Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1895, Oscar Hammerstein II, American director, producer, and songwriter (died 1960) was born. In 1942, Swamp Dogg, American R&B singer-songwriter and musician was born. In 1951, Piotr Pustelnik, Polish mountaineer was born. In 1956, Mel Harris, American actress was born. In 1996, Jordan Romero, American mountaineer was born. In 1998, Jimmy Driftwood, American singer-songwriter and banjo player (born 1907) passed away. In 2001, Space Shuttle program: Space Shuttle Atlantis is launched on mission STS-104, carrying the Quest Joint Airlock to the International Space Station. In 2007, U.S. Army Apache helicopters engage in airstrikes against armed insurgents in Baghdad, Iraq, where civilians are killed; footage from the cockpit is later leaked to the Internet. In 2011, Sherwood Schwartz, American screenwriter and producer (born 1916) passed away. In 2012, Roger Payne, English mountaineer (born 1956) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.