Daily Almanac: August 7, 2023

Sunrise/Sunset:
RISE: 6:50 a.m.
SET: 8:56 p.m.

High/Low Temperatures:
HIGH: 76 °F
LOW: 68 °F

Today is…:
• Purple Heart Day
• Beach Party Day
• National Lighthouse Day

What Happened On This Day:
• 2008 War Between Russia and Georgia Breaks Out. The conflict began over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two breakaway regions of Georgia. When the two provinces broke away from Georgia in the early 1990s and most of the international community did not recognize their independence. Russia on the other hand, backed them and placed peacekeeping forces in the two regions. In 2008, tensions escalated between the two countries after Russia moved a large number of troops in the area. The war ended with Russian victory and with Georgia losing parts of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to Russia.
• 1974 Daredevil Walks a High Wire Between Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. French high-wire artist Philippe Petit, who was 24 years old at the time, walked 8 times across a high wire between the two towers in 45 minutes. The high wire was was 1,350 feet from the ground.
• 1782 George Washington Institutes the Purple Heart. Then known as the Badge of Military Merit, the Purple Heart is a military decoration. In 1932, on the 200th birth anniversary of Washington, it was decided that the award would be given to those wounded or killed while serving in the United States Armed Forces as a result of enemy action on or after April 5, 1917. August 7 is annually observed as Purple Heart Day in the United States.

Births On This Day:

• 1975 Charlize Theron

South African model, actress

• 1876 Mata Hari

Dutch spy

Deaths On This Day:

• 2005 Peter Jennings

Canadian/American journalist
• 1957 Oliver Hardy

American comedian, actor