US military planes complete first round-the-world flights, breaking four world records (1924). The flu epidemic spreads globally, causing over 30 million deaths (1918). France emancipates its Jewish population, the first country to do so (1791). Sir Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin (1928). SpaceX launches the world’s first private spacecraft (2008). Ted Williams hits over 0.400 in a season, the last player to do so (1941).
Two US military aircraft complete first round-the-world flights. (1924) The 27,000-mile (about 43,452 km) flight took 175 days. The flights were not direct. Overall, the flights broke four world records.
The flu epidemic hit Philadelphia, gaining speed in its spread around the world. (1918) The influenza virus gained momentum in a huge outbreak, spreading from the Liberty Loan Parade to the rest of the city. The epidemic probably started in the Midwest in the United States before spreading to Europe with soldiers sent to fight in World War I. The virus then spread around the world via ship ports, eventually causing more than 30 million deaths, more deaths than any that occurred in the war.
The US Navy has abolished caning. (1850) Under pressure from 271 petitions filed by US citizens, US Senator John P. Hale succeeded in passing a law to abolish caning. The US Navy and many of its officers have opposed the legislation, calling it “misguided.”
Adolf Hitler’s life would have been spared. (1918) During World War I, Private Henry Tandey of the British Army came across a German soldier, Corporal Adolf Hitler, who had been wounded. Tandey turned his gun on the man, but was unable to shoot him and let him live. There is no hard evidence that this happened, but anecdotal evidence appeared to support the report. In one account, Hitler later saw a painting of Tandey carrying a wounded soldier and said, “That’s the man who almost shot me.”
The “Siege of Yorktown” occurred during the American Revolutionary War. (1781) The battle resulted in the victory of the American and French military forces over the British army. It was not only the last land battle of the war but also the turning point: the British surrender at Yorktown prompted the negotiations that ended the war.
France emancipated its Jewish population, the first country in the world to do so. (1791) Other countries followed, some much later. Greece offered emancipation in 1830, Canada in 1832, and the United Kingdom in 1858. The United States emancipated its Jewish population in 1868, just ahead of Germany in 1871.
The mold that would later be called penicillin was discovered. (1928) Scottish biologist Sir Alexander Fleming discovered a mold that killed bacteria and named it Penicillium notatum. In 1945 he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery.
The ITT Corporation building in New York City was bombed over alleged involvement in the Chilean coup. (1973) Protesters bombed the company’s headquarters, believing the company helped the Chilean military overthrow President Salvador Allende. In 2000, the US CIA declassified documents indicating that ITT was offering financial assistance to the coup.
The world’s first private spacecraft has gone into orbit. (2008) The Falcon 1 was launched by SpaceX, a company founded by Elon Musk, the owner of PayPal.
Ted Williams hit over 0.400 in a season, the last Major League Baseball player in history to do so. (1941) Williams hit .406 that season, playing his last game to this day. Starting with a literal band, he hit a home run in his last at-bat.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
