Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1914, The US Navy launches the USS Nevada (BB-36) as its first standard-type battleship. In 1916, Mortimer Caplin, American tax attorney, educator, and IRS Commissioner (died 2019) was born. In 1960, Congo Crisis: The State of Katanga breaks away from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1971, John W. Campbell, American journalist and author (born 1910) passed away. In 1978, Los Alfaques disaster: A truck carrying liquid gas crashes and explodes at a coastal campsite in Tarragona, Spain killing 216 tourists. In 1979, America's first space station, Skylab, is destroyed as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. In 1983, A TAME airline Boeing 737-200 crashes near Cuenca, Ecuador, killing all 119 passengers and crew on board. In 1990, Oka Crisis: First Nations land dispute in Quebec begins. In 1991, Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 crashes in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, killing all 261 passengers and crew on board. In 2004, Laurance Rockefeller, American financier and philanthropist (born 1910) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.