This Week in American History: 1959 – Actor Ving Rhames is Born

Here is what happened this week in American History.

• May 7. On this day in 1763, America is not yet a country and British are already fighting on American soil. They had been fighting the French, but today they face a coalition of Native Americans tribes led by Odawa war chief Obwaandi’eyaag, or more simply as Pontiac. The Native Americans opposed British rule, and today attack a number of British forts including Fort Detroit. The war will just over three years and results in a stalemate though the Native Americans will achieve concessions. British losses are about 450 soldiers killed with a like number injured and about 4,000 civilians forced to relocate. Native America losses number over 200.

• May 8. In 1541, Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernando de Soto sees the Mississippi River, thought to be near what is now Walls, MS. At that time the river had been named Rio do Espiritu Santo by Alonso Alvarez de Pineda in 1519. Pineda was a Spanish conquistador and cartographer.

• May 9. Today in 1951, military intelligence is suggesting Chinese Peoples Volunteer Army and North Korean Peoples Army Fifth Phase attack in the Korean War has not stalled but those forces are being refurbished and preparing for another drive further into South Korea within a few days. US air assets report spotting enemy forces where they had not previously been. This is followed by reports of five PVA armies gathering for a massive attack. South Korean ROK with UN and US forces adjust their defenses and strategies to accommodate the projected attack.

• May 10. On this day in 1946, American scientists successfully launch the country’s first V-2 rocket with this taking place at the White Sands Proving Ground in New Mexico. The V-2 rocket actually came from the work of German scientist Wernher von Braun during World War II as one of the vengeance weapons. While von Braun is often credited with the early steps in rocketry, his work was based on the work of American scientist Robert Goddard who constructed the first liquid-fueled rocket in 1926, and ushed in the Space Age.

• May 11. In 1951, the opening stage of the Chinese Fifth Phase attack on South Korea begins with extensive smoke screens north of the 38^th Parallel, attempting to mask the movements of PVA and KPA forces southward. Gen. James Van Fleet has ROK, UN and US forces prepared. He has moved a huge amount of artillery ammunition to forward artillery positions. Skirmishes are taking place and rain is blinding Allied air power to movements on the ground.

• May 12. Today in 1959, Irving Rameses Rhames is born in Harlem, New York City. Rhames avoided the problems of inner city life choosing to play football for the Covent Avenue Baptist Church. While in junior high, one of his teachers praised his poetry reading. He applied to and was accepted at New York’s High School of Performing Arts, where he develops a love of acting. He studied drama at SUNY Purchase, transfers to the Juilliard School’s Drama Division and graduates with a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts. In less than a week he begins acting in Shakespeare in the Park. Rhames becomes an accomplished actor with notable performances in “Flight of the Intruder”, “Con Air”, “Soldiers of Fortune”, and more. He is best known as “Ving” Rhames, a name given to him by a fellow acting student at SUNY. Rhames is 66 years old and still active.

• May 13. On this day in 1993, Deborah Ann Ryan is born in Huntsville, Alabama. While her family was living in Germany, Ryan began performing in theaters at the age of seven. Back in the states, she began performing in commercials while a young teenager. That led to more advanced roles and she became involved with Disney. As an actress and singer, Debby Ryan has shown versatility in a variety of roles.