Today in History.....July 11

On this day in …

1798, the U.S. Marine Corps was formally re-established by a congressional act that also created the U.S. Marine Band

1804, Vice President Aaron Burr mortally wounded former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton during a pistol duel in Weehawken, N.J.

1864, Confederate forces led by Gen. Jubal Early began an abortive invasion of Washington, D.C., turning back the next day

1934, President Franklin Roosevelt became the first chief executive to travel through the Panama Canal

1955, the U.S. Air Force Academy was dedicated at its temporary quarters, Lowry Air Force Base in Colorado

1980, American hostage Richard I. Queen, held hostage by practitioners of that "religion of peace" in Iran, was finally freed after eight months of captivity because of poor health

1995, the United States normalized relations with Vietnam

2001, the Democratic-led Senate voted to bar coal mining and oil and gas drilling on federally protected land in the West, dealing a fresh blow to President Bush's energy production plans