Today is the 82nd anniversary of D-Day – the Allied landings in Normandy, which significantly hastened the countdown to the Nazis' collapse in World War II. It is one of the most important moments of unity among the defenders of life in human history, and it was less than a year until the peoples’ aspiration for freedom and the hope of peace prevailed in May 1945. It happened then. We are working to make it happen again today. And although yesterday in Petersburg another cynical order to continue killing was issued for the army trying to destroy our freedom, history has seen this before. The Nazis also had their own hopes after D-Day. But freedom still wins. And even in the darkest circumstances, people find ways to come together to protect life. I thank all those who are now helping to protect the values that prevailed in World War II. I thank everyone who is defending life. Glory to Ukraine!

A day 60 years in the making. It is with great pride and so much gratitude that I share with you that I am a college graduate with a Bachelor's in History from @CalStateLA. There aren't words adequate enough to encapsulate all that I am feeling in this moment, so I'll simply say this: It is never too late to learn, to grow, or to chase the dream that still quietly calls your name. Life has a way of rerouting our paths and asking us to begin again when we least expect it. But the dream does not expire simply because time has passed. Whether you're 18 or 82, your goals are still worthy of pursuit. Keep going for it. Keep believing in yourself. And never let anyone convince you that your moment has passed. Because sometimes the most meaningful victories arrive after the longest journeys. 📷: @CalStateLA #Classof2026

May 18, 1980: Mount St Helens erupts in Washington state, causing the largest landslide in history, killing 57 people and costing $1 billion in damage.

18 May 1944, after four months of fighting including four assaults, Monte Cassino, an historic hilltop abbey founded in AD 529 by Benedict of Nursia, captured by Allied forces with Polish II Corps playing key role. Battle cost 55,000 Allied casualties, 20,000 German ones. #WW2

On May 17, 1943, after dropping off Ava Gardner in Las Vegas, Howard Hughes with four on board, including two CAA inspectors, flew his Sikorsky-43 over Lake Mead. 2 died as a result of a crash while trying to land on the lake. tinyurl.com/5ytudcfc UNLV: tinyurl.com/27hsv56n

#OTD in 1903, day two of Theodore Roosevelt's camping trip with John Muir found the two men deep in Yosemite's high country, riding through alpine meadows and discussing what TR himself would later call "the whole subject of forestry and the preservation of the wild creatures." Muir was, as one biographer put it, the perfect tour guide for the wrong tourist — except Roosevelt was exactly the right tourist. Muir tended toward mystical exuberance about wilderness, calling it "the inestimable wealth of the forests" and walking long distances to chase a single rare flower. Roosevelt was more practical, more political, but no less devoted to the country he was passing through. The chemistry between them was immediate. Sometime that day, the two men reached a high vantage point — the Yosemite Valley spread out below them, the granite domes of the Sierra rising in every direction. It was the kind of place that makes serious people quiet. Roosevelt and Muir, normally two of the most loquacious men in America, are reported to have simply stood and looked. The moment didn't end with a treaty signed or a proclamation issued. It ended with two men, slightly older than they had been the day before, planning what they would do. #OTD #OnThisDay #TheodoreRoosevelt #TeddyRoosevelt #JohnMuir #Yosemite #Conservation #TRHistory

On May 16, 1966, Chinese Communist Party chairman Mao Zedong initiated the chaotic 10-year "Cultural Revolution." theguardian.com/world/2006/m…

16 May 1943, Guy Gibson VC led 19 Lancaster bombers of 617 Squadron in Operation Chastise. Used bouncing bombs designed by Barnes Wallis to destroy German dams in Ruhr valley industrial region, causing massive flooding and loss of life. 53 RAF aircrew killed, 3 captured. #WW2

16 May 1868: After being #impeached in the U.S. House of Representatives, #President Andrew Johnson is acquitted by one vote in the U.S. Senate. The House initiated impeachment proceedings primarily because Johnson violated the Tenure of Office Act by removing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton without Senate approval, aiming to limit his authority during Reconstruction. #Congress #History #OTD #ad amzn.to/3dSWeCL

A two day land auction of William Clark's 40 block town site, now downtown Las #Vegas, began on May 15, 1905 in about 110°F. bit.ly/3cCJcJF C O Whittemore of the Las Vegas Land & Water Co managed the auction, with total sales of almost $265,000.

On this day in 1948, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Iraq invade Israel. The attack is launched just one day after the Jewish state declares independence following the end of the British mandate in Palestine.

The funeral of British nurse Edith Cavell was held in the Abbey #onthisday in 1919. She is remembered for aiding the escape of allied prisoners during the First World War, her efforts resulting in her being shot at dawn by the Germans on 12th October 1915. The first part of the ceremony was held at the Abbey, and her coffin was transferred to Norwich Cathedral, where she was buried.

OTD 1998 leader of The Summit and #LasVegas icon Frank Sinatra passed away at 82 years old. He performed in #Vegas from 1951-1994. The following night lights on the Strip were dimmed in his honor and all casino play was stopped for 1 minute at 8:30pm

Something interesting you might not have realized: A number of words in English are NOUNS when you stress the FIRST syllable... But VERBS when you stress the SECOND syllable. -SUSpect/susPECT -CONflict/conFLICT -PROtest/proTEST -CONvert/conVERT

On this International Nurses Day, we'd like to honor the memory of Clara Barton, Civil War nurse and the founder of the American Red Cross. The Library of Congress is home to her papers. loc.gov/collections/clara-ba…

Happy Mother’s Day!!

General Eisenhower takes German surrender, today 1945: "The mission of this Allied Force was fulfilled":

This day in 1945, General Alfred Jodl signed an unconditional surrender at Allied headquarters in Reims, France, to take effect the following day, ending the European conflict of World War II. #WW2

7 May 1915, while en route from New York to Liverpool, British ocean liner RMS #Lusitania sunk 18 mins after torpedoed by German U-20 off southern coast of Ireland, killing 1,198 civilians, including 128 Americans. This contributed indirectly to entry of United States into #WW1.

#OnThisDay 1765 the @royalnavy world famous warship, HMS VICTORY was floated out of her dock and launched @DockyardChatham She is the oldest warship in the world that is still in commission and was the flagship of Admirals: Howe, Jervis, Keppel & of course Nelson at Trafalgar.