Skylab
On July 11, 1979, Skylab, the first manned US space laboratory, returned to Earth after six years in space.
This Day in History
Happy Birthday, Ferdinand von Zeppelin!
Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin was born on July 8, 1838, in Konstanz, Grand Duchy of Baden (present-day Baden-Württemberg), Germany.
China Resistance Stamp
On July 7, 1942, the US issued its first stamp with foreign characters as part of the design. US #906 was issued to commemorate the fifth anniversary of China’s resistance against the Japanese Empire in the early days of World War II. The 5¢ denomination would have paid for a first-class letter to China.
Birth of Daniel Carter Beard
American illustrator, author, youth leader, and social reformer Daniel “Uncle Dan” Beard was born on June 21, 1850, in Cincinnati, Ohio
The Second Battle of Petersburg
In the spring of 1864, stinging from his failure to take the Confederate capital of Richmond, General Ulysses S. Grant set his sights on Petersburg.
The Bear Flag Revolt
On June 14, 1846, California settlers staged the Bear Flag Revolt in rebellion against the Mexican government.
Death of Medgar Evers
On June 12, 1963, civil rights activist Medgar Evers was killed by a white supremacist while standing in his own driveway.
Orient Express
On June 5, 1883, the Orient Express made its first trip from Paris to Vienna.
Battle of Fair Oaks
On May 31, 1862, the Civil War Battle of Fair Oaks, known in the South as the Battle of Seven Pines, began. The battle could have been one of the last of the war. Instead, it was a turning point in Major General George B. McClellan’s campaign, and the fighting continued for three more years.