Today in News History

On June 21, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1864, American Civil War: The Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road begins. In 1898, The United States captures Guam from Spain. The few warning shots fired by the U.S. naval vessels are misinterpreted as salutes by the Spanish garrison, which was unaware that the two nations were at war. In 1929, An agreement brokered by U.S. Ambassador Dwight Whitney Morrow ends the Cristero War in Mexico. In 1940, World War II: Italy begins an unsuccessful invasion of France. In 1942, World War II: A Japanese submarine surfaces near the Columbia River in Oregon, firing 17 shells at Fort Stevens in one of only a handful of attacks by Japan against the United States mainland. In 1982, John Hinckley is found not guilty by reason of insanity for the attempted assassination of U.S. President Ronald Reagan. In 1986, Assi Rahbani, Lebanese singer-songwriter and producer (born 1923) passed away. In 1992, Hussein El Shahat, Egyptian professional footballer was born. In 2001, A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, indicts 13 Saudis and a Lebanese in the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 American servicemen. In 2003, Leon Uris, American soldier and author (born 1924) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.