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 1885, The Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor. In 1898, Harry Patch, English soldier and firefighter (died 2009) was born. In 1932, John Murtha, American colonel and politician (died 2010) was born. In 1932, Bonus Army: Around a thousand World War I veterans amass at the United States Capitol as the U.S. Senate considers a bill that would give them certain benefits. In 1940, World War II: The British Army's 11th Hussars assault and take Fort Capuzzo in Libya, Africa from Italian forces. In 1985, Space Shuttle program: STS-51-G mission: Space Shuttle Discovery launches carrying Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the first Arab and first Muslim in space, as a payload specialist. In 1992, A "joint understanding" agreement on arms reduction is signed by U.S. President George Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin (this would be later codified in START II). In 2012, Stéphane Brosse, French mountaineer (born 1971) passed away. In 2015, Süleyman Demirel, Turkish engineer and politician, 9th President of Turkey (born 1924) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.