are 208 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On June 6, 1944, during World War II, Operation Overlord, aimed at liberating German-occupied western Europe, commenced as Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, on “D-Day.”
On this date:
In 1799, American politician and orator Patrick Henry died at Red Hill Plantation in Virginia.
In 1816, a snowstorm struck the northeastern U.S., heralding what would become known as the “Year Without a Summer.”
In 1844, the Young Men’s Christian Association was founded in London.
In 1925, Walter Percy Chrysler founded the Chrysler Corp.
In 1939, the first baseball Little League game was played as Lundy Lumber defeated Lycoming Dairy 23-8 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
In 1955, the U.S. Post Office introduced regular certified mail service.
In 1966, black activist James Meredith was shot and wounded as he walked along a Mississippi highway to encourage black voter registration.
In 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy died at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, a day after he was shot by Sirhan Bishara Sirhan.
In 1978, California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 13, a primary ballot initiative calling for major cuts in property taxes.
In 1985, authorities in Brazil exhumed a body later identified as the remains of Dr. Josef Mengele, the notorious “Angel of Death” of the Nazi Holocaust.
In 1994, President Bill Clinton joined leaders from America’s World War II allies to mark the 50th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy. A China Northwest Airlines passenger jet crashed near Xian (SHEE’-ahn), killing all 160 people on board.
In 2001, Democrats formally assumed control of the U.S. Senate after the decision of Vermont Republican James Jeffords to become an independent.
Ten years ago: Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson acknowledged a stolen computer contained personal data on about 2.2 million active-duty military, National Guard and Reserve personnel — not just 50,000 as initially believed. Iran and the United States had a rare moment of agreement, using similar language to describe “positive steps” toward an accord on a package of incentives aimed at persuading Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment. Soul musician Billy Preston died in Scottsdale, Arizona, at age 59.
Five years ago: After days of denials, New York Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner confessed that he had tweeted a photo of his bulging underpants to a woman and admitted to “inappropriate” exchanges with six women before and after getting married; Weiner apologized for lying but said he would not resign (which he ended up doing). Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, popular among social conservatives, plunged into the 2012 Republican presidential race. (Santorum suspended his campaign in April 2012.)
One year ago: Two convicted murderers escaped from the maximum-security Clinton Correctional Facility in upstate New York (Richard Matt ended up being shot dead by authorities while David Sweat was recaptured). American Pharoah led all the way to win the Belmont Stakes by 5ฝ lengths, becoming the first horse in 37 years to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Serena Williams won her third French Open title and 20th major singles trophy by beating Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-2. Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, 80, died in Los Angeles.
Today’s Birthdays: Civil rights activist Roy Innis is 82. Singer-songwriter Gary “U.S.” Bonds is 77. Country singer Joe Stampley is 73. Jazz musician Monty Alexander is 72. Actor Robert Englund is 69. Folk singer Holly Near is 67. Singer Dwight Twilley is 65. Playwright-actor Harvey Fierstein (FY’-ur-steen) is 64. Comedian Sandra Bernhard is 61. International Tennis Hall of Famer Bjorn Borg is 60. Actress Amanda Pays is 57. Comedian Colin Quinn is 57. Record producer Jimmy Jam is 57. Rock musician Steve Vai is 56. Rock singer-musician Tom Araya (Slayer) is 55. Actor Jason Isaacs is 53. Rock musician Sean Yseult (White Zombie) is 50. Actor Max Casella is 49. Actor Paul Giamatti is 49. Rhythm-and-blues singer Damion Hall (Guy) is 48. Rock musician Bardi Martin is 47. Rock musician James “Munky” Shaffer (Korn) is 46. TV correspondent Natalie Morales is 44. Country singer Lisa Brokop is 43. Rapper-rocker Uncle Kracker is 42. Actress Sonya Walger is 42. Actress Staci Keanan is 41. Actress Amber Borycki is 33. Actress Aubrey Anderson-Emmons is nine.
Thought for Today: “A great man is one who leaves others at a loss after he is gone.” — Paul Valery, French poet and essayist (1871-1945).
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