Today in News History

On June 17, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1861, Omar Bundy, American general (died 1940) was born. In 1898, Harry Patch, English soldier and firefighter (died 2009) was born. In 1944, Randy Johnson, American football player (died 2009) was born. In 1948, United Airlines Flight 624, a Douglas DC-6, crashes near Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, killing all 43 people on board. In 1949, Russell Smith, American country singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2019) was born. In 1957, Philip Chevron, Irish singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2013) was born. In 1958, The Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing, in the process of being built to connect Vancouver and North Vancouver (Canada), collapses into the Burrard Inlet killing 18 ironworkers and injuring others. In 1989, Interflug Flight 102 crashes during a rejected takeoff from Berlin Schönefeld Airport, killing 21 people. In 1994, Following a televised low-speed highway chase, O. J. Simpson is arrested for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman. In 2017, A series of wildfires in central Portugal kill at least 64 people and injure 204 others. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.