On This Day: December 29

Updated December 28, 2011, 1:28 pm

On Dec. 29, On Dec. 29, 1940, during World War II, Germany began dropping incendiary bombs on London.

On Dec. 29, 1808, Andrew Johnson, the 17th president of the United States and the first American president to be impeached, was born. Following his death on July 31, 1875, his obituary appeared in The Times.

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1170 Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral in England.

1808 Andrew Johnson, the 17th president of the United States, was born in Raleigh, N.C.

1845 Texas was admitted to the union as the 28th state.

1851 The first American Young Men’s Christian Association was organized, in Boston.

1890 U.S. troops killed as many as 400 Sioux Indians at Wounded Knee, S.D.

1916 Gregory Rasputin, the monk who had wielded powerful influence over the Russian court, was murdered by a group of noblemen.

1940 Germany began dropping incendiary bombs on London during World War II.

1996 War-weary guerrilla and government leaders in Guatemala signed an accord ending 36 years of civil conflict.

1998 Khmer Rouge leaders apologized for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia that claimed 1 million lives.

1999 The Nasdaq composite index closed above 4,000 for the first time, ending the day at 4,041.46.

2007 The New England Patriots became the first NFL team in 35 years to finish the regular season undefeated when they beat the New York Giants 38-35 to go 16-0.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actress Patricia Clarkson turns 52 years old today.

AP Photo/Dan Steinberg

Actor Jon Voight turns 73 years old today.

AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

1932 Inga Swenson, Actress (“Benson”), turns 79

1934 Tom Jarriel, Broadcast journalist, turns 77

1936 Mary Tyler Moore, Actress, turns 75

1946 Marianne Faithfull, Rock singer, turns 65

1947 Ted Danson, Actor (“Cheers”), turns 64

1959 Paula Poundstone, Comedian, turns 52

1963 Sean Payton, Football coach, turns 48

1967 Andy Wachowski, Director (“Matrix” films), turns 44

1972 Jude Law, Actor, turns 39

1974 Mekhi Phifer, Actor (“ER”), turns 37

1979 Diego Luna, Actor, turns 32

Historic Birthdays

Andrew Johnson 12/29/1808 – 7/31/1875 17th President of the United States (1865-69). Go to obituary »

75 William Gaddis 12/29/1922 – 12/16/1998
American novelist

76 Klaus Fuchs 12/29/1911 – 1/28/1988
German-born American physicist and spy

86 Jess Willard 12/29/1881 – 12/15/1968
American prizefighter

56 William Mitchell 12/29/1879 – 2/19/1936
U.S. Army officer and early advocate of a separate air force

96 Pablo Casals 12/29/1876 – 10/22/1973
Spanish cellist and conductor

88 William Gladstone 12/29/1809 – 5/19/1898
English statesman and four-time prime minister (1868-74, 1880-85, 1886, 1892-94)

59 Charles Goodyear 12/29/1800 – 7/1/1860
American inventor; pioneered commercial use of rubber

76 Charles Macintosh 12/29/1766 – 7/25/1843
Scottish chemist and inventor

42 Jeanne-Antoinette Pompadour 12/29/1721 – 4/15/1764
French mistress of Louis XV

1170	Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral in England.
1808	Andrew Johnson, the 17th president of the United States, was born in Raleigh, N.C.
1845	Texas was admitted to the union as the 28th state.
1851	The first American Young Men’s Christian Association was organized, in Boston.
1890	U.S. troops killed as many as 400 Sioux Indians at Wounded Knee, S.D.
1916	Gregory Rasputin, the monk who had wielded powerful influence over the Russian court, was murdered by a group of noblemen.
1940	Germany began dropping incendiary bombs on London during World War II.
1996	War-weary guerrilla and government leaders in Guatemala signed an accord ending 36 years of civil conflict.
1998	Khmer Rouge leaders apologized for the 1970s genocide in Cambodia that claimed 1 million lives.
1999	The Nasdaq composite index closed above 4,000 for the first time, ending the day at 4,041.46.
2007	The New England Patriots became the first NFL team in 35 years to finish the regular season undefeated when they beat the New York Giants 38-35 to go 16-0.

1932	Inga Swenson, Actress (“Benson”), turns 79
1934	Tom Jarriel, Broadcast journalist, turns 77
1936	Mary Tyler Moore, Actress, turns 75
1946	Marianne Faithfull, Rock singer, turns 65
1947	Ted Danson, Actor (“Cheers”), turns 64
1959	Paula Poundstone, Comedian, turns 52
1963	Sean Payton, Football coach, turns 48
1967	Andy Wachowski, Director (“Matrix” films), turns 44
1972	Jude Law, Actor, turns 39
1974	Mekhi Phifer, Actor (“ER”), turns 37
1979	Diego Luna, Actor, turns 32

75	William Gaddis 12/29/1922 – 12/16/1998 American novelist
76	Klaus Fuchs 12/29/1911 – 1/28/1988 German-born American physicist and spy
86	Jess Willard 12/29/1881 – 12/15/1968 American prizefighter
56	William Mitchell 12/29/1879 – 2/19/1936 U.S. Army officer and early advocate of a separate air force
96	Pablo Casals 12/29/1876 – 10/22/1973 Spanish cellist and conductor
88	William Gladstone 12/29/1809 – 5/19/1898 English statesman and four-time prime minister (1868-74, 1880-85, 1886, 1892-94)
59	Charles Goodyear 12/29/1800 – 7/1/1860 American inventor; pioneered commercial use of rubber
76	Charles Macintosh 12/29/1766 – 7/25/1843 Scottish chemist and inventor
42	Jeanne-Antoinette Pompadour 12/29/1721 – 4/15/1764 French mistress of Louis XV