TODAY IN HISTORY
TODAY IS MONDAY, AUG. 5, the 217th day of 2019. There are 148 days left in the year. TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT IN HISTORY: On this date in 1962, actress Marilyn Monroe, 36, was found dead in her Los Angeles home; her death was ruled a probable suicide from “acute barbiturate poisoning.”
In 1864, during the Civil War, Union Adm. David G. Farragut led his fleet to victory in the Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama.
In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the National Labor Board, which was later replaced with the National Labor Relations Board.
In 1936, Jesse Owens of the United States won the 200-meter dash at the Berlin Olympics, collecting the third of his four gold medals.
In 1953, Operation Big Switch began as remaining prisoners taken during the Korean War were exchanged at Panmunjom.
In 1962, South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela was arrested on charges of leaving the country without a passport and inciting workers to strike; it was the beginning of 27 years of imprisonment.
In 1964, U.S. Navy pilot Everett Alvarez Jr. became the first American flier to be shot down and captured by North Vietnam; he was held prisoner until February 1973.
In 1967, the U.S. space probe Mariner 7 flew by Mars, sending back photographs and scientific data.
In 1974, the White House released transcripts of subpoenaed tape recordings showing that President Richard Nixon and his chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman, had discussed a plan in June 1972 to use the CIA to thwart the FBI’s Watergate investigation; revelation of the tape sparked Nixon’s resignation.
In 1981, the federal government began firing air traffic controllers who had gone out on strike.
In 1991, Democratic congressional leaders formally launched an investigation into whether the 1980 Reagan-Bush campaign had secretly conspired with Iran to delay release of American hostages until after the presidential election, thereby preventing an “October surprise” that supposedly would have benefited President Jimmy Carter. A task force later concluded there was “no credible evidence” of such a deal.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Actor John Saxon is 83. College Football Hallof-Famer and former NFL player Roman Gabriel and country songwriter Bobby Braddock are 79. Actress Loni Anderson is 74. Rock musician Eddie Ojeda (Twisted Sister) is 64. Basketball Hall-of-Famer Patrick Ewing is 57. Actor Mark Strong is 56. Director-screenwriter James Gunn and actor Jonathan Silverman are 53. Country singer Terri Clark and retired MLB All-Star John Olerud are 51. Country musician Will Sellers (Old Dominion) is 41. Actor Jesse Williams is 39. Actor Brendon Ryan Barrett is 33. Actress/singer Olivia Holt is 22. Actor Albert Tsai is 15.