December 17, 1903

Orville Wright on the inside and Wilbur Wright on the outside of the Wright Flyer near Kitty Hawk, N.C. during the first flight.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On December 17, 1943

U.S. Marine Colonel Gregory “Pappy” Boyington commanded Marine Attack Squadron 214, known as the “Black Sheep Squadron,” on the first “fighter sweep technique” in combat.

76 fighter aircraft were deployed over the Japanese air station located at Rabaul in New Guinea.

Image of Pappy in a cockpit in 1943 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Joseph Henry, the first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, was born in Albany, New York on December 17, 1797.

In 1831 he invented a precursor to the doorbell that could be rung at a distance by an electric wire.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On December 17, 1933 “Red” Grange of the Chicago Bears made a tackle that prevented a touchdown by the New York Giants in the final play of the first scheduled NFL Championship game.

Image of Grange delivering ice in 1930 to earn extra money during the offseason via Wikimedia Commons, no known restrictions

“The first diesel electric locomotive entered service on December 17, 1924 at a rail yard in the Bronx, NY. Shown here is a Central Rail Road of New Jersey locomotive of that type circa 1927.”

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain, no known copyright

“Washington, D.C. Dec. 17 – President Roosevelt had a happy smile and a warm greeting for members of his official family when he returned to the White House today after a five-week’s trip abroad for conferences with other world leaders.”

Roosevelt is wearing a plaid shirt by designer Pola Stout.

– 1943 Image from LOC via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

American track & field sprinter and Gold Medalist in the 1920 and the 1924 Olympic Games, Loren Murchison was born on December 17, 1898 in Farmersville, Texas.

Image: Loren Murchison in 1923 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

“The US Air Force closed Project Blue Book, its investigation into UFO’s on December 17, 1969. The official conclusion was that no evidence existed of extraterrestrial vehicles. Aliens disagreed. Shown is the first PBB staff in 1963.”

Image via USAF Wikimedia Commons, public domain

American abolitionist and poet John Greenleaf Whittier was born on December 17, 1807 in Haverhill, Massachusetts.

His poem “Snow-Bound: A Winter Idyl” written in 1866 starts with…

“The sun that brief December day
Rose cheerless over hills of gray,
And, darkly circled, gave at noon
A sadder light than waning moon.
Slow tracing down the thickening sky
Its mute and ominous prophecy,
A portent seeming less than threat,
It sank from sight before it set.
A chill no coat, however stout,
Of homespun stuff could quite, shut out,
A hard, dull bitterness of cold,
That checked, mid-vein, the circling race
Of life-blood in the sharpened face,
The coming of the snow-storm told.
The wind blew east; we heard the roar
Of Ocean on his wintry shore,
And felt the strong pulse throbbing there
Beat with low rhythm our inland air.”

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

On December 17, 1989, the longest-running scripted TV series in American history, The Simpsons debuted on network TV.

Image via Alamy

On December 17, 1969, Herbert Butros Khaury, popularly known as “Tiny Tim” married his first wife “Miss Vicky” on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Image of Tiny Tim in 1969 via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Born December 17, 1947 Wes Studi began his acting career with stage roles after service in Vietnam. His filmography includes “Dances with Wolves,” “The Last of the Mohicans,” “Geronimo,” and “Avatar.” In 2019 he received an Honorary Academy Award, the first Native American to be so recognized.

Image by DragonflyDC at the English Wikipedia, CCA-SA 2.5 Generic via Wikimedia Commons.

Dinner served in a box car on the Vologia railroad carrying the Red Cross gifts to Americans at the front. The thermometer registered 10 degrees below zero at this time. Bakharitza, December 17, 1918

via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Pat Nixon admiring the decorations on the official White House Christmas tree

December 17, 1969

Image from The White House via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

An advertisement for an Overland automobile for $875 by the Temple Motor Car Company in Temple, Texas that was published on December 17, 1922.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain