In 1777, British forces under Gen. John Burgoyne surrendered to American troops in Saratoga, New York, in what proved to be a turning point in the Revolutionary War.
In 1781, Cornwallis is defeated at Yorktown.
In 1919, R.C.A., the Radio Corporation of America, was founded.
In 1949, Northwest Airlines becomes the first in the U.S. to serve alcoholic beverages in flight.
In 1956, the world's first full scale nuclear power plant opens in Calder Hall, England.
In 1961, NASA civilian pilot Joseph A Walker takes X-15 to 20 miles.
In 1995, Jeanne Calment lived 120 years and 238 days this day and became the oldest living person whose date of birth can be authenticated. She died in August 1997 at age 122.
Evel Knievel: 1938
Motorcyclist, Daredevil Stuntrider; real name is Robert Craig
George Wendt: 1948
TV/Movie Actor, Second City troupe, Cheers's Norm Peterson.
Ernest Goodpasture: 1886
Scientist, discovered mumps vaccine
Born 17 October
Dr. Mae Jemison: 1956 Astronaut
Thought for Today: "Entrepreneurial profit...is the epxression of the value of what the entrepreneur contributes to production in exactly the same sense that wages are the value expression of what the worker "produces." It is not a profit of exploitation any more than are wages."
Joseph Alois Schumpeter, The Theory of Economic Development, 1934.
