2008 Iraq War: The United States Armed Forces transfers control of Anbar Province to the Iraqi Armed Forces.
2004 The Beslan school siege begins when armed terrorists take schoolchildren and school staff hostage in North Ossetia, Russia; by the end of the siege, three days later, more than 385 people are dead (including hostages, other civilians, security personnel and terrorists).
1985 The wreck of the Titanic is discovered by an American-French expedition led by Robert Ballard and Jean-Louis Michel.
1983 Cold War: Korean Air Lines Flight 007 is shot down by a Soviet jet fighter after the commercial aircraft strayed into Soviet airspace, killing all 269 on board, including Congressman Lawrence McDonald.
1982 The United States Air Force Space Command is founded.
Celebrity Birthdaysoldest first, top 5
1078 yrs Jing Zong, emperor of the Liao Dynasty (died 982) (b. 948)
881 yrs Ibn Jubayr, Arab geographer and poet (died 1217) (b. 1145)
738 yrs Elizabeth Richeza of Poland (died 1335) (b. 1288)
685 yrs Frederick III the Simple, King of Sicily (died 1377) (b. 1341)
573 yrs Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, Spanish general (died 1515) (b. 1453)