Associated Press
Dec 7 2004

Today in History
Dec 7

In 1988, a major earthquake in the Soviet Union devastated northern
Armenia; official estimates put the death toll at 25,000.

Today is Tuesday, Dec. 7, the 342nd day of 2004. There are 24 days
left in the year. The Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, begins at
sunset.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese forces attacked American and British
territories and possessions in the Pacific, including the home base
of the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

On this date:

In 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the U.S.
Constitution.

In 1796, electors chose John Adams to be the second president of the
United States.

In 1836, Martin Van Buren was elected the eighth president of the
United States.

In 1946, fire broke out at the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta; the blaze
killed 119 people, including hotel founder W. Frank Winecoff.

In 1963, during the Army-Navy game, videotaped instant replay was
used for the first time in a live sports telecast as CBS re-showed a
one-yard touchdown run by Army quarterback Rollie Stichweh. (Navy
beat Army, 21-15.)

In 1972, America’s last moon mission to date was launched as Apollo
17 blasted off from Cape Canaveral.

In 1972, Imelda Marcos, wife of Philippine President Ferdinand E.
Marcos, was stabbed and seriously wounded by an assailant who was
then shot dead by her bodyguards.

In 1983, in Madrid, Spain, an Aviaco DC-9 collided on a runway with
an Iberia Air Lines Boeing 727 that was accelerating for takeoff,
killing all 42 people aboard the DC-9 and 51 aboard the Iberia jet.

In 1987, 43 people were killed in the crash of a Pacific Southwest
Airlines jetliner in California after a gunman apparently opened fire
on a fellow passenger and the two pilots.

In 1988, a major earthquake in the Soviet Union devastated northern
Armenia; official estimates put the death toll at 25,000.

Ten years ago: PLO chairman Yasser Arafat, meeting with U.S.
Secretary of State Warren Christopher in Gaza City, pledged to
protect Israelis from militant extremists.

Five years ago: NASA scientists all but gave up hope of contacting
the Mars Polar Lander, last heard from four days earlier as it began
its descent toward the Red Planet.

One year ago: Allies of President Vladimir Putin won a sweeping
victory in Russia’s parliamentary elections. Zimbabwe withdrew from
the Commonwealth of Britain and its former colonies, which had
suspended it for alleged abuses of civil liberties.