Epic Idiot's what happened
On This Day
March 18
Copyright 1989-2007 epicidiot.com2003
Iraq War: Former First Lady Barbara Bush comments on the impending war, "But why should we hear about body bags, and deaths, and how many, what day it's gonna happen, and how many this or what do you suppose? Or, I mean, it's, it's not relevant. So, why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?"
1990
Largest art theft: Thieves steal $300,000,000 in art from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, including works by Rembrandt, Manet, and Degas.
1986
The Treasury announced that U.S. currency would undergo its first major change in 50 years, including micro printing on the paper and on threads woven into the paper.
1974
Arab Oil Embargo: The embargo on the U.S. is ended. It had started in October, 1973.
1972
First U.S. Navy ship named in honor of a black naval officer: The USS Jesse L. Brown is launched. Jesse Brown was the first black American naval aviator and the first black naval officer killed in combat (1950, Korea).
1965
First space walk: By Soviet cosmonaut Alexi A. Leonov.
1949 |
1945
First flight of the Douglas A-1: It was the U.S. Navy's first single-seat, carrier-based dive bomber.
1766
The Stamp Act of 1765 is repealed.
1959
Irene Cara, Grammy-winning singer, actress.
1943
Kevin Dobson, American actor. TV: Kojak (Lt. Crocker) and Knots Landing (Mack).
1941 d. 2006
Wilson Pickett, American American R&B and soul singer. Music: In the Midnight Hour (1965, #1), Mustang Sally (1966), and 634-5789 (1966, #1).
1938
Charley Pride, American country singer, baseball player (Memphis Red Sox, 1954), considered the most successful black country singer. He was the first country singer to perform the national anthem at a Super Bowl (1974).
1932
John Updike, American Pulitzer-winning author. Writings: Rabbit is Rich (Pulitzer).
1926
Peter Graves (Peter Aurness), American actor. TV: Mission Impossible (Jim Phelps).
1920 d. 2000
Pierre Plantard, French "historian." His claims about the Priory of Sion were the basis of such books as Holy Blood, Holy Grail (1982) and The Da Vinci Code (2003). He also claimed he was descended from King Dagobert II, and therefore was a Merovingian claimant to the throne of France.
1911 d. 1967
Smiley Burnette (Lester Alvin Burnette), American actor. Film: He was Gene Autry's comic partner in 81 Western films. TV: Petticoat Junction (train engineer Charlie Pratt).
1905 d. 1958
Robert Donat, English Oscar-winning actor. Film: The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), The 39 Steps (1935, Richard Hannay), and Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939, Oscar, title role).
1858 d. 1913
Rudolf Diesel, German engineer and inventor of the diesel engine (1892).
1837 d. 1908
Grover Cleveland, 22nd and 24th U.S. President (1885-89, 1893-97). He avoided the Civil War draft by hiring someone to take his place. His portrait graces the U.S. $1,000 bill.
1813 d. 1886
Joshua Ballinger Lippincott, American publisher, founder of J.B. Lippincott & Co. (1836).
1800 d. 1872
Francis Lieber, German-born American historian, political economist, creator and first editor of the Encyclopedia Americana (1829-33).
1782 d. 1850
John Caldwell Calhoun, 7th U.S. Vice-President (1824-32). After a disagreement with Pres. Jackson, he became the first U.S. Vice-President to resign. He then went on to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate.
2003 b. 1939
Adam Osborne, personal computer pioneer. He created the first commercially available portable computer, the Osborne 1 (1981). He is also credited with the "Osborne Effect," after announcing the development of his company's new advanced computers. This killed sales of the Osborne 1, bankrupting the company.
1947 b. 1861
William Crapo Durant, American auto manufacturer, founder of Buick Motor Car Co. (1905), General Motors (1908), Chevrolet Motor Co (1915) and Durant Motors Inc (1921).
1584 b. 1530
Ivan the Terrible (Ivan IV), Czar of Russia (1533-84).
1227 b. ????
Honorius III, Italian religious leader, 177th Pope (1216-27).
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