Today in History

Today is Wednesday, June 6, the 157th day of 2018. There are 208 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On June 6, 1968, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy died at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, 25 1/2 hours after he was shot by Sirhan Bishara Sirhan.

On this date:

In 1523, Gustav Vasa became Sweden's new king, Gustav I.

In 1654, Queen Christina of Sweden abdicated; she was succeeded by her cousin, Charles X Gustav.

In 1799, American politician and orator Patrick Henry died at Red Hill Plantation in Virginia.

In 1809, Sweden adopted a new constitution.

In 1918, U.S. Marines suffered heavy casualties as they launched their eventually successful counteroffensive against German troops in the World War I Battle of Belleau Wood in France.

In 1925, Walter Percy Chrysler founded the Chrysler Corp.

In 1933, the first drive-in movie theater was opened by Richard Hollingshead in Camden County, New Jersey. (The movie shown was "Wives Beware," starring Adolphe Menjou.)

In 1944, during World War II, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, on "D-Day" as they began the liberation of German-occupied Western Europe.

In 1966, black activist James Meredith was shot and wounded as he walked along a Mississippi highway to encourage black voter registration.

In 1978, California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 13, a primary ballot initiative calling for major cuts in property taxes.

In 1982, Israeli forces invaded Lebanon to drive Palestine Liberation Organization fighters out of the country. (The Israelis withdrew in June 1985.)

In 1994, President Bill Clinton joined leaders from America's World War II allies to mark the 50th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy. A China Northwest Airlines passenger jet crashed near Xian, killing all 160 people on board.

Ten years ago: The Dow industrial average dropped 394.64 points to 12,209.81, its worst loss in more than a year. Crude futures soared nearly $11 for the day to $138.54 a barrel. Actor Bob Anderson, who played young George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life," died in Palm Springs, California, at age 75.

Five years ago: Director of National Intelligence James Clapper moved to tamp down a public uproar spurred by the disclosure of secret surveillance programs involving phone and Internet records, declassifying key details about one of the programs while insisting the efforts were legal, limited in scope and necessary to detect terrorist threats. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife, Lyudmila Putina, announced they were divorcing after nearly 30 years of marriage. Esther Williams, 91, the swimming champion turned actress, died in Los Angeles. Longtime soap opera actress Maxine Stuart, 94, died in Beverly Hills, California.

One year ago: Bill Cosby's chief accuser, Andrea Constand, took the stand at his sexual assault trial to tell her story publicly for the first time, saying the comedian groped her after giving her three blue pills that left her paralyzed and helpless. (The jury deadlocked, resulting in a mistrial, but Cosby was convicted in a second trial.) George and Amal Clooney welcomed twins Ella and Alexander. Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, 81, once one of the world's richest men who was implicated in the Iran-Contra affair, died in London. Scooter Gennett hit four home runs, matching the major league record, as the Cincinnati Reds routed the St. Louis Cardinals 13-1.

Today's Birthdays: Singer-songwriter Gary "U.S." Bonds is 79. Country singer Joe Stampley is 75. Jazz musician Monty Alexander is 74. Actor Robert Englund is 71. Folk singer Holly Near is 69. Singer Dwight Twilley is 67. Playwright-actor Harvey Fierstein is 66. Comedian Sandra Bernhard is 63. International Tennis Hall of Famer Bjorn Borg is 62. Actress Amanda Pays is 59. Comedian Colin Quinn is 59. Record producer Jimmy Jam is 59. Rock musician Steve Vai is 58. Rock singer-musician Tom Araya (Slayer) is 57. Actor Jason Isaacs is 55. Actor Anthony Starke is 55. Rock musician Sean Yseult (White Zombie) is 52. Actor Max Casella is 51. Actor Paul Giamatti is 51. Rhythm and blues singer Damion Hall (Guy) is 50. Rock musician Bardi Martin is 49. Rock musician James "Munky" Shaffer (Korn) is 48. TV correspondent Natalie Morales is 46. Country singer Lisa Brokop is 45. Rapper-rocker Uncle Kracker is 44. Actress Sonya Walger is 44. Actress Staci Keanan is 43. Actress Amber Borycki is 35. Actress Aubrey Anderson-Emmons is 11.

Thought for Today: "To win without risk is to triumph without glory." -- Pierre Corneille, French dramatist (born this date in 1606, died 1684).