This day in history

[May 26, 2011]  (AP)  Today is Thursday, May 26, the 146th day of 2011. There are 219 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On May 26, 1940, the evacuation of more than 338,000 Allied troops from Dunkirk, France, began during World War II.

On this date:

In 1521, Martin Luther was banned by the Edict of Worms (vohrms) because of his religious beliefs and writings.

In 1868, the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson ended with his acquittal on the remaining charges.

In 1913, Actors' Equity Association was organized in New York.

In 1938, the House Un-American Activities Committee was established by Congress.

In 1941, the American Flag House, where Betsy Ross once lived, was donated to the city of Philadelphia.

In 1960, U.N. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge accused the Soviets of hiding a microphone inside a wood carving of the Great Seal of the United States that had been presented to the U.S. embassy in Moscow.

In 1969, the Apollo 10 astronauts returned to Earth after a successful eight-day dress rehearsal for the first manned moon landing.

In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in Moscow. (The U.S. withdrew from the treaty in 2002.)

In 1981, 14 people were killed when a Marine jet crashed onto the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz off Florida.

In 1991, a Lauda Air Boeing 767 crashed in Thailand, killing all 223 people aboard.

Ten years ago: Republicans and moderate Democrats drove a sweeping $1.35 trillion-dollar, 10-year tax cut through Congress, handing President George W. Bush a political triumph.

Five years ago: Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden won confirmation to be the 20th CIA director in a 78-15 Senate vote.

One year ago: BP launched its latest bid to plug the gushing well in the Gulf of Mexico by force-feeding it heavy drilling mud, a maneuver known as a "top kill" which proved unsuccessful. TV personality Art Linkletter died in Los Angeles at age 97. Lee DeWyze was crowned the winner of "American Idol" over Crystal Bowersox.

Today's birthdays: Actor James Arness is 88. Actor Alec McCowen is 86. Sportscaster Brent Musberger is 72. Rock singer-musician Levon Helm (The Band) is 71. Country musician Gates Nichols (Confederate Railroad) is 67. Rock musician Garry Peterson (Guess Who) is 66. Singer Stevie Nicks is 63. Actress Pam Grier is 62. Actor Philip Michael Thomas is 62. Country singer Hank Williams Jr. is 62. Former astronaut Sally K. Ride is 60. Actress Margaret Colin is 54. Country singer-songwriter Dave Robbins is 52. Actor Doug Hutchison is 51. Actress Genie Francis is 49. Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait is 49. Singer Lenny Kravitz is 47. Actress Helena Bonham Carter is 45. Rock musician Phillip Rhodes is 43. Actor Joseph Fiennes (FYNZ) is 41. Singer Joey Kibble (Take 6) is 40. Actor-producer-writer Matt Stone is 40. Contemporary Christian musician Nathan Cochran is 33.

Thought for today: "Courage is being scared to death -- and saddling up anyway." -- John Wayne, American actor (born this date in 1907, died 1979)

[Associated Press]

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