Today in History

Today is Saturday, Nov. 14, the 318th day of 2015. There are 47 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Nov. 14, 1965, the U.S. Army's first major military operation of the Vietnam War began with the start of the five-day Battle of Ia Drang. (The fighting between American troops and North Vietnamese forces ended on Nov. 18 with both sides claiming victory.)

On this date:

In 1851, Herman Melville's novel "Moby-Dick; Or, The Whale" was first published in the United States.

In 1889, inspired by the Jules Verne novel "Around the World in Eighty Days," New York World reporter Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane) set out to make the trip in less time than the fictional Phileas Fogg. (She completed the journey in 72 days.)

In 1910, Eugene B. Ely became the first aviator to take off from a ship as his Curtiss pusher rolled off a sloping platform on the deck of the scout cruiser USS Birmingham off Hampton Roads, Virginia.

In 1915, African-American educator Booker T. Washington, 59, died in Tuskegee, Alabama.

In 1925, the first group exhibition of surrealistic paintings opened at the Galerie Pierre in Paris.

In 1940, during World War II, German planes destroyed most of the English town of Coventry.

In 1944, Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra recorded "Opus No. 1" for RCA Victor.

In 1954, the president of Egypt, Muhammad Naguib, was deposed by the Revolutionary Command Council, leaving Gamal Abdel Nasser fully in charge as acting head of state.

In 1969, Apollo 12 blasted off for the moon.

In 1970, a chartered Southern Airways DC-9 crashed while trying to land in West Virginia, killing all 75 people on board, including the Marshall University football team and its coaching staff.

In 1986, the Securities and Exchange Commission imposed a $100 million penalty against inside-trader Ivan F. Boesky and barred him from working again in the securities industry.

In 1990, it was revealed that pop duo Milli Vanilli (Rob Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan) had done none of the singing on their Grammy-winning debut album "Girl You Know It's True."

Ten years ago: Two separate suicide attackers rammed car bombs into vehicles belonging to NATO-led peacekeepers in Kabul, Afghanistan, killing a German soldier and an Afghan child. President George W. Bush hurled new arguments against Iraq war critics as he headed to Asia, accusing some Democrats of "sending mixed signals to our troops and the enemy." Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees won his second American League Most Valuable Player award in three seasons.

Five years ago: A 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum meeting in Yokohama, Japan, concluded with a unanimous pledge by members to avoid raising more trade barriers and to roll back those they may have erected in the midst of crisis. Somali pirates released British couple Paul and Rachel Chandler, who were held for 388 days after they were abducted from their 38-foot-yacht.

One year ago: Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced the Pentagon would spend an additional $10 billion to correct deep problems of neglect and mismanagement within the nation's nuclear forces. During his visit to Asia, President Barack Obama mounted a warm show of support for Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, appearing with the democracy activist on the back porch of her lakeside home. Jane Byrne, the first and, to date, only female mayor of Chicago, died at age 81.

Today's Birthdays: Former U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali is 93. Actress Kathleen Hughes is 87. Former MLB All-Star Jimmy Piersall is 86. Former NASA astronaut Fred Haise is 82. Jazz musician Ellis Marsalis is 81. Composer Wendy Carlos is 76. Writer P.J. O'Rourke is 68. Zydeco singer-musician Buckwheat Zydeco is 68. Britain's Prince Charles is 67. Rock singer-musician James Young (Styx) is 66. Singer Stephen Bishop is 64. Blues musician Anson Funderburgh is 61. Pianist Yanni is 61. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is 61. Presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett is 59. Actress Laura San Giacomo is 54. Actor D.B. Sweeney is 54. Rapper Reverend Run (Run-DMC) is 51. Actor Patrick Warburton is 51. Rock musician Nic Dalton is 51. Country singer Rockie Lynne is 51. Pop singer Jeanette Jurado (Expose) is 50. Retired MLB All-Star pitcher Curt Schilling is 49. Rock musician Brian Yale is 47. Rock singer Butch Walker is 46. Actor Josh Duhamel is 43. Rock musician Travis Barker is 40. Contemporary Christian musician Robby Shaffer is 40. Actor Brian Dietzen is 38. Rapper Shyheim is 38. Rock musician Tobin Esperance (Papa Roach) is 36. Actress Olga Kurylenko is 36. Actress/comedian Vanessa Bayer (TV: "Saturday Night Live") is 34. Actor Cory Michael Smith (TV: "Gotham") is 29. Actor Graham Patrick Martin is 24.

Thought for Today: "The world cares very little what you or I know, but it does care a great deal about what you or I do." -- Booker T. Washington (1856-1915).

Copyright 2015, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.