Today in News History

On June 17, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1775, American Revolutionary War: Colonists inflict heavy casualties on British forces while losing the Battle of Bunker Hill. In 1861, Omar Bundy, American general (died 1940) was born. In 1900, Boxer Rebellion: Western Allied and Japanese forces capture the Taku Forts in Tianjin, China. In 1933, Union Station massacre: In Kansas City, Missouri, four FBI agents and captured fugitive Frank Nash are gunned down by gangsters attempting to free Nash. In 1940, The three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania fall under the occupation of the Soviet Union. In 1940, World War II: The British Army's 11th Hussars assault and take Fort Capuzzo in Libya, Africa from Italian forces. In 1948, United Airlines Flight 624, a Douglas DC-6, crashes near Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, killing all 43 people on board. In 1953, Cold War: East Germany Workers Uprising: In East Germany, the Soviet Union orders a division of troops into East Berlin to quell a rebellion. In 1975, Phiyada Akkraseranee, Thai actress and model was born. 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.