May 24.
1844. Samuel Morse sends the first telegraphic message -- "What hath God wrought" from the old Supreme Court chamber in Washington DC to his assistant in Baltimore.
1856. John Brown and his men murder five slavery supporters in another chapter of what will become known as Bleeding Kansas.
1883. After 14 years of construction, the Brooklyn Bridge opens.
1940. Igor Sikorsky conducts the first successful single rotor helicopter test flight.
1941. The German battleship Bismarck sinks the HMS Hood, the pride of the British Navy. Her magazine having been hit, the Hood instantly blew up, killing all but three crew members. The sinking was a severe psychological blow to the British, but the Hood and her consort had scored some hits on the Bismarck as well, which knocked her forward radar out of action and caused contamination of stored fuel oil, forcing her to reduce speed to no more than 20 knots. She had also had her position identified. Eventually, her commander felt that she must return to the French coast but was caught and sunk before she could do so.
"Shoot!"
"FIRE!"
"SHOOT!"
"FIRE!"
In reviewing the history here, I found the following video which may be of interest. It's a History Channel production on the effort to sink the Bismarck. I will be watching it myself later.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuTNJ...eature=related
(that one is the first of several)
2004. North Korea bans mobile phones. (good God.
)