ON THIS DAY IN 1843, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The Bunker Hill Celebration will be an imposing ceremony. Besides the Massachusetts militia, which, it is computed, will muster three thousand strong, numerous detachments will be present from other states … Seats will be placed from the Monument towards the stand of the Orator, to the number of some two or three thousand. The first seats will be occupied by the old Revolutionary soldiers and invited guests.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1846, the Eagle reported, “A writer in the Union, who appears to understand his subject, remarks as follows on the power of Mexico: ‘It is right to provide, as far as practicable, for making assurance doubly sure in all our operations against Mexico; and if the war is carried within its territory, to do so with a force in number and supplies that would enable us to march to the capital, if necessary. For this purpose, 25,000 men would be amply sufficient.’”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1865, an Eagle editorial said, “The work of raising a fund to erect a monument in this city to the memory of the late President Lincoln by dollar subscriptions does not appear to have met with the success that was anticipated … The American people run greatly to extremes; they become intensely excited over some event, and display great earnestness of feeling, but when the excitement subsides, the object of it is quickly forgotten. Not that we would infer that the memory of our murdered President has become a matter of indifference; but the public mind has passed into another stage of feeling.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1873, the Eagle reported, “Jonas Jordan, 96 years old, and a soldier of the war of 1812, is an inmate of the Bowling Green (Ky.) Poor House.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1898, the Eagle reported, “The order with regard to the parade of the Grand Army of the Republic on Monday, Memorial Day, has just been issued. It will be observed that there will be an absence of military this year on account of the war. One company of the marine corps will be in line.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1917, the Eagle reported, “In the same blunt way that such messages always arrive, this cablegram came today to the home of Mrs. Amy F. Shelly, at 264 Eleventh street: ‘Daniel J. Shelly died from wounds received May 7. War Department, London.’ The cable gave to Mrs. Shelly the first word of the death of her youngest son, one of the best-known of the Brooklyn lads who have been fighting for the cause of the Allies, a soldier in the British Army since August 1915.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, NAPLES, MAY 25 (U.P.) — American troops drove six miles northeastward from captured Cisterna today and seized Cori, outpost of the German defenses below Rome only nine miles from the Via Casilina, last practical retreat route for 17 Nazi divisions threatened with encirclement. At the other end of the battle line, the Allies stormed through Mount Cairo, anchor of the German defenses northwest of Cassino and last bastion of the Adolf Hitler line, which now was entirely in Allied hands.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “The bodies of three Brooklynites are coming home today. They are among those of 269 Americans who gave their lives as a result of the fighting in Korea, and are being returned aboard the S.S. American Victory, scheduled to arrive at the San Francisco Port of Embarkation. The bodies consigned to points east of the Mississippi River will be placed in rail mortuary cars for transportation to Brooklyn Army Base, for delivery under escort to next of kin. The Brooklynites are Pfc. Sylvester Nichols Jr., son of Lester Nichols, 444 49th St.; Pvt. Philip S. Romano, son of Peter Romano, in care of J. Palmere, 245 Linden St., and Pfc. Henry J. Stelmasiak, son of Joseph Stelmasiak, 76 Berry St.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “HANOI (U.P.) — Elements of two divisions of Communist Vietminh troops today exploded a full scale assault on Yen Phu, one of the keys to the southern defense of Hanoi. The Red assault promised to become the most serious Red threat since the fall of Dien Bien Phu.”
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Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP
Charles Sykes/AP
NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include sportscaster Brent Musburger, who was born in 1939; The Guess Who drummer Garry Peterson, who was born in 1945; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac), who was born in 1948; “Foxy Brown” star Pam Grier, who was born in 1949; “Miami Vice” star Philip Michael Thomas, who was born in 1949; singer-songwriter Hank Williams Jr., who was born in 1949; N.Y. Jets Ring of Honor member Wesley Walker, who was born in 1955; “Independence Day” star Margaret Colin, who was born in Brooklyn in 1958; “General Hospital” star Genie Francis, who was born in 1962; “Are You Gonna Go My Way” singer Lenny Kravitz, who was born in 1964; Oscar-winning actress Helena Bonham Carter, who was born in 1966; “South Park” co-creator Matt Stone, who was born in 1971; singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill, who was born in 1975; “CSI” star Elisabeth Harnois, who was born in 1979; N.Y. Rangers left winger Jimmy Vesey, who was born in 1993; and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, who was born in 1999.
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
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BEST OF THE WEST: John Wayne was born on this day in 1907. For five decades, “The Duke” was the quintessential Western actor, starring in such classic films as “Stagecoach” (1939), “Red River” (1948), “The Searchers” (1956) and “True Grit” (1969), the latter for which he won an Oscar. His advice on acting was to “talk low, talk slow and don’t say too much.” He died in 1979.
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FEVER PITCH: Peggy Lee was born on this day in 1920. She got her start singing on a Fargo, N.D., radio station and was soon hired by Benny Goodman to sing with his band. Known for her simple, jazzy style as well as her sex appeal, her biggest hits were “Fever” (1958) and “Is That All There Is?” (1969). She is perhaps best remembered for the songs she co-wrote and performed for Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp.” She died in 2002.
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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.
Quotable:
“Right now I’m not involved with anybody, but I hope by 75 I will be again.”
— Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stevie Nicks, who was born on this day in 1948
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