Today is Monday, May 26, the 147th day of 2008. There are 219 days left in the year. This is the Memorial Day observance.

Today’s Highlight in History

One hundred years ago, on May 26, 1908, the first major oil strike in the Middle East took place as engineers working for British entrepreneur William Knox D’Arcy and led by George Reynolds hit a gusher more than 1,100 feet below ground in Masjid-i-Suleiman, Persia (Iran).

On this date

In 1868, the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson ended with his acquittal on the remaining charges.

In 1908, British character actor Robert Morley was born in Semley, England.

In 1969, the Apollo 10 astronauts returned to Earth after a successful eight-day dress rehearsal for the first manned moon landing.

In 1972, President Nixon and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in Moscow. (The U.S. withdrew from the treaty in 2002.)

In 1981, 14 people were killed when a Marine jet crashed onto the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz off Florida.

Today’s Birthdays

Actor James Arness is 85. Sportscaster Brent Musberger is 69. Rock singer-musician Levon Helm (The Band) is 68. Rock musician Garry Peterson (Guess Who) is 63. Singer Stevie Nicks is 60. Actress Pam Grier is 59. Actor Philip Michael Thomas is 59. Country singer Hank Williams Jr. is 59. Former astronaut Sally Ride is 57. Actress Genie Francis is 46. Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait is 46. Singer Lenny Kravitz is 44. Actress Helena Bonham Carter is 42. Actor Joseph Fiennes is 38.

Thought for Today

“Show me the man who has enjoyed his school days and I will show you a bully and a bore.” — Robert Morley, British actor (1908-92)