Today in History

Today is Wednesday, Sept. 17, the 260th day of 2014. There are 105 days left in the year.

Today’s highlight:

On Sept. 17, 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Poland during World War II, more than two weeks after Nazi Germany had launched its assault.

On this date:

In 1787, the Constitution of the United States was completed and signed by a majority of delegates attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

In 1862, more than 3,600 men were killed in the Civil War Battle of Antietam in Maryland.

In 1908, Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge of the U.S. Army Signal Corps became the first person to die in the crash of a powered aircraft, the Wright Flyer, at Fort Myer, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C.

In 1937, the likeness of President Abraham Lincoln’s head was dedicated at Mount Rushmore.

In 1944, during World War II, Allied paratroopers launched Operation Market Garden, landing behind German lines in the Netherlands. (After initial success, the Allies were beaten back by the Germans.)

In 1954, the novel “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding was first published by Faber &Faber of London.

In 1964, the James Bond movie “Goldfinger,” starring Sean Connery, premiered in London. The fantasy sitcom “Bewitched,” starring Elizabeth Montgomery, debuted on ABC-TV.

In 1971, citing health reasons, Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black, 85, retired. (Black, who was succeeded by Lewis F. Powell Jr., died eight days after making his announcement.)

In 1978, after meeting at Camp David, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin (men-AH’-kem BAY’-gihn) and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed a framework for a peace treaty.

In 1984, Progressive Conservative leader Brian Mulroney (muhl-ROO’-nee) took office as Canada’s 18th prime minister.

In 1994, Heather Whitestone of Alabama was crowned the first deaf Miss America.

In 2011, a demonstration calling itself Occupy Wall Street began in New York, prompting similar protests around the U.S. and the world.

Ten years ago: President Vladimir Putin said Russia was “seriously preparing” for pre-emptive strikes against terrorists, as Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev took responsibility for a school hostage-taking and other attacks that had claimed more than 430 lives. San Francisco’s Barry Bonds hit the 700th home run of his career, joining Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (755) as the only players to reach the milestone (San Francisco beat San Diego, 4-1).

Five years ago: President Barack Obama abruptly canceled a long-planned missile shield for Eastern Europe, replacing a Bush-era project that was bitterly opposed by Russia with a plan he contended would better defend against a growing threat of Iranian missiles. An 18-year-old man armed with an ax, knives and Molotov cocktails attacked his high school in Ansbach, Germany, injuring nine students and a teacher before being shot and arrested. Police in New Haven, Connecticut, charged Raymond Clark III, a Yale animal lab technician, with murdering graduate student Annie Le (lay). (Clark later pleaded guilty to the killing, and was sentenced to 44 years in prison.)

One year ago: Engineers declared success as the Costa Concordia cruise ship was pulled completely upright during an unprecedented, 19-hour operation to wrench it from its side where it had capsized off Tuscany in 2012. Eiji Toyoda (cq), 100, a member of Toyota’s founding family who helped create the super-efficient “Toyota Way” production method, died in Toyota city, Japan. Singer-songwriter Marvin Rainwater, 88, died in Minneapolis.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor David Huddleston is 84. Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, is 81. Retired Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter is 75. Singer LaMonte McLemore (The Fifth Dimension) is 79. Retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni is 71. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson is 69. Singer Fee Waybill is 64. Actress Cassandra Peterson (“Elvira, Mistress of the Dark”) is 63. Comedian Rita Rudner is 61. Muppeteer Kevin Clash (former voice of Elmo on “Sesame Street”) is 54. Director-actor Paul Feig is 52. Movie director Baz Luhrmann is 52. Singer BeBe Winans is 52. Actor Kyle Chandler is 49. Director-producer Bryan Singer is 49. Rapper Doug E. Fresh is 48. Actor Malik Yoba is 47. Rock musician Keith Flint (Prodigy) is 45. Actor Matthew Settle is 45. Rapper Vinnie (Naughty By Nature) is 44. Actor Felix Solis is 43. Rock singer Anastacia is 41. Rhythm-and-blues singer Marcus Sanders (Hi-Five) is 41. Actress-singer Nona Gaye is 40. Singer-actor Constantine Maroulis is 39. NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson is 39. Pop singer Maile (MY’-lee) Misajon (Eden’s Crush) is 38. Country singer-songwriter Stephen Cochran is 35. Rock musician Chuck Comeau (Simple Plan) is 35. Actor Billy Miller is 35. Country singer Desi Wasdin (3 of Hearts) is 31. Rock musician Jon Walker is 29. Actress-singer Denyse Tontz is 20.

Thought for Today: “The great tragedy of life is not that men perish, but that they cease to love.” — W. Somerset Maugham, English author and dramatist (1874-1965).