On This Day in History - August 7th - Almanac

Today is Wednesday, Aug. 7, the 220th day of 2024 with 146 to follow.

The moon is waxing. Morning stars are Jupiter, Mars, Neptune, Saturn and Uranus. Evening stars are Mercury, Neptune, Saturn and Venus.

Those born on this date are under the sign of Leo. They include Hungarian countess/serial killer Elizabeth Bathory in 1560; Carl Ritter, co-founder of modern geographical science, in 1779; World War I spy/courtesan known as Mata Hari, born Margaret Gertrude Zelle, in 1876; diplomat/Nobel Prize winner Ralph Bunche in 1904; actor Carl Switzer in 1927; humorist Garrison Keillor in 1942 (age 82); actor Tobin Bell in 1942 (age 82); former FBI Director Robert Mueller in 1944 (age 80); actor David Rasche in 1944 (age 80); Minnesota Supreme Court Justice/Football Hall of Fame member Alan Page in 1945 (age 79); actor Caroline Aaron in 1952 (age 72); actor Wayne Knight in 1955 (age 69); musician Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) in 1958 (age 66); actor David Duchovny in 1960 (age 64); actor Maggie Wheeler in 1961 (63); actor Harold Perrineau in 1963 (age 61); actor David Mann in 1966 (age 58); actor Michael Shannon in 1974 (age 50)actor Charlize Theron in 1975 (age 49); DJ Samantha Ronson in 1977 (age 47); actor Eric Johnson in 1979 (age 45); actor Abbie Cornish in 1982 (age 42); hockey player Sidney Crosby in 1987 (age 37); actor Brett Gray in 1996 (age 28); actor Liam James in 1996 (age 28).

On this date in history:

In 1782, the Order of the Purple Heart was established by Gen. George Washington to honor Americans who fought in the Revolutionary War.

In 1942, U.S. Marines launched America's first offensive in World War II, landing on the Pacific island of Guadalcanal.

In 1963, Jacqueline Kennedy becomes first sitting U.S. first lady to give birth since Frances Folsom Cleveland in 1897. President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy's premature son, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, died two days later.

In 1998, terrorists' bombs detonated within minutes of each other outside of U.S. embassy buildings in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, killing 224 people. Authorities estimated another 4,000 were wounded.

In 2001, Uribe Velez was sworn in as president of Colombia in ceremonies interrupted by rebel shelling that killed 15 people and injured 60.

In 2005, Peter Jennings, anchor and senior editor of ABC News World News Tonight, who said in April he had lung cancer, died at his New York home at age 67.

In 2007, Barry Bonds hit his 756th major league home run, breaking the record set by Hank Aaron. Bonds ended his career just under seven weeks later with a total of 762 homers.

In 2008, Georgian troops laid siege to the capital of the breakaway region of South Ossetia, sparking the five-day Russo-Georgian War, which left more than 300 dead.

In 2012, Jared Lee Loughner pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder in Tucson shootings that killed six people and wounded 13, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Under his plea agreement, Loughner is imprisoned for life without parole and no opportunity to appeal.

In 2021, Allyson Felix won her 11th career medal to become the most-decorated U.S. track athlete in Olympics history at the Tokyo Games.

In 2023, the American Red Cross announced plans to change its donor screening process to allow gay and bisexual men to donate blood under new FDA rules.

A thought for the day: "Dancing is like bank robbery; it takes split-second timing." -- American choreographer Twyla Tharp