TODAY IN HISTORY
TODAY IS SATURDAY, JAN. 19, the 19th day of 2019. There are 346 days left in the year.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT IN HISTORY:
On this date in 1955, a presidential news conference was filmed for television and newsreels for the first time, with the permission of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
In 1807, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was born in Westmoreland County, Va.
In 1861, Georgia became the fifth state to secede from the Union.
In 1915, Germany carried out its first air raid on Britain during World War I as a pair of Zeppelins dropped bombs onto Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn in England.
In 1937, millionaire Howard Hughes set a transcontinental air record by flying his monoplane from Los Angeles to Newark, N.J., in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds.
In 1942, during World War II, Japanese forces captured the British protectorate of North Borneo. A German submarine sank the Canadian liner RMS Lady Hawkins off Cape Hatteras, N.C., killing 251 people; 71 survived.
In 1953, CBS-TV aired the widely watched episode of “I Love Lucy” in which Lucy Ricardo, played by Lucille Ball, gave birth to Little Ricky. By coincidence, Ball gave birth the same day to her son, Desi Arnaz Jr.
In 1977, President Gerald R. Ford pardoned Iva Toguri D’Aquino, an American convicted of treason for making radio broadcasts aimed at demoralizing Allied troops in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Although popularly referred to as “Tokyo Rose,” D’Aquino never used that name.
In 1981, the United States and Iran signed an accord paving the way for the release of 52 Americans held hostage for more than 14 months.
In 1998, “rockabilly” pioneer Carl Perkins died in Jackson, Tenn., at age 65.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS: Former U.N. Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar is 99. Actress Tippi Hedren is 89. Former PBS newsman Robert MacNeil is 88. Movie director Richard Lester is 87. Actress Shelley Fabares is 75. Country singer Dolly Parton is 73. Rock singer Martha Davis is 68. Singer Dewey Bunnell (America) is 67. Actor Desi Arnaz Jr. is 66. Actress Katey Sagal is 65. Reggae musician Mickey Virtue (UB40) is 62. Rock musician Jeff Pilson (Foreigner) is 61. Singer Trey Lorenz is 50. Actor Shawn Wayans and rock singer-musician John Wozniak (Marcy Playground) are 48. Actor Drew Powell and actress Marsha Thomason are 43. Actress Bitsie Tulloch is 38. Actress Jodie Sweetin is 37. Actor Logan Lerman and Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson are 27. Actress Lidya Jewett is 12.