- 1814: The War of 1812 between America and Britain ended with the
                       signing of the Treaty of Ghent.
                     - 1818: Franz Gruber of Oberndorf, Germany, composed the music for
                       "Silent Night" to words written by Josef Mohr. The traditional song
                       was sung for the first time during Midnight Mass.
                     - 1851: Fire devastated the Library of Congress in Washington,
                       destroying approximately 35,000 volumes.
                     - 1871: "Aida," an Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi, was first
                       performed in Cairo, where the story is set.
                     - 1889: The bicycle brake operated by backward pedal was patented
                       with a back pedal seat by Daniel Stover and William Hance.
                     - 1893: Henry Ford completed his first useful gas motor.
                     - 1905: Howard Hughes, U.S. millionaire industrialist and film
                       producer who later became a recluse, was born.
                     - 1943: Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower was appointed supreme commander of
                       the Allied Expeditionary Force preparing for the invasion of France.
                     - 1948: The first house to be completely solar heated was occupied in
                       Dover, Mass.
                     - 1964: Shooting began on "The Cage," the pilot for "Star Trek."
                     - 1989: Ousted Panamanian ruler Manuel Noriega, who had succeeded in
                       eluding U.S. forces sent to his country as part of Operation "Just
                       Cause," took refuge at the Vatican's diplomatic mission in Panama
                       City.
                     - 1992: President George Bush pardoned Caspar Weinberger and five
                       other Reagan aides involved in the Iran-contra affair.

                     *Happy Birthday*
                     ----------------
                     - Diedrich Bader, 30, actor, "The Drew Carey Show"
                     - Mary Higgins Clark, 71, suspense novelist
                     - Clarence Jr. Gilyard, 43, actor, "Walker: Texas Ranger"
                     - Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, 53, singer/musician, Motorhead
                     - Nicholas Meyer, 53, film director, "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"
                     - Mary Ramsey, 35, singer, 10,000 Maniacs