On this day, May 12

1780 During the Revolutionary War, the besieged city of Charleston, S.C., surrendered to British forces.

1935 Nearly 6,000 people gathered in and about the chapel for dedication of the East Liberty Presbyterian Church, built at a cost of more than $4 million by Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Mellon as a memorial to their respective mothers.

1958 The United States and Canada signed an agreement to create the North American Air Defense Command (later the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD).

1976 Demonstrators staged a sit-in at Rockwell International headquarters, protesting the corporation’s involvement with the B-1 bomber.

1986 The military action-drama film “Top Gun,” starring Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis and released by Paramount Pictures,

had its world premiere in New York.

2001 Singer Perry Como, a Canonsburg native, died at age 87. His career included 50 top-10 songs, three successful television series and numerous television specials.

Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).

— Compiled by Rick Nowlin

Today’s birthdays: Composer Burt Bacharach, 94. Actor Millie Perkins, 86. R&B singer Jayotis Washington, 81. Country singer Billy Swan, 80. Actor Linda Dano, 79. Actor Lindsay Crouse, 74. Singer-musician Steve Winwood, 74. Actor Gabriel Byrne, 72. Actor Bruce Boxleitner, 72. Singer Billy Squier, 72. Blues singer-musician Guy Davis, 70. Country singer Kix Brooks, 67. Actor Kim Greist, 64. Rock musician Eric Singer (KISS), 64.

Actor Ving Rhames, 63. Rock musician Billy Duffy, 61. Actor Emilio Estevez, 60. Actor April Grace, 60. Actor Vanessa A. Williams, 59. TV personality/chef Carla Hall, 58. Actor Stephen Baldwin, 56. Actor Scott Schwartz, 54. Actor Kim Fields, 53. Actor Samantha Mathis, 52. Actor Jamie Luner, 51. Actor Christian Campbell, 50. Actor Rhea Seehorn, 50. Actor Mackenzie Astin, 49. Country musician Matt Mangano (The Zac Brown Band), 46. Actor Rebecca Herbst, 45. Actor Malin Akerman, 44. Actor Jason Biggs, 44. Actor Rami Malek, 41. Actor-singer Clare Bowen, 38. Actor Emily VanCamp, 36. Actor Malcolm David Kelley, 30. Actor Sullivan Sweeten, 27.

Thought for today: “Dissent is not sacred; the right of dissent is.”

— Thurman Arnold, American lawyer (1891-1969)