Today in News History

On July 8, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1538, Diego de Almagro, Spanish general and explorer (born 1475) passed away. In 1898, The death of crime boss Soapy Smith, killed in the Shootout on Juneau Wharf, releases Skagway, Alaska from his iron grip. In 1909, Ike Petersen, American football player (died 1995) was born. In 1909, Alan Brown, English soldier (died 1971) was born. In 1910, Carlos Betances Ramírez, Puerto Rican general (died 2001) was born. In 1915, Neil D. Van Sickle, American Air Force major general (died 2019) was born. In 1918, Paul B. Fay, American businessman, soldier, and diplomat, 12th United States Secretary of the Navy (died 2009) was born. In 1935, Vitaly Sevastyanov, Russian engineer and cosmonaut (died 2010) was born. In 1960, Francis Gary Powers is charged with espionage resulting from his flight over the Soviet Union. In 1994, Kim Jong Il begins to assume supreme leadership of North Korea upon the death of his father, Kim Il Sung. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.