Epic Idiot's what happened
On This Day

December 5

1964
First Vietnam soldier to receive the U.S. Medal of Honor, Army Capt. Roger Donlon for heroism in South Vietnam.

1933
21st Amendment ratified, repealing prohibition.

1912
The U.S. acquires rights to the land for the Panama Canal.

1854
Topeka, Kansas is founded.

1848
California Gold Rush: The rush begins after Pres. Polk announces the discovery of gold in California.

1776
First American scholastic fraternity: Phi Beta Kappa is founded at the College of William and Mary.

1952
Krystyne Kolorful, Canadian stripper. She is tied with Julia Gnuse (American) as the world's most tattooed woman with 95% of her body covered. She has spent an estimated $15,000 on her body art. (source: Guinness Book of World Records)

1951
Morgan Brittany (Suzanne Cupito), American actress, TV's Katherine Wentworth of Dallas.

1947
Jim Messina, American singer, with Loggins and Messina and Poco.

1932
Little Richard (Richard Penniman), American singer. Music: Tutti Frutti (1955) and Good Golly Miss Molly (1958).

1927
Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand (1946-).

1901     d. 1966
Walt Disney (Walter Elias Disney), American Oscar-winning cartoonist, creator of Mickey Mouse (1928). He won 51 Oscars.

1894     d. 1977
Philip Knight Wrigley, U.S. chewing gum executive and owner of the Chicago Cubs.

1890     d. 1976
Fritz Lang, Austrian-born film director. Film: Metropolis (1927), M (1931), and Fury (1936).

1839     d. 1876
George Armstrong Custer, American general, killed in the "Battle of Little Big Horn."

1782     d. 1862
Martin Van Buren, 8th U.S. President (1837-41) and 8th U.S. Vice-President (1833-37).

2002     b. 1931
Roone Arledge, American sports broadcasting pioneer, winner of 36 Emmys. TV: President of ABC Sports (1968-86) and President of ABC News (1977-98), creator of Monday Night Football, Wide World of Sports, 20/20, Prime Time Live, and Nightline.

1983     b. 1918
Robert Aldrich, American film director. Film: Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), The Dirty Dozen (1967), and The Longest Yard (1974).

1973     b. 1892
Sir Robert Watson-Watt, British inventor. He is considered the inventor of RADAR (1935), although others had also done research on it. He was the first to create a working system.

1951     b. 1888
Shoeless Joe Jackson (Joseph Jefferson Jackson), American baseball player. He was banished for life from professional baseball for alleged role in throwing the 1919 World Series. "Say it ain't so, Joe! Say it ain't so!"

1926     b. 1840
Claude Monet, French impressionist painter, known of his landscapes using bright unmixed colors. In 1923 his eyesight was surgically restored after having been blind for several years.

1870     b. 1802
Alexandre Dumas (Dumas père), French author. Writings: The Three Musketeers (1844) and The Count of Monte Cristo (1845).

1848     b. 1792
Joseph Mohr, Austrian clergyman. He wrote the words to Silent Night, Holy Night (1818). (Source: An Almanac of the Christian Church)

1791     b. 1756
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austrian composer. He created over 600 compositions including The Marriage of Figaro (1786) and The Magic Flute (1791). Very little of his work was published during his lifetime.

1560     b. 1544
Francis II, King of France (1559-60). He married Mary, Queen of Scots (1558).

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