Video: Bob Hope's last show in Vietnam (8:58)
(Sunday, December 24, 1972, Christmas Eve; during Operation Linebacker II, part of the Vietnam War) — Comedian Bob Hope, who has been visiting troops in Vietnam at Christmas since 1965 and entertaining American servicemen elsewhere overseas for 31 years, has performed his last show in Vietnam.
“This trip to Vietnam is my last,” he told troops attended a show today at the Tan Son Nhut airbase outside Saigon.
Video: Christmas bombing halt (9:14)
(Sunday, December 24, 1972, Christmas Eve; during Operation Linebacker II, part of the Vietnam War) — U.S. ‘Christmas Bombings’ of North Vietnam was temporarily halted today for 36 hours starting at 8:00 a.m. local time, although Radio Hanoi reported that raids had continued as late as 7:30 p.m. Continue reading ‘Christmas Bombings’ halted for holiday 40 years ago today (1972)
Video: Dec. 24, 1942 (at 41:04)
(Thursday, December 24, 1942, Christmas Eve; during the Battle of Stalingrad during Eastern Front of World War II) — In Nazi Germany today, the radio broadcast a “live message” from Stalingrad, but it was a fake. Broadcasts from Stalingrad had stopped a week before. Continue reading German radio broadcasts fake ‘live message’ from Stalingrad 70 years ago today (1942)
Video: 'Dragnet - Joe Friday Being a Cop Speech'
(Thursday, December 23, 1982) — Actor, television producer, director, and screenwriter Jack Webb, probably best known for his role as Sergeant Joe Friday in TV’s Dragnet, died today of a heart attack in West Hollywood, California. He was 62.
Video: Dec. 22, 1972 (6:47)
(Friday, December 22, 1972; during Operation Linebacker II, part of the Vietnam War) — The target area of “The Christmas Bombings” of North Vietnam today shifted away from Hanoi to the port city of Haiphong and its petroleum storage areas. Continue reading ‘Christmas Bombings’ shift to Haiphong, hospital near Hanoi hit 40 years ago today (1972)
Video: 'Lady Bird Waltz'
(Thursday, December 22, 1912) — Lady Bird Johnson, the wife of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson (who served from 1963 to 1969), was born Claudia Alta Taylor today in Karnack, Texas, a town in Harrison County, near the state’s border with Louisiana.
Video: Dec. 20, 1972 (3:38)
(Monday, December 20, 1972; during Operation Linebacker II, part of the Vietnam War) — Four American B-52Gs and three B-52Ds were lost today in the first and third waves of “The Christmas Bombings” of the Hanoi area of North Vietnam. A fourth D model, returning to Thailand, crashed in Laos. Only two of the eight downed crews were recovered by search and rescue aircraft. Continue reading Seven B-52 bombers shot down over North Vietnam 40 years ago today (1972)
Video: 'Apollo 17 "On The Shoulders of Giants" - NASA Space Program &' (Dec. 19, 1972 at 25:17)
(Tuesday, December 19, 1972, 2:25 p.m. EST) — The Apollo 17 spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and landed safely today in the Pacific Ocean four miles from the recovery ship, the USS Ticonderoga. Continue reading Last Apollo astronauts to walk on moon return to earth 40 years ago this hour (1972)
Video: 'Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol'
(Tuesday, December 18, 1962, 7:30 p.m. EST) — Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol, a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ famous short story A Christmas Carol starring the character Mr. Magoo, debuted tonight on NBC. Continue reading ‘Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol’ premieres on NBC 50 years ago this hour (1962)
Video: 'Paul McCartney - C'mon People'
(Friday, December 18, 1992) — Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney today completed shooting a promotional film video for C’Mon People at Bray Film Studios, Water Oakley, England. The video will be mastered Feb. 16, 1993, and the track released as a single (Feb. 22, 1993 in the UK, July 27, 1993 in the U.S.) from McCartney’s album Off The Ground.
