TODAY IN HISTORY

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT 1609

English explorer Henry Hudson and his crew aboard the Half Moon entered presentday New York Harbor and began sailing up the river that now bears his name. (They reached present-day Albany before turning back.)

1861

During the Civil War, Confederate forces invaded the border state of Kentucky, which had declared its neutrality in the conflict.

1939

Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand declared war on Germany, two days after the Nazi invasion of Poland; in a radio address, Britain’s King George VI said, “With God’s help, we shall prevail.” The same day, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the British liner SS Athenia some 250 miles off the Irish coast, killing more than 100 out of the 1,400 or so people on board.

1943

Allied forces invaded Italy during World War II, the same day Italian officials signed a secret armistice with the Allies.

1967

Nguyen Van Thieu (nwen van too) was elected president of South Vietnam under a new constitution.

1970

Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi, 57, died in Washington, D.C.

1976

America’s Viking 2 lander touched down on Mars to take the first close-up, color photographs of the red planet’s surface.

1978

Pope John Paul I was installed as the 264th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.

1995

The online auction site ebay was founded in San Jose, California, by Pierre Omidyar under the name “Auctionweb.”

1999

Afrench judge closed a two-year inquiry into the car crash that killed Princess Diana, dismissing all charges against nine photographers and a press motorcyclist, and concluding the accident was caused by an inebriated driver.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Actor Pauline Collins is 80. Rock singer-musician Al Jardine is 78. Actor Valerie Perrine is 77. Rock musician Donald Brewer (Grand Funk Railroad) is 72. Rock guitarist Steve Jones (The Sex Pistols) is 65. Actor Steve Schirripa is 63. Actor Holt Mccallany is 56. Rock singer-musician Todd Lewis is 55. Actor Costas Mandylor is 55. Actor Charlie Sheen is 55. Singer Jennifer Paige is 47. Dance-rock musician Redfoo is 45. Actor Ashley Jones is 44. Actor Nichole Hiltz is 42.