Monthly Archives: December 2014

American soldiers pinned down on Western Front prepare Christmas dinner 70 years ago this hour (Dec 25 1944)

1940s, World War II

http://youtu.be/IbIaI15Mio4?t=31m49s

Video: 'WW2: The Battle of the Bulge' (Dec. 25, 1944, at 31:49)

(Monday, December 25, 1944, Christmas Day, noon local time; during the Battle of the Bulge on the Western Front of World War II) — American soldiers, preparing their Christmas dinners, including heat up C-Rations (tin cans filled with a variety of meats and vegetables), were still pinned down one last full day in Bastogne. Continue reading American soldiers pinned down on Western Front prepare Christmas dinner 70 years ago this hour (Dec 25 1944) →

Unofficial Christmas truce continues along Western Front 100 years ago today (Dec 25 1914)

1910s, Christmas, World War I

Video: 'The Great War episode 2 Stalemate' (Dec. 25, 1914, at 51:48)

(Friday, December 25, 1914, Christmas Day; on the Western Front of the First World War) — An unofficial Christmas truce that began yesterday held today along parts of the Western Front today between British and German soldiers who, in some cases, exchanged gifts and even played soccer with each other. Continue reading Unofficial Christmas truce continues along Western Front 100 years ago today (Dec 25 1914) →

Germans reach high water mark of advance 70 years ago this hour (Dec 24 1944)

1940s, World War II

Video: 'WW2: The Battle of the Bulge' (Dec. 24, 1944, at 31:00)

(Sunday, December 24, 1944, Christmas Eve, 12:00 noon local time; during the Battle of the Bulge on the Western Front of World War II) — Allied reconnaissance aircraft discovered the Germans had pressed ahead to within just five miles of the River Meuse, the high water mark of the German advance, but their fuel supply had run dry. Continue reading Germans reach high water mark of advance 70 years ago this hour (Dec 24 1944) →

Viet Cong operatives bomb Saigon quarters of U.S. officers 50 years ago this hour (Dec 24 1964)

1960s, Cold War, Vietnam War


Video: 'Vietnam: A Television History - LBJ Goes to War [3/11]' (Dec. 24, 1964, at 21:15)

(Thursday, December 24, 1964, Christmas Eve, 5:45 p.m. local time; during the Vietnam War, part of the Indochina Wars and the Cold War) — Two Viet Cong operatives detonated a car bomb tonight underneath the Brink Hotel in Saigon, which housed United States Army officers. The explosion killed two Americans, an officer and an NCO, and injured approximately 60, including military personnel and Vietnamese civilians.

The Beach Boys make first appearance on ‘Shindig!’ 50 years ago this hour (Dec 23 1964)

1960s, Popular Music 1960s, Television 1960s


Video: 'The Beach Boys - Dance, Dance, Dance (Shindig - 1964)'

(Wednesday, December 23, 1964, 8:30 p.m. EST) — Only hours after Brian Wilson suffered a nervous breakdown on a flight from Los Angeles to Houston, The Beach Boys made their first appearance on ABC-TV’s musical variety series Shindig! tonight (taped Dec. 14, 1964), performing “Dance, Dance, Dance,” “Little Saint Nick,” “Monster Mash,” “Papa Oom Mow Mow,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and “We Three Kings of Orient Are” at ABC Studios in Los Angeles. Continue reading The Beach Boys make first appearance on ‘Shindig!’ 50 years ago this hour (Dec 23 1964) →

First successful human kidney transplant took place 60 years ago this hour (Dec 23 1954)

1950s


Video: 'Remembering Marvin Miller,Joseph Murray, Earl Carroll'

(Thursday, December 23, 1954, 11:15 a.m. EST) — The first successful human kidney transplant took place today at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston as a surgical team led by Dr. Joseph Murray removed a kidney from 23-year-old Ronald Herrick and implanted it in Herrick’s twin brother, Richard, who was dying of chronic nephritis.

Because the donor and recipient were identical twins, tissue rejection was not an issue. Richard Herrick lived until 1962; Ronald Herrick died in 2010.

Skies clear for American planes over Bastogne 70 years ago this hour (Dec 23 1944)

1940s, World War II


Video: 'WW2: The Battle of the Bulge' (Dec. 23, 1944, at 30:23)

(Saturday, December 23, 1944, 9:00 a.m. local time; during the Battle of the Bulge on the Western Front of World War II) — The skies over Bastogne cleared today just in time for American planes to relieve and support the soldiers pinned down on the ground and and stalling the German offensive. Continue reading Skies clear for American planes over Bastogne 70 years ago this hour (Dec 23 1944) →

‘Subway Vigilante’ Goetz shoots four black youths 30 years ago this hour (Dec 22 1984)

1980s


Video: 'News 4 New York (WNBC-TV) December 22, 1984 Subway Vigilante Bernhard Goetz'

(Saturday, December 22, 1984, at about 1:30 p.m. EST) — New York City resident Bernhard Goetz, 37, shot four black youths aboard a Manhattan subway today after the young men attempted to rob him. As a result of his actions, Goetz soon became known as the “Subway Vigilante.”