This Day In History

On May 6, 1937, the Hindenburg caught fire while preparing to land in Lakehurst, New Jersey, and was destroyed in less than a minute. The disaster killed 35 people aboard the airship and one worker on the ground, ending a famous chapter in passenger airship travel.

On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American to travel into space when he launched aboard Freedom 7. The brief suborbital flight lasted just over 15 minutes, but it marked a turning point in the United States’ early space efforts.

On May 4, 1942, the World War II Battle of the Coral Sea began. It became the first naval battle fought mainly by aircraft carriers, with opposing fleets striking each other by air while their ships never came into direct sight.

On May 3, 1861, General-in-Chief Winfield Scott presented a strategy to defeat the Confederacy with limited bloodshed. Later nicknamed the “Anaconda Plan,” it aimed to squeeze the South through blockade and control of its rivers rather than by one dramatic battle.

On April 20, 1918, Manfred von Richthofen—known around the world as the Red Baron—shot down his 80th enemy aircraft, setting a record for World War I. Within a day, his remarkable career would come to an abrupt end, cementing his place as the war’s most recognized flying ace.

On April 17, 1897, playwright and novelist Thornton Wilder was born in Madison, Wisconsin. Over the next several decades, he would become one of America’s most respected writers, known for works that explored everyday life with unusual clarity and structure.

On February 21, 1916, one of the longest battles on the Western Front began at Verdun. The nearly 10-month battle ended in a French victory, but at a high cost of lives on both sides. 

US General Omar Nelson Bradley was born on February 12, 1893, in the small town of Clark, Missouri—far from the battlefields where he would one day command millions. Known as the “GI’s General,” Bradley rose from humble beginnings to become one of America’s most trusted military leaders of World War II.

On May 7, 1847, the American Medical Association (AMA) was founded, thanks in large part to Nathan Smith Davis. Since its creation, the AMA’s mission has been “to promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health.”

On May 7, 1992, the Space Shuttle Endeavour embarked on its first mission, STS-49. America’s fifth and final operational shuttle, it would go on to fly 122,883,151 miles and spend 299 days in space.

On May 7, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln accepted the “honor of citizenship” from San Marino. It was one of the earliest instances of US and San Marino relations, which wouldn’t be formally established for decades. 

On May 7, 1833, future President Abraham Lincoln took a job as postmaster for New Salem, Illinois.  Holding that position for three years, he was well-liked and respected for his commitment to his postal customers.