Today in History - May 28
By The Associated Press
Today is Wednesday, May 28, the 149th day of 2008. There are 217 days left in the year.
Today's Highlight in History:
On May 28, 1918, the Battle of Cantigny began during World War I as American troops captured the French town from the Germans; the Americans were able to resist German counterattacks in the days that followed.
On this date:
In 1533, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, declared the marriage of England's King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn valid.
In 1863, the first black regiment from the North left Boston to fight in the Civil War.
In 1892, the Sierra Club was organized in San Francisco.
In 1908, British author Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond as well as "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," was born in London.
In 1934, the Dionne quintuplets — Annette, Cecile, Emilie, Marie and Yvonne — were born to Elzire Dionne at the family farm in Ontario, Canada.
In 1937, President Roosevelt pushed a button in Washington signaling that vehicular traffic could begin crossing the just-opened Golden Gate Bridge in California.
In 1937, Neville Chamberlain became prime minister of Britain.
In 1972, Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor, who had abdicated the English throne to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson, died in Paris at age 77.
In 1977, 165 people were killed when fire raced through the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Ky.
In 1987, Mathias Rust, a 19-year-old West German pilot, landed a private plane in Moscow's Red Square.
Ten years ago: Pakistan matched India with five nuclear test blasts of its own, raising fears of a nuclear arms race. Comic actor Phil Hartman of "Saturday Night Live" and "NewsRadio" fame was shot to death at his home in Encino, Calif., by his wife, Brynn, who then killed herself. California astronomer Susan Terebey announced she had photographed what may be a planet some 450 light years from Earth.
Five years ago: President Bush signed a 10-year, $350 billion package of tax cuts, saying they already were "adding fuel to an economic recovery." Amnesty International released a report saying the U.S.-led war on terror had made the world a more dangerous and repressive place, a finding dismissed by Washington as "without merit." Actress Martha Scott died in Southern California at age 90.
One year ago: The United States and Iran broke a 27-year diplomatic freeze with a four-hour meeting in Baghdad about Iraqi security. President Bush, during a Memorial Day visit to Arlington National Cemetery, honored U.S. troops who had fought and died for freedom and expressed his steely resolve to succeed in the war in Iraq. Miss Japan Rita Mori was crowned Miss Universe 2007 at the pageant in Mexico City.
Today's Birthdays: Actress Carroll Baker is 77. Rockabilly singer-musician Sonny Burgess is 77. Producer-director Irwin Winkler is 77. Actor John Karlen is 75. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Jerry West is 70. Actress Beth Howland is 67. Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is 64. Singer Gladys Knight is 64. Singer Billy Vera is 64. Singer John Fogerty is 63. Actress-director Sondra Locke is 61. Country musician Jerry Douglas (Alison Krauss and Union Station) is 52. Actor Brandon Cruz (TV: "The Courtship of Eddie's Father") is 46. Country singer Phil Vassar is 46. Actress Christa Miller is 44. Singer-musician Chris Ballew (Presidents of the USA) is 43. Rapper Chubb Rock is 40. Singer Kylie Minogue is 40. Actor Justin Kirk is 39. Television personality Elisabeth Hasselbeck ("The View") is 31. Actor Jesse Bradford is 29. Actress Monica Keena is 29. Pop singer Colbie Caillat is 23. Actor Joseph Cross is 22.
Thought for Today: "Like other spurious things, fastidiousness is often inconsistent with itself, the coarsest things are done, and the cruelest things said by the most fastidious people." — Caroline Matilda Stansbury Kirkland, American author (1801-1864).
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j...lBMYQD90UDJIO1