This day in history

[September 15, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Thursday, Sept. 15, the 258th day of 2011. There are 107 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Sept. 15, 1961, the United States began Operation Nougat, a series of underground nuclear explosions in the Nevada Test Site, two weeks after the Soviet Union resumed testing its nuclear weapons.

On this date:

In 1776, British forces occupied New York City during the American Revolution.

In 1789, the U.S. Department of Foreign Affairs was renamed the Department of State.

In 1821, the Kingdom of Guatemala proclaimed its independence from Spain.

In 1857, William Howard Taft -- who served as President of the United States and as U.S. chief justice -- was born in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In 1935, the Nuremberg Laws deprived German Jews of their citizenship.

In 1940, during the World War II Battle of Britain, the tide turned as the Royal Air Force inflicted heavy losses against the Luftwaffe.

In 1950, during the Korean conflict, United Nations forces landed at Incheon in the south and began their drive toward Seoul (sohl).

In 1959, Nikita Khrushchev became the first Soviet head of state to visit the United States as he arrived at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington.

In 1963, four black girls were killed when a bomb went off during Sunday services at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. (Three Ku Klux Klansmen were eventually convicted for their roles in the blast.)

In 1981, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to approve the Supreme Court nomination of Sandra Day O'Connor.

Ten years ago: President George W. Bush ordered U.S. troops to get ready for war and braced Americans for a long, difficult assault against terrorists to avenge the Sept. 11 attack. Beleaguered Afghans streamed out of Kabul, fearing a U.S. military strike against Taliban rulers harboring Osama bin Laden. Frederick De Cordova, executive producer of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson," died in Woodland Hills, Calif., at age 90.

Five years ago: Ford Motor Co. took drastic steps to remold itself into a smaller, more competitive company, slashing thousands of jobs and shuttering two additional plants. U.S. Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, agreed to plead guilty to two criminal charges in the congressional corruption probe spawned by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. (Ney served nearly a year and a-half of a 2- 1/2-year prison sentence.) Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci died in Florence at age 77.

One year ago: A mortar attack by Palestinian militants and airstrikes by Israel provided a grim backdrop as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ended their latest round of peace talks still divided on major issues.

Today's birthdays: Actor Forrest Compton is 86. Comedian Norm Crosby is 84. Actor Henry Darrow is 78. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Gaylord Perry is 73. Opera singer Jessye Norman is 66. Writer-director Ron Shelton is 66. Actor Tommy Lee Jones is 65. Movie director Oliver Stone is 65. Rock musician Kelly Keagy (KAY'-gee) (Night Ranger) is 59. Rock musician Mitch Dorge (Crash Test Dummies) is 51. Football Hall-of-Famer Dan Marino is 50. Actor Danny Nucci is 43. Rap DJ Kay Gee is 42. Actor Josh Charles is 40. Singer Ivette (EE'-veht) Sosa (Eden's Crush) is 35. Pop-rock musician Zach Filkins (OneRepublic) is 33. Actor Dave Annable is 32. Actress Amy Davidson is 32. Britain's Prince Harry of Wales is 27. TV personality Heidi Montag is 25.

Thought for today: "You cannot survive if you do not know the past." -- Oriana Fallaci, Italian journalist (1929-2006)

[Associated Press]

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