Updated July 10, 2012, 2:28 pm
On July 11, 1979, the abandoned United States space station Skylab made a spectacular return to Earth, burning up in the atmosphere and showering debris over the Indian Ocean and Australia.
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On July 11, 1899, E. B. White, the American writer of essays and children’s books, was born. Following his death on Oct. 1, 1985, his obituary appeared in The Times.
Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »
On This Date
By The Associated Press
| 1533 |
England’s King Henry VIII was excommunicated. |
| 1767 |
John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, was born in Braintree, Mass. |
| 1798 |
The U.S. Marine Corps was created by an act of Congress. |
| 1804 |
Vice President Aaron Burr mortally wounded former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton in a pistol duel near Weehawken, N.J. |
| 1859 |
Big Ben, the great bell inside the famous London clock tower, chimed for the first time. |
| 1914 |
Baseball Hall of Famer Babe Ruth made his major league debut as a pitcher for the Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston. |
| 1952 |
The Republican National Convention, meeting in Chicago, nominated Dwight D. Eisenhower for president and Richard M. Nixon for vice president. |
| 1955 |
The Air Force Academy was dedicated at Lowry Air Base in Colorado. |
| 1960 |
“To Kill a Mockingbird,” Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, was published. |
| 1977 |
The Medal of Freedom was awarded posthumously to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in a White House ceremony. |
| 1979 |
The abandoned U.S. space station Skylab returned to Earth, burning up in the atmosphere and showering debris over the Indian Ocean and Australia. |
| 1995 |
The United States normalized relations with Vietnam. |
| 2007 |
Former first lady Lady Bird Johnson died in Austin, Texas, at age 94. |
Current Birthdays
By The Associated Press
Tennis player Caroline Wozniacki turns 22 years old today.
AP Photo/Yves Logghe
Actress Sela Ward (“Once and Again,” “Sisters”) turns 56 years old today.
AP Photo/Evan Agostini
| 1931 |
Tab Hunter, Actor, turns 81 |
| 1949 |
Jay Johnson, Ventriliquist, actor (“Soap”), turns 63 |
| 1953 |
Leon Spinks, Boxer, turns 59 |
| 1959 |
Richie Sambora, Rock musician (Bon Jovi), turns 53 |
| 1959 |
Suzanne Vega, Singer, turns 53 |
| 1963 |
Lisa Rinna, Actress, TV host, turns 49 |
| 1966 |
Greg Grunberg, Actor (“Heroes”), turns 46 |
| 1967 |
Jeff Corwin, Wildlife expert, turns 45 |
| 1970 |
Justin Chambers, Actor (“Grey’s Anatomy”), turns 42 |
| 1975 |
Lil’ Kim, Rapper, turns 37 |
| 1976 |
Ben Gibbard, Rock singer, musician (Death Cab for Cutie), turns 36 |
Historic Birthdays
E. B. White 7/11/1899 – 10/1/1985 American author and editor for The New Yorker.Go to obituary »
| 54 |
Robert I, the Bruce 7/11/1274 – 6/7/1329
Scottish king (1306-29) |
| 80 |
John Quincy Adams 7/11/1767 – 2/23/1848
American sixth president |
| 38 |
John Fowler 7/11/1826 – 12/4/1864
English developer of the steam-hauled plow |
| 84 |
John Wanamaker 7/11/1838 – 12/12/1922
American businessman; founded Wanamaker department stores |
| 71 |
Leon Bloy 7/11/1846 – 11/2/1917
French writer |
| 72 |
Harry Kellar 7/11/1849 – 3/10/1922
American magician |
| 38 |
Georgiana Barrymore 7/11/1854 – 7/2/1893
American actress |
| 84 |
Sir Joseph Larmor 7/11/1857 – 5/19/1942
Irish physicist |
| 40 |
Roger de La Fresnaye 7/11/1885 – 11/27/1925
French painter |
| 76 |
Arthur Tedder 7/11/1890 – 6/3/1967
English deputy commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force |
| 68 |
Rudolf Abel 7/11/1903 – 11/15/1971
Russian spy imprisoned by U.S. in 1957 |
| 65 |
Yul Brynner 7/11/1920 – 10/10/1985
American stage and motion-picture actor |
