Today’s Highlight in History: On July 9, 1944, during World War II, American forces secured Saipan as the
last Japanese defenses fell.
On this date:
In 1540, England’s King Henry VIII had his 6-month-old marriage to his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves,
annulled.
In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read aloud to Gen. George Washington’s troops in New York.

In 1816, Argentina declared independence from Spain.
In 1850, the 12th president of the United States, Zachary Taylor, died after serving only 16 months of
his term. (He was succeeded by Millard Fillmore.)
In 1896, William Jennings Bryan delivered his famous "cross of gold" speech at the Democratic
national convention in Chicago.
In 1918, 101 people were killed in a train collision in Nashville, Tennessee. The Distinguished Service
Cross was established by an Act of Congress.
In 1938, Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Cardozo died in Port Chester, New York, at age 68.
In 1943, during World War II, the Allies launched Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily.
In 1964, United Airlines Flight 823, a Vickers Viscount 745D, crashed in Tennessee during a flight from
Philadelphia to Huntsville, Alabama, after a fire broke out on board; all 39 occupants were killed.
In 1974, former U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren died in Washington at age 83.
In 1986, the Attorney General’s Commission on Pornography released the final draft of its report, which
linked hard-core porn to sex crimes.
In 1992, Democrat Bill Clinton tapped Tennessee Sen. Al Gore to be his running mate. Former CBS News
commentator Eric Sevareid died in Washington at age 79.
Ten years ago: A Senate Intelligence Committee report concluded the CIA had provided unfounded
assessments of the threat posed by Iraq that the Bush administration had relied on to justify going to
war. The International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s planned security barrier in the West Bank
violated international law (Israel disregarded the ruling and continued building the barrier).
Five years ago: The Group of Eight industrialized nations opened their summit in L’Aquila, Italy, to
Group of Five developing countries Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa, as well as Egypt.
One year ago: A massive memorial service in Arizona honored 19 members of the Prescott-based Granite
Mountain Hotshots who died when a wind-fueled, out-of-control fire overran them.