Independence
day
Georgia
Events
of the day
Martyrs' Day (Tunisia)
Day of National Unity (Georgia)
Day of the Finnish Language (Finland)
Day of Valour, also known as the "Bataan
Day" (the Philippines)
Occupation of Denmark (Denmark)
Vimy Ridge Day, commemorating the Battle of Vimy
Ridge. (Canada)
World Konkani Day (Goa)
1682
– Robert Cavelier de La Salle discovers the mouth
of the Mississippi River, claims it for France
and names it Louisiana.
1782 – American War of Independence: Battle of
the Saintes begins.
1860 – On his phonautograph machine, Édouard-Léon
Scott de Martinville makes the oldest known recording
of an audible human voice.
1945 – The United States Atomic Energy Commission
is formed.
1947 – The Glazier-Higgins-Woodward tornadoes
kill 181 and injure 970 in Texas, Oklahoma, and
Kansas.
1957 – The Suez Canal in Egypt is cleared and
opens to shipping.
1959 – Project Mercury: NASA announces the selection
of the United States' first seven astronauts,
whom the news media quickly dub the "Mercury
Seven".
1967 – The first Boeing 737 (a 100 series) makes
its maiden flight.
1968 – Funeral of Martin Luther King, Jr.
1969 – The first British-built Concorde 002 makes
its maiden flight from Filton to RAF Fairford.
1981 – The U.S. Navy nuclear submarine USS George
Washington (SSBN-598) accidentally collides with
the Nissho Maru, a Japanese cargo ship, sinking
it.
2003 – 2003 invasion of Iraq: Baghdad falls to
American forces;Saddam Hussein statue topples
as Iraqis turn on symbols of their former leader,
pulling down the statue and tearing it to pieces.
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