November 22nd, 2008

Today in History

1880:
Vaudeville actress Lillian Russell makes her debut at Tony Pastor's Theatre in New York City.

1942:
The situation for the German attackers of Stalingrad seems desperate during the Soviet counter-attack Operation Uranus and General Friedrich von Paulus sends Adolf Hitler a telegram saying that the German 6th army is surrounded.

1972:
Vietnam War: The United States loses its first B-52 Stratofortress of the war.

1963:
John F. Kennedy assassination: In Dallas, Texas, US President John F. Kennedy is assassinated, Texas Governor John B. Connally is seriously wounded, and US Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn-in as the 36th President of the United States.

1718:
Off the coast of Virginia, English pirate Edward Teach (best known as "Blackbeard") is killed in battle when a British boarding party cornered and then shot and stabbed him more than 25 times.