This day in history

[April 20, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Tuesday, April 6, the 96th day of 2010. There are 269 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On April 6, 1909, American explorers Robert E. Peary and Matthew A. Henson and four Inuits became the first men to reach the North Pole.

On this date:

In 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was organized by Joseph Smith in Fayette, N.Y.

In 1862, the Civil War Battle of Shiloh began in Tennessee as Confederate forces launched a surprise attack against Union troops, who beat back the Confederates the next day.

In 1896, the first modern Olympic games formally opened in Athens, Greece.

In 1917, Congress approved a declaration of war against Germany.

In 1945, during World War II, the Japanese warship Yamato and nine other vessels sailed on a suicide mission to attack the U.S. fleet off Okinawa; the fleet was intercepted the next day.

In 1963, the United States signed an agreement to sell the Polaris missile system to Britain.

In 1965, the United States launched the Intelsat I, also known as the "Early Bird" communications satellite, into orbit.

In 1971, Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky died in New York City.

In 1985, William J. Schroeder (SHRAY'-dur) became the first artificial heart recipient to be discharged from the hospital as he moved into an apartment in Louisville, Ky.

In 1994, the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi were killed in a mysterious plane crash near Rwanda's capital; widespread violence and killings erupted in Rwanda over claims the plane had been shot down.

Ten years ago: The father of Elian Gonzalez, Juan Miguel Gonzalez, arrived in the United States to press for the return of his 6-year-old son to Cuba. A private company mapping the human genetic blueprint announced it had decoded all of the DNA pieces that make up the genetic pattern of a single human being.

Five years ago: Iraq's new government finally began to take shape as lawmakers elected as president Jalal Talabani, a Kurdish leader who promised to represent all ethnic and religious groups. Fifteen U.S. service members and three American civilians were killed when their Chinook helicopter crashed in Afghanistan. Prince Rainier III of Monaco died at age 81, leaving the throne to Prince Albert II.

One year ago: An earthquake in central Italy killed some 300 people in the country's deadliest quake in nearly three decades. President Barack Obama paid tribute to the memory of modern Turkey's founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, during a visit to Ankara; delivering a speech to the Turkish Parliament, Obama declared the U.S. "is not and never will be at war with Islam." Michael Jordan, along former Dream Team teammates David Robinson and John Stockton, were elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame; Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and Rutgers women's coach C. Vivian Stringer were also part of a class. North Carolina won the NCAA championship, ending Michigan State's inspirational run with a 89-72 rout.

Today's birthdays: Nobel Prize-winning scientist James D. Watson is 82. Composer-conductor Andre Previn is 81. Country singer Merle Haggard is 73. Actor Billy Dee Williams is 73. Actor Roy Thinnes is 72. Movie director Barry Levinson is 68. Actor John Ratzenberger is 63. Actress Marilu Henner is 58. Olympic bronze medal figure skater Janet Lynn is 57. Actor Michael Rooker is 55. Rock musician Warren Haynes is 50. Rock singer-musician Frank Black is 45. Author Vince Flynn is 44. Actress Ari Meyers is 41. Actor Paul Rudd is 41. Actor-producer Jason Hervey is 38. Rock musician Markku Lappalainen (mar-KOO' lap-uh-LAN'-en) is 37. Actor Zach Braff is 35. Actress Candace Cameron Bure is 34. Actor Bret Harrison is 28.

Thought for today: "Men are not against you; they are merely for themselves." -- Gene Fowler, American journalist and author (1890-1960)

[Associated Press]

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