July 19

1814: American firearms manufacturer Samuel Colt was born. 1843: The first all-metal ocean liner, the S.S. Great Britain, was launched from Bristol, England. 1865: Charles Mayo, co-founder of the Mayo Clinic, was born. 1912: A meteor with an estimated mass of 190 kg exploded over the town of Holbrook, AZ, causing approximately 16,000 pieces of debris to rain down on the town. 1937: George Parker, inventor of the the first successful fountain pen and founder of the Parker Pen Company, died. 1937: The official search for missing flyers Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan ended. 1941: BBC World Service began regular broadcasting throughout Europe of opening four notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, which in Morse Code spell V for "Victory" (dit, dit, dit, dah.., get it?). 1942: The Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter made its first flight under jet engine power. 1957: The first rocket with nuclear warhead was fired from an F-89 at Yucca Flat, NV (code name Plumbbob/John). 1961: The first in-flight movie, By Love Possessed, was shown on TWA. 1991: Cal Ripken played his 1,500th consecutive game. 2005: Death Valley, CA recorded a temperature of 53.9°C (129°F).