On This Day: December 4

Updated December 3, 2012, 1:30 pm

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On Dec. 4, 1945, the Senate approved U.S. participation in the United Nations.

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On Dec. 4, 1892, Francisco Franco, the Spanish dictator who overthrew the democratic republic and headed an authoritarian regime in Spain for 36 years, was born. Following his death on Nov. 20, 1975, his obituary appeared in The Times.

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On This Date

By The Associated Press

1783 Gen. George Washington said farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern in New York.

1816 James Monroe of Virginia was elected the fifth president of the United States.

1918 President Woodrow Wilson set sail for France to attend the Versailles peace conference.

1942 U.S. bombers struck the Italian mainland for the first time in World War II.

1945 The Senate approved U.S. participation in the United Nations.

1978 Dianne Feinstein became San Francisco’s first woman mayor when she was named to replace George Moscone, who had been assassinated.

1980 The rock group Led Zeppelin announced it was disbanding after the death in September of drummer John Bonham.

1980 The bodies of four American nuns slain in El Salvador two days earlier were unearthed. (Five national guardsmen were later convicted of murder.)

1991 Associated Press correspondent Terry Anderson, the longest-held Western hostage in Lebanon, was released after nearly seven years in captivity.

1995 The first NATO troops landed in the Balkans to begin setting up a peace mission.

2001 The United States froze the financial assets of organizations allegedly linked to the terrorist group Hamas.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Actor Jeff Bridges turns 63 years old today.

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Actress Marisa Tomei turns 48 years old today.

AP Photo/Dan Steinberg

1933 Wink Martindale, Game show host, turns 79

1944 Chris Hillman, Rock singer, musician (The Byrds), turns 68

1948 Johnny Lyon, Rock singer (Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes), turns 64

1955 Cassandra Wilson, Jazz singer, turns 57

1966 Fred Armisen, Actor, comedian (“Saturday Night Live”), turns 46

1969 Jay-Z, Rapper, turns 43

1973 Tyra Banks, Model, TV host (“America’s Next Top Model”), turns 39

Historic Birthdays

Francisco Franco 12/4/1892 – 11/20/1975 Spanish dictator. Go to obituary »

67 John Cotton 12/4/1585 – 12/23/1652
American Puritan leader

85 Thomas Carlyle 12/4/1795 – 2/5/1881
English philosopher and historian

27 Crazy Horse 12/4/1849 – 9/5/1877
American Indian Chief

60 Lillian Russell 12/4/1861 – 6/6/1922
American singer and actress

78 Wassily Kandinsky 12/4/1866 – 12/13/1944
Russian abstract painter

50 Rainer Maria Rilke 12/4/1875 – 12/29/1926
German poet

94 Fung Yu-lan 12/4/1895 – 11/26/1990
Chinese philosopher

88 Alfred Hershey 12/4/1908 – 5/22/1997
American psychologist

75 Pappy Boyington 12/4/1912 – 1/11/1988
American flying ace

1783	Gen. George Washington said farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern in New York.
1816	James Monroe of Virginia was elected the fifth president of the United States.
1918	President Woodrow Wilson set sail for France to attend the Versailles peace conference.
1942	U.S. bombers struck the Italian mainland for the first time in World War II.
1945	The Senate approved U.S. participation in the United Nations.
1978	Dianne Feinstein became San Francisco’s first woman mayor when she was named to replace George Moscone, who had been assassinated.
1980	The rock group Led Zeppelin announced it was disbanding after the death in September of drummer John Bonham.
1980	The bodies of four American nuns slain in El Salvador two days earlier were unearthed. (Five national guardsmen were later convicted of murder.)
1991	Associated Press correspondent Terry Anderson, the longest-held Western hostage in Lebanon, was released after nearly seven years in captivity.
1995	The first NATO troops landed in the Balkans to begin setting up a peace mission.
2001	The United States froze the financial assets of organizations allegedly linked to the terrorist group Hamas.

1933	Wink Martindale, Game show host, turns 79
1944	Chris Hillman, Rock singer, musician (The Byrds), turns 68
1948	Johnny Lyon, Rock singer (Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes), turns 64
1955	Cassandra Wilson, Jazz singer, turns 57
1966	Fred Armisen, Actor, comedian (“Saturday Night Live”), turns 46
1969	Jay-Z, Rapper, turns 43
1973	Tyra Banks, Model, TV host (“America’s Next Top Model”), turns 39

67	John Cotton 12/4/1585 – 12/23/1652 American Puritan leader
85	Thomas Carlyle 12/4/1795 – 2/5/1881 English philosopher and historian
27	Crazy Horse 12/4/1849 – 9/5/1877 American Indian Chief
60	Lillian Russell 12/4/1861 – 6/6/1922 American singer and actress
78	Wassily Kandinsky 12/4/1866 – 12/13/1944 Russian abstract painter
50	Rainer Maria Rilke 12/4/1875 – 12/29/1926 German poet
94	Fung Yu-lan 12/4/1895 – 11/26/1990 Chinese philosopher
88	Alfred Hershey 12/4/1908 – 5/22/1997 American psychologist
75	Pappy Boyington 12/4/1912 – 1/11/1988 American flying ace