Today in history

Today is Saturday June 5, the 156th day of 2021. There are 209 days left in the year.

The highlight of today’s history:

On June 5, 1967, war broke out in the Middle East as Israel, anticipating a possible attack from its Arab neighbors, launched a series of pre-emptive airfield strikes that destroyed nearly all of the Army’s military. Egyptian air; Syria, Jordan and Iraq immediately entered into conflict.

To this date :

In 1794, Congress passed the Neutrality Act, which prohibited Americans from participating in any military action against a country at peace with the United States.

In 1912, the US Marines landed in Cuba on the orders of President William Howard Taft to ensure order and protect US interests.

In 1917, approximately 10 million American men between the ages of 21 and 31 began entering the First World War Draft.

In 1950, the United States Supreme Court, in Henderson v. United States, invalidated racially segregated railroad dining cars.

In 1964, the Rolling Stones gave the first concert of their first American tour at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino, California.

In 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy was fatally shot after claiming victory in the California Democratic presidential primary at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles; assassin Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was arrested at the scene.

In 1981, the Centers for Disease Control reported that five homosexuals in Los Angeles had contracted a rare kind of pneumonia; these were the first recognized cases of what later became known as AIDS.

In 1999, jazz and pop singer Mel Torme died in Los Angeles at the age of 73.

In 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her Salt Lake City home. (Smart was found alive by police in a Salt Lake suburb in March 2003. One kidnapper, Brian David Mitchell, is serving time in prison; the other, Wanda Barzee, was released in September 2018.)

In 2004, Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, died in Los Angeles at the age of 93 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

In 2006, more than 50 Utah National Guardsmen became the first unit to work along the US-Mexico border in President George W. Bush’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

In 2013, US Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, accused of killing 16 Afghan civilians, many of them women and sleeping children, pleaded guilty to murder at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, to avoid the death penalty; he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Ten years ago: Israeli troops fought hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters who attempted to cross the Syrian border into the Golan Heights, killing 20 people. Rafael Nadal won his record-breaking sixth title at Roland Garros, beating Roger Federer 7-5, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-1.

Five years ago: Hillary Clinton overwhelmed Bernie Sanders in Puerto Rico’s Democratic presidential primary, putting her at a striking distance from her party nomination. David Gilkey, a veteran press photographer and video editor for National Public Radio, and an Afghan journalist, Zabihullah Tamanna, were killed in an insurgent ambush while on a mission. Novak Djokovic (NOH’-vak JOH’-kuh-vich) became the first man in nearly half a century to win four consecutive major championships and ultimately won an elusive title at Roland Garros to complete a Grand Slam in career, beating Andy Murray 3- 6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.

A year ago: Minneapolis banned police strangling, the first of many changes in policing practices to be announced following the death of George Floyd; officers would also now be required to intervene whenever they saw force not authorized by another officer. A Washington Post editorial, signed by 89 former defense officials, accused President Donald Trump of using the U.S. military to undermine the rights of Americans protesting against police brutality. City workers and volunteers painted “Black Lives Matter” in huge yellow letters on two blocks across the street leading to the White House as a sign of local leadership joining the protest movement. The World Health Organization has expanded its recommendations for the use of masks during the pandemic. With the tabulated results of several primaries earlier in the week, Joe Biden has officially clinched the Democratic presidential nomination. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league was wrong not to listen to players fighting for racial equality.

Today’s birthdays: Actor-singer Bill Hayes is 96 years old. Broadcast journalist Bill Moyers is 87 years old. Former Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark is 82 years old. Author Dame Margaret Drabble is 82 years old. Country singer Don Reid (The Statler Brothers) is 76 years old. Rock musician Freddie Stone (AKA Freddie Stewart) (Sly and the Family Stone) is 74 years old. Rock singer Laurie Anderson is 74 years old. Country singer Gail Davies is 73 years old. Author Ken Follett is 72 years old. 70-year-old finance guru Suze Orman. Rock musician Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden) is 69 years old. Jazz musician Peter Erskine is 67 years old. Jazz musician Kenny G is 65 years old. Rock singer Richard Butler (Psychedelic Furs) is 65. Actor Beth Hall is 63 years old. Actor Jeff Garlin is 59 years old. Actor Karen Sillas is 58 years old. Actor Ron Livingston is 54. Singer Brian McKnight is 52. Rock musician Claus Norreen (Aqua) is 51 years old. Actor Mark Wahlberg is 50 years old. Actor Chad Allen is 47 years old. Rock musician P-Nut (311) is 47 years old. Actor Navi Rawat (ROH’-waht) is 44 years old. Actor Liza Weil is 44 years old. Rock musician Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy) is 42 years old. Rock musician Seb Lefebvre (Sim ple Plan) is 40 years old. Actor Chelsey Crisp is 38 years old. Actor Amanda Crew is 35 years old. Electronic musician Harrison Mills (Odesza) is 32 years old. Musician / songwriter / producer DJ Mustard is 31 years old. Actor Sophie Lowe is 31 years old. Actor Hank Greenspan is 11 years old.