Today in history: Oct. 14

The HMS Royal Oak at anchor in Portsmouth, England on Nov. 23, 1938 carrying the coffin containing the body of Queen Maud for conveyance to Norway. Behind her is the HMS Rodney, and the Ark Royal. (AP Photo)
In 1939, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the HMS Royal Oak, a British battleship anchored at Scapa Flow in Scotland’s Orkney Islands; 833 of the more than 1,200 men aboard were killed. Here, the HMS Royal Oak is seen at anchor in Portsmouth, England on Nov. 23, 1938. (AP)
Charles E. Yeager, 25, has flown the Air Force research plane XS-1 "much faster than the speed of sound" several times, Air Secretary Symington said, June 10, 1948 in Washington. (AP Photo)
On this date in 1947, Air Force test pilot Charles E. Yeager broke the sound barrier as he flew the experimental Bell XS-1 rocket plane over Muroc Dry Lake in California. (later X-1)
U.S. Peace Corps volunteers swears in during a ceremony in U.S. Embassy to Cambodia, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, Sept. 25, 2015 as they mark official start of the corps volunteer program in this impoverished Southeast Asian nation. Hundreds of Peace Corps volunteers have served in at least 17 provinces throughout Cambodia since 2007, according release reported. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
On Oct. 14, 1960, the idea of a Peace Corps was suggested by Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy to an audience of students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. U.S. Peace Corps volunteers swears in during a ceremony in U.S. Embassy to Cambodia, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, Sept. 25, 2015 as they mark official start of the corps volunteer program in this impoverished Southeast Asian nation. Hundreds of Peace Corps volunteers have served in at least 17 provinces throughout Cambodia since 2007, according release reported. (AP/Heng Sinith)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. displays his 1964 Nobel Peace Prize medal in Oslo, Norway, December 10, 1964.  The 35-year-old Dr. King was honored for promoting the principle of non-violence in the civil rights movement.  (AP Photo)
In 1964, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. King was honored for promoting the principle of non-violence in the civil rights movement. (AP)
A 224-foot high Saturn IB space vehicle is lifted off at 11:03 a.m. EST from Launch Complex 34 at Cape Kennedy, Fla., Oct. 11, 1968.  The space rocket is carrying  Apollo 7 astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr., commander; Donn F. Eisele, command module pilot; and Walter Cunningham, lunar module pilot.  The open-ended mission, scheduled to span 11 days, is designed to qualify the three-man Apollo spacecraft system for future voyages planned by NASA.  (AP Photo)
In 1968, the first successful live telecast from a manned U.S. spacecraft was transmitted from Apollo 7. A 224-foot high Saturn IB space vehicle is lifted off at 11:03 a.m. EST from Launch Complex 34 at Cape Kennedy, Fla., Oct. 11, 1968. The space rocket is carrying Apollo 7 astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr., commander; Donn F. Eisele, command module pilot; and Walter Cunningham, lunar module pilot. The open-ended mission, scheduled to span 11 days, is designed to qualify the three-man Apollo spacecraft system for future voyages planned by NASA. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
FILE - In this Friday, April 28, 2006 file photo, convicted sniper John Allen Muhammad addresses Judge James L. Ryan during a media preview before the start of his trial in Rockville, Md. Convicted D.C. sniper Lee Boyd Malvo, aka John Lee Malvo, said in a newspaper interview published Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012, that the devastated reaction of a victim’s husband made him feel like “the worst piece of scum.” Malvo expresses remorse in the interview with The Washington Post and urged the families of victims to try and forget about him and his partner, Muhammad, so they can move on. Tuesday, Oct. 2, marks the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the deadly spree in the Washington area carried by Malvo and Muhammad. The pair has been linked to 27 shootings across the country, including 10 fatal attacks in the Washington area. (AP Photo/Chris Gardner, Pool, File)
In 2003, John Allen Muhammad pleaded not guilty to murder as the first trial in the deadly Washington-area sniper rampage got under way in Virginia Beach, Va. (Muhammad was later convicted of killing Dean Harold Meyers and executed in 2009.) FILE – In this Friday, April 28, 2006 file photo, convicted sniper John Allen Muhammad addresses Judge James L. Ryan during a media preview before the start of his trial in Rockville, Md. Convicted D.C. sniper Lee Boyd Malvo, aka John Lee Malvo, said in a newspaper interview published Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012, that the devastated reaction of a victim’s husband made him feel like “the worst piece of scum.” Malvo expresses remorse in the interview with The Washington Post and urged the families of victims to try and forget about him and his partner, Muhammad, so they can move on. Tuesday, Oct. 2, marks the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the deadly spree in the Washington area carried by Malvo and Muhammad. The pair has been linked to 27 shootings across the country, including 10 fatal attacks in the Washington area. (AP/Chris Gardner)
FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2016, file photo, Harvey Weinstein attends amfAR's New York Gala honoring him in New York. Harvey Weinstein's lawyer said in a court filing that federal prosecutors in New York have launched a criminal investigation into the film producer, in addition to a previously disclosed probe by the Manhattan District Attorney. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)
In 2017, the board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revoked the membership of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein (WYN’-steen), after published reports about sexual harassment and rape allegations against Weinstein. FILE – In this Feb. 10, 2016, file photo, Harvey Weinstein attends amfAR’s New York Gala honoring him in New York. Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said in a court filing that federal prosecutors in New York have launched a criminal investigation into the film producer, in addition to a previously disclosed probe by the Manhattan District Attorney. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP/Charles Sykes)
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The HMS Royal Oak at anchor in Portsmouth, England on Nov. 23, 1938 carrying the coffin containing the body of Queen Maud for conveyance to Norway. Behind her is the HMS Rodney, and the Ark Royal. (AP Photo)
Charles E. Yeager, 25, has flown the Air Force research plane XS-1 "much faster than the speed of sound" several times, Air Secretary Symington said, June 10, 1948 in Washington. (AP Photo)
U.S. Peace Corps volunteers swears in during a ceremony in U.S. Embassy to Cambodia, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, Sept. 25, 2015 as they mark official start of the corps volunteer program in this impoverished Southeast Asian nation. Hundreds of Peace Corps volunteers have served in at least 17 provinces throughout Cambodia since 2007, according release reported. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. displays his 1964 Nobel Peace Prize medal in Oslo, Norway, December 10, 1964.  The 35-year-old Dr. King was honored for promoting the principle of non-violence in the civil rights movement.  (AP Photo)
A 224-foot high Saturn IB space vehicle is lifted off at 11:03 a.m. EST from Launch Complex 34 at Cape Kennedy, Fla., Oct. 11, 1968.  The space rocket is carrying  Apollo 7 astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr., commander; Donn F. Eisele, command module pilot; and Walter Cunningham, lunar module pilot.  The open-ended mission, scheduled to span 11 days, is designed to qualify the three-man Apollo spacecraft system for future voyages planned by NASA.  (AP Photo)
FILE - In this Friday, April 28, 2006 file photo, convicted sniper John Allen Muhammad addresses Judge James L. Ryan during a media preview before the start of his trial in Rockville, Md. Convicted D.C. sniper Lee Boyd Malvo, aka John Lee Malvo, said in a newspaper interview published Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012, that the devastated reaction of a victim’s husband made him feel like “the worst piece of scum.” Malvo expresses remorse in the interview with The Washington Post and urged the families of victims to try and forget about him and his partner, Muhammad, so they can move on. Tuesday, Oct. 2, marks the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the deadly spree in the Washington area carried by Malvo and Muhammad. The pair has been linked to 27 shootings across the country, including 10 fatal attacks in the Washington area. (AP Photo/Chris Gardner, Pool, File)
FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2016, file photo, Harvey Weinstein attends amfAR's New York Gala honoring him in New York. Harvey Weinstein's lawyer said in a court filing that federal prosecutors in New York have launched a criminal investigation into the film producer, in addition to a previously disclosed probe by the Manhattan District Attorney. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

Today is Monday, Oct. 14, the 287th day of 2019.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Oct. 14, 1947, U.S. Air Force Capt. Charles E. (”Chuck”) Yeager (YAY’-gur) became the first test pilot to break the sound barrier as he flew the experimental Bell XS-1 (later X-1) rocket plane over Muroc Dry Lake in California.

On this date:

In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt, campaigning for the presidency, was shot in the chest in Milwaukee. Despite the wound, he went ahead with a scheduled speech.

In 1930, Ethel Merman made her Broadway debut in the musical comedy “Girl Crazy” with songs by George and Ira Gershwin.

In 1933, Nazi Germany announced it was withdrawing from the League of Nations.

In 1939, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the HMS Royal Oak, a British battleship anchored at Scapa Flow in Scotland’s Orkney Islands; 833 of the more than 1,200 men aboard were killed.

In 1960, the idea of a Peace Corps was suggested by Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy to an audience of students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

In 1964, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

In 1968, the first successful live telecast from a manned U.S. spacecraft was transmitted from Apollo 7.

In 1981, the new president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak (HOHS’-nee moo-BAH’-rahk), was sworn in to succeed the assassinated Anwar Sadat. Mubarak pledged loyalty to Sadat’s policies.

In 1987, a 58-hour drama began in Midland, Texas, as 18-month-old Jessica McClure slid 22 feet down a narrow abandoned well at a private day care center; she was rescued on Oct. 16.

In 2001, as U.S. jets opened a second week of raids in Afghanistan, President George W. Bush sternly rejected a Taliban offer to discuss handing over Osama bin Laden to a third country.

In 2003, John Allen Muhammad pleaded not guilty to murder as the first trial in the deadly Washington-area sniper rampage got under way in Virginia Beach, Va. (Muhammad was later convicted of killing Dean Harold Meyers and executed in 2009.)

In 2017, a truck bombing in Somalia’s capital killed more than 500 people in one of the world’s deadliest attacks in years; officials blamed the attack on the extremist group al-Shabab and said it was meant to target Mogadishu’s international airport, but the bomb detonated in a crowded street after soldiers opened fire. The board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revoked the membership of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein (WYN’-steen), after published reports about sexual harassment and rape allegations against Weinstein.

Ten years ago: The Unification Church held the largest mass wedding in a decade, with some 40,000 people participating in dozens of cities around the world. NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. headlined the five inductees into the first Hall of Fame class; Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Bill France Jr. and Junior Johnson were the others. Pro wrestler Lou Albano, 76, died in Westchester County, New York.

Five years ago: A second nurse at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas came down with Ebola after contracting it from a dying patient. (The nurse, Amber Joy Vinson, was later declared free of the disease.) After a conspicuous public absence of nearly six weeks, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (gihm jung oon) appeared in images released by state media attending a pair of events, dispelling rumors that he was gravely ill, deposed _ or worse.

One year ago: Saudi Arabia threatened to retaliate for any sanctions imposed on it over the disappearance and suspected murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (jah-MAHL’ khahr-SHOHK’-jee); President Donald Trump had told CBS’s “60 Minutes” that the kingdom deserved “severe punishment” if it was responsible. Pope Francis made saints of Pope Paul VI and Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, praising them as prophets who shunned wealth and looked out for the poor.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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