Today in history....

1985: Lebanese Shi’ite Muslim extremists hijacked TWA Flight 847. “He has pulled a hand grenade pin and is ready to blow up the aircraft if he has to. We must, I repeat, we must land in Beirut. We must land in Beirut. No alternative.” Once on the ground, they executed a US Navy Sailor onboard, throwing his body to the tarmac where it lay for two hours before being removed. The hijackers demanded the release of over 700 Shi’ite prisoners in Israel, Cyprus and Kuwait, plus the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon. The two hijackers held 153 passengers and crewmembers hostage for 3 days, before most were released. Dozens more were held hostage another two weeks before being released.

1940: The first transport of prisoners arrives at Auschwitz- 728 Polish prisoners, including 20 Jews. Less than a year later, there were nearly 11,000 imprisoned there. By the time the camp was liberated by the Soviets on January 27, 1945, an estimated 3 MILLION had been killed. Those not killed in the gas chambers died from starvation, disease, executions, medical experiments and slave labor. Auschwitz is now a museum, hosting 700,000 visitors annually.

1922: President Warren Harding becomes the first US President on the radio, using it during the dedication of the Francis Scott Key memorial in Baltimore.

1876: George Hall, of the Philadelphia Athletics, becomes the first professional baseball player to hit for the cycle. “Hitting for the cycle” means that the player hits a single, double, triple and home run in one game. Bob Meusel, Babe Herman, and John Reilly hold the record for the most cycle games- three a piece. The cycle has been hit 289 times in history, however, no one has done it in post-season play.

1777: Today, in 1777, the Continental Congress replaced the British flag with the new Grand Union flag. Flag Day, as it is now known, is the official day to celebrate our nation’s symbol of freedom, and the price we’ve paid for it. June 14, 1777 is the day the Continental Congress raised the Grand Union flag, replacing the British Union Jack. Our flag is comprised of red and white stripes, and white stars on a blue background. There are 13 stripes, representing the original 13 colonies; 7 are red and 6 are white. The red stripes remind us of the blood that has been shed and the valor shown by so many to create and protect our country and the freedoms we enjoy. The white stripes represent pure motives, innocence, unselfishness, freedom, justice and opportunity. There are 50 white stars, one for each state, which rest on a field of blue. The blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, justice, and the freedom to explore the world and beyond.

1775: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, US ARMY! On June 14, 1775, the US Congress officially adopted the American Continental Army, originally comprised of approximately 27,000 soldiers. The next day, George Washington was appointed as the commander of the Continental Army. Today that number stands at roughly 3 million, half being active duty and the other have in the Reserve.