Today in History: A Bit of Death, Treaties, and First!

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
with their children, Knox
(Left) and Vivienne (right)

Happy Birthday to Bill Cosby who turns 76! Also, the man who voices Spongebob, Tom Kenny, turn 53 today. US Olympic gymnast Jordyn Wieber turns 18 today too! It is also twins Vivienne and Knox
Jolie-Pitt's 5th birthday. They are the natural born children of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt who were born on this day in 2008.

After a fierce duel with rival politician Aaron Burr the day before, United States Founding Father and first Secretary of treasury, Alexander Hamilton dies of his gunshot wounds on this day in 1804. It is unconfirmed what age Hamilton was when he died, but historians speculate that he died at either age 47 or 49. His murderer, the vice president of Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, was not charged with man slaughter after he returned to office in Washington D.C. Hamilton was fighting a wound caused by a bullet into the stomach that lodged near his spine. He died in the afternoon in New York City, New York.

Albert Pike

Albert Pike, special commissioner of the Confederate States of America, signs a treaty with the Choctaw and Chickasaw Native American tribes on this day in 1861. Pike opposed secession, but sided with the South because his adopted state, Arkansas, succeeded. The tribes also sent representatives into the Confederate Congress. Their native land was also protected by the treaty as long as annual payments were made from them to the Confederate Government. Some of Confederate troops were Native Americans, including Stand Watie, a Cherokee, who became a brigadier general.

34th President Dwight D. Eisenhower

President Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes the first president to ride in a helicopter on this day in 1957. Eisenhower, 34th United States President in office from 1953-1961, suggested to the Secret Service to use helicopters for short flights around the White House and surrounding areas. The Secret Service approved of this new form of transportation which was more efficient that then traditional presidential limousine. Marine One is the president's helicopter, just as a presidential airplane is Air Force One. Currently, presidents have 19 helicopters available for their use.

Frank S. Reasoner
was killed in action
in an airbase near
Da Nang, Vietnam
during the Vietnam War

The Medal of Honor was also introduced on this day in 1862 with President Abraham Lincoln signing a measure to award the Army Medal of Honor. This honor, described by Congress to give this award, "to such noncommissioned officers and privates as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action, and other soldier-like qualities during the present insurrection," was first given to six members of the Union Army who raided into Confederate territory. These six soldiers destroyed the bridges and railroad tracks that connected Chattanooga, Tennessee  and Atlanta, Georgia.  Though this was created for the Army in 1862, exactly 103 years later, on this day in 1965, the first Marine also received the Medal of Honor. Lt. Frank S. Reasoner was killed in action on this day in 1965 when he exposed himself to enemy machine gun fire, trying to rally his men. For his actions, Reasoner's wife and son were presented the medal by Navy Secretary Paul H. Nitze.