This Week in American History

Here is what happened this week in American History.

• Aug. 24. On this day in 1995, Windows 95 is released for public use. Windows 95 replaced Windows 3.1 and was well received. It was replaced three years later and Microsoft discontinued support for the operating system in Dec. 2001. Windows 95 can still be found as the operating system on some older computers.

• Aug. 25. Today in 1942, famous professional wrestler “Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff of Moscow is born. Koloff was not Russian and not from Moscow. He was actually born Oreal Perras and was Canadian. Koloff was an ordained minister and spoke of his experiences with drug and alcohol in a variety of churches. Koloff died in 2017 of cancer.

• Aug. 26. In 1980, agents of the FBI detonate a bomb in the Harvey’s Resort Hotel in Stateline, Nevada. The bomb had been planted by John Birges, a former German pilot during World War II. Birges had immigrated to the US and built a successful business before gambling his money away. Instead of removing the bomb, FBI agents attempted to deactivate it. The resulting explosion destroyed much of the hotel giving some credence to doubting the phrase, “We’re from the government, we’re here to help.” Birges will be arrested, charged, tried, convicted and sentenced to life in prison where he dies in 1996.

• Aug. 27. On this day in 1942, US Army Air Force bombers and their crews strike Rotterdam. This is Mission 6 for the 8th Air Force and the targets are shipyards that are supplying German military forces. Three of the attacking B-17s are damaged in the attack.

• Aug. 28. Today in 1942, the crew of an American PBY Catalina flying boat drop depth charges on German submarine U-94 off the coast of Haiti. The Catalina was operating with US Navy Patrol Squadron 92. The U-boat was damaged and unable to escape. The Canadian corvette Oakville would ram and sink the U-boat. Twenty-six German sailors survived and were rescued by Oakville and the US Destroyer Lea.

• Aug. 29. In 1898, the Goodyear tire company is founded by Frank Seiberling. The company initially makes tires for bicycles and carriages, horseshoe pads, and poker chips.

• Aug. 30. On this day in 1800, Gabriel Prosser makes a fateful decision in postponing a slave rebellion in Richmond, Virginia, due to flooding rain. A slave who was a carpenter and blacksmith, Prosser was an educated man who had organized what was to be a large slave rebellion. Unfortunately, two slaves leaked information which resulted in Prosser and 25 of his followers being hanged.

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