MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2009

Today is Monday, August 17, the 229th day of 2009. There are 136 days left in the year.

1846 _ The U.S. takes Los Angeles

1877 _ Asaph Hall discovers Mars' moon Phobos

1939 _ ``Wizard of Oz" opens at Loew's Capitol Theater in N.Y.

1948 _ Alger Hiss denies ever being a Communist agent

1950 _ Indonesia gains independence from the Netherlands

1958 _ World's first Moon probe, U.S.'s Thor-Able, explodes at T+77 seconds

1960 _ Gabon gains independence from France (National Day)

1962 _ Beatles replaces Pete Best with Ringo Starr

1962 _ East German border guards shot and kill Peter Fechter, 18, attempting to cross Berlin Wall into western sector

1978 _ First manned balloon crosses the Atlantic Ocean (Eagle II)