Terrorists seize the US embassy in Iran • Sony’s Walkman radio is introduced • 100,000 people evacuated around Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania, after nuclear accident • The Village People are at the top of the charts with YMCA • Captain Kirk and his crew go where they had never gone before: Movie theaters with Star Trek: The Motion Picture • I start extracurricular development of my writing talent in the WINGS program at school
American hostages in Iran are released after 444 days in captivity • AIDS begins to be recognized as an epidemic • Pope John Paul II and President Ronald Reagan are wounded in separate assassination attempts • Song Video Killed the Radio Star signals the debut of MTV on cable television • Prince Charles marries Lady Diana on my tenth birthday • My car wins the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby while I am at home, sick
Col. Oliver North testifies in the Iran-Contra affair, in which the US illegally sold arms to Iran to fund Nicaraguan rebels · Nazi leader Klaus Barbie convicted of World War II crimes against humanity · Consecutive shutouts in NLCS games six and seven send the Cardinals back to the World Series · I get my driver’s license, and soon afterward receive my only speeding ticket
Martin Van Buren, predecessor of George Herbert Walker Bush
Salman Rushdie publishes The Satanic Verses, angering Muslims and leading to a death warrant announcement by Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini · Dustin Hoffman wins Academy Award for Best Actor for the movie Rain Man · George HW Bush becomes the first sitting Vice President in 150 years to be elected US President · I am sworn in as Master Councilor of Rabboni Chapter, Order of DeMolay, a fraternal organization for teens
History As I've Seen It 