History for December 5

History for December 5 - On-This-Day.com:
Martin Van Buren (U.S.) 1782, George Armstrong Custer 1839, Walt Elias Disney 1901 - Disney movies, music and books 


Otto Preminger 1906, Little Richard (Richard Wayne Penniman) 1932, Jim Messina 1947 - Musician (Buffalo Springfield), Margaret Cho 1968 


1776 - In Williamsburg, VA, at the College of William and Mary the first scholastic fraternity in America, Phi Beta Kappa, was organized.


1797 - Napoleon Bonaparte arrived in Paris to command forces for the invasion of England.
1812 - Napoleon Bonaparte left his army as they were retreating from Russia.


1848 - U.S. President Polk triggered the Gold Rush of '49 by confirming the fact that gold had been discovered in California.


1876 - The Stillson wrench was patented by D.C. Stillson. The device was the first practical pipe wrench.


1904 - The Russian fleet was destroyed by the Japanese at Port Arthur, during the Russo-Japanese War.


1932 - German physicist Albert Einstein was granted a visa making it possible for him to travel to the U.S.


1945 - The so-called "Lost Squadron" disappeared. The five U.S. Navy Avenger bombers carrying 14 Navy flyers began a training mission at the Ft. Lauderdale Naval Air Station. They were never heard from again.


1951 - The first push button-controlled garage opened in Washington, DC.