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USS Massachusetts was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Indiana class. Authorized in 1890, she launched on June 10, 1893. Massachusetts served in the Spanish–American War and took part in the blockades of Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba. After the war, she served with the North Atlantic Squadron where she suffered an explosion in a gun turret and ran aground twice. She was recommissioned in 1910 for annual cruises for midshipmen, and in 1917 she served as a training ship for gun crews for World War I. Her final decommission was in March 1919 under the name Coast Battleship Number 2 so her name could be reused for USS Massachusetts (BB-54). In 1921, she was scuttled in shallow water near Pensacola, Florida, and used as a target for experimental artillery. The wreck was declared the property of the State of Florida in 1956. In 1993 it became a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve. In 2001, it was included in the National Register of Historic Places. (Full article...)
Did you know ...
- ... that although the Wilbraham (pictured) was built as a bachelor apartment, more women than men lived there by 1929?
- ... that Debra Lew Harder is the fifth person to host the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts since they began in 1931?
- ... that the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, which is 70 years old this year, once had an earthquake processing system called "WurstMachine"?
- ... that hiding power can be measured?
- ... that Mavis Paterson, an octogenarian grandmother, has cycled more than 10,000 miles (16,000 km) for charity?
- ... that red teams are used to test airport security?
- ... that football player Dee Winters, who helped bring TCU to a national championship appearance and was selected in the 2023 NFL Draft, grew up in a small town with only one gas station?
- ... that in A [For 100 Cars], an orchestra of cars play the note A for 28 minutes?
In the news
- Former US president Donald Trump (pictured) is indicted by a federal grand jury on charges in connection with the special counsel investigation into his handling of classified documents.
- Wildfires in Canada cause evacuations and hazardous air conditions across parts of North America.
- In golf, the PGA Tour, PGA European Tour and LIV Golf agree to a merger, ending their pending litigation.
- In Ukraine, the Kakhovka Dam is breached, causing flooding and prompting mass evacuations.
- Flooding across Haiti leaves at least 51 people dead and 11 others missing.
On this day
- 1624 – Thirty Years' War: France and the Dutch Republic concluded the Treaty of Compiègne, a mutual defence alliance.
- 1782 – King Rama I moved into the Grand Palace in Bangkok, which has remained the royal residence of Siam and Thailand since then.
- 1957 – Led by John Diefenbaker (pictured), the Progressive Conservative Party won a plurality of House of Commons seats in the Canadian federal election.
- 1968 – The Royal New Zealand Navy adopted a unique white ensign, to distinguish its vessels from those of the Royal Navy.
- 1991 – Eleven-year-old Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped in South Lake Tahoe, California; she remained a captive until 2009.
- Abu al-Wafa' al-Buzjani (b. 940)
- Aud Blegen Svindland (b. 1928)
- Henryk Stażewski (d. 1988)
- Alexandra Stan (b. 1989)
Today's featured picture
Dubrovnik, historically known as Ragusa, is a city in southern Dalmatia, Croatia, by the Adriatic Sea. A seaport and the centre of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County, it is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. Its total population is 41,562 as of the 2021 census. In 1979, the centre of the city was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in recognition of its outstanding medieval architecture and fortified old town. This aerial panorama of Dubrovnik was taken in 2016. Photograph credit: Chensiyuan; edited by Bammesk
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