This day in history

[December 17, 2008]  (AP)  Today is Wednesday, Dec. 17, the 352nd day of 2008. There are 14 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Dec. 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright of Dayton, Ohio, conducted the first successful manned powered-airplane flights, near Kitty Hawk, N.C., using their experimental craft, the Wright Flyer.

On this date:

In 1777, France recognized American independence.

In 1830, South American patriot Simon Bolivar died in Colombia.

In 1925, Col. William "Billy" Mitchell was convicted at his court-martial of insubordination for accusing senior military officials of incompetence and criminal negligence; he was suspended from active duty.

In 1933, in the inaugural NFL championship football game, the Chicago Bears defeated the New York Giants, 23-21, at Wrigley Field.

In 1939, the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee was scuttled by its crew, ending the World War II Battle of the River Plate off Uruguay.

In 1944, the U.S. Army announced it was ending its policy of excluding Japanese-Americans from the West Coast.

In 1957, the United States successfully test-fired the Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time.

In 1975, Lynette Fromme was sentenced in Sacramento, Calif., to life in prison for her attempt on the life of President Gerald R. Ford.

In 1981, members of the Red Brigades kidnapped Brig. Gen. James L. Dozier, the highest-ranking U.S. Army official in southern Europe, from his home in Verona, Italy. (Dozier was rescued 42 days later.)

In 1986, Eugene Hasenfus, the American convicted by Nicaragua for his part in running guns to the Contras, was pardoned, then released.

Ten years ago: The United States hit Iraq with a second wave of punishing airstrikes. Republicans advanced the impeachment case against President Bill Clinton to the House floor for a debate the following day. House Speaker-designate Bob Livingston shocked fellow Republicans by admitting he'd had extramarital affairs.

Five years ago: Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan was indicted on corruption charges. (Ryan is serving a 6 1/2-year federal prison sentence for racketeering.) The British government announced the first reported case of a person dying from the human form of mad cow disease after a blood transfusion from an infected donor. An attempt to re-create the Wright brothers' first flight on the 100th anniversary failed to take off.

One year ago: President George W. Bush, addressing a Rotary Club meeting, tried to reassure an edgy public that the economy is "pretty good" despite the mix of a failing housing market, a national credit crunch and surging energy costs. Iran received its first nuclear fuel from Russia, paving the way for the startup of its reactor. Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed a measure making New Jersey the first state to abolish the death penalty in more than 40 years. NBC announced that Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien were planning to return to their late-night shows in early 2008, even as the writers' strike continued.

Today's birthdays: Newspaper columnist William Safire is 79. Actor Armin Mueller-Stahl is 78. Magazine publisher Robert Guccione is 78. Actor George Lindsey is 73. Singer-actor Tommy Steele is 72. Rock singer-musician Art Neville is 71. Actor Bernard Hill is 64. Actor Christopher Cazenove is 63. Actor Ernie Hudson is 63. Comedian-actor Eugene Levy is 62. Actor Wes Studi is 61. Pop musician Jim Bonfanti (The Raspberries) is 60. Rock singer Paul Rodgers is 59. Rhythm-and-blues singer Wanda Hutchinson (The Emotions) is 57. Actor Bill Pullman is 55. Actor Barry Livingston is 55. Country singer Sharon White is 55. Producer-director-writer Peter Farrelly is 52. Rock musician Mike Mills (R.E.M.) is 50. Pop singer Sarah Dallin (Bananarama) is 47. Country musician Tim Chewning is 46. Country singer Tracy Byrd is 42. Country musician Duane Propes is 42. DJ Homicide (Sugar Ray) is 38. Actor Sean Patrick Thomas is 38. Pop-rock musician Eddie Fisher (OneRepublic) is 35. Actress Sarah Paulson is 34. Actress Marissa Ribisi is 34. Actor Giovanni Ribisi is 34. Actress Milla Jovovich is 33. Singer Bree Sharp is 33. Actress Jennifer Carpenter is 29. Actress Vanessa Zima is 22. Actor-singer Nat Wolff is 14.

Thought for today: "The only people who never fail are those who never try." -- Ilka Chase, American author, actress, humorist (1905-1978)

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.