1863

The pivotal three-day Civil War Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania ended in a major victory for the North as Confederate troops failed to breach Union positions during an assault known as Pickett’s Charge.

1944

During World War II, Soviet forces recaptured Minsk from the Germans.

1950

The first carrier strikes of the Korean War took place as the USS Valley Forge and the HMS Triumph sent fighter planes against North Korean targets.

1971

Singer Jim Morrison of The Doors died in Paris at age 27.

1979

Dan White, convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting deaths of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, was sentenced to seven years and eight months in prison.

2012

Andy Griffith who made homespun American Southern wisdom his trademark as the wise sheriff in “The Andy Griffith Show,” died at his North Carolina home at age 86.

Birthdays

Playwright Tom Stoppard is 88. Attorney Gloria Allred is 84. Country singer Johnny Lee is 79. Actor Betty Buckley is 78. Talk show host Montel Williams is 69. Actor Tom Cruise is 63. Actor Connie Nielsen is 60. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is 54. Actor Olivia Munn is 45.