1860: John J. Pershing, United States Army General who commanded troops during World War I, was born in Missouri.

1851: Walter Reed, American Army physician who became known for his work researching yellow fever, was born in Virginia. Walter Reed Hospital is named for him.

1814: As evening approached, Francis Scott Key was detained in Baltimore harbor on board a British vessel. A young lawyer, he had come to negotiate the release of an American physician from British forces - they were released to their ship. Throughout the night and into the early hours of the next morning, Key watched as the British bombed nearby Fort McHenry with military rockets. As dawn broke, he was amazed to find the Stars and Stripes, tattered but intact, still flying above the fort. Key's experience during the bombardment of Fort McHenry inspired him to pen the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner." (Source: Library of Congress)