What Happened on August 25

Music Desk

1975 — Springsteen's 'Born to Run' Captures the Moment

Third album, two years in the making, storms the charts at No. 3.

In a year when rock was fragmenting into disco and punk, one record has summoned a sweeping, streetwise romanticism that feels like a declaration. Bruce Springsteen's third album, Born to Run, arrives today on Columbia Records, and it is the sound of a man staking his claim.

Co-produced by Springsteen, manager Mike Appel, and Jon Landau, the record took from January 1974 to July 1975 to cut, with six months alone spent on the title track. The cover, showing Springsteen leaning on saxophonist Clarence Clemons's shoulder, has already become iconic.

Born to Run has climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart. Two singles, "Born to Run" and "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out," are spinning on radio. The songs are dense, fervent, and built for the road.

• Born to Run is Springsteen's third studio album, released on August 25, 1975, through Columbia Records.
• The album was co-produced by Springsteen, his manager Mike Appel, and producer Jon Landau.
• Recording took place from January 1974 to July 1975, with six months spent on the title track alone.
• The album cover features Springsteen leaning on saxophonist Clarence Clemons's shoulder and is considered iconic.
• Born to Run reached number three on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart.

Space Desk

1989 — Voyager 2 Glimpses Neptune's Rings

Probe sweeps past the planet, confirming what had only been suspected.

Voyager 2 has done it again. The NASA spacecraft, now 4.4 billion miles from Earth, made its closest approach to Neptune today, passing within 3,000 miles of the planet's cloud tops and sending back definitive proof that Neptune has rings.

Launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on August 20, 1977, Voyager 2 has already swept past Jupiter in 1979, Saturn in 1981, and Uranus in 1986. It is the only spacecraft ever to have visited the ice giants. The new images, captured during the flyby, show a dynamic blue world with a Great Dark Spot and thin, faint rings that had been hinted at but never confirmed.

Scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory are poring over the data, which also includes details of Neptune's large moon Triton. The encounter marks the final planetary stop on Voyager 2's grand tour.

• Voyager 2's closest approach to Neptune occurred on August 25, 1989.
• Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have visited the ice giant planets Uranus and Neptune.
• The probe confirmed the existence of rings around Neptune during its flyby.
• Voyager 2 was launched by NASA on August 20, 1977, from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
• The spacecraft's primary mission included visits to Jupiter in 1979, Saturn in 1981, Uranus in 1986, and Neptune in 1989.

Entertainment Desk

2001 — Singer Aaliyah Dies in Bahamas Crash

Overloaded plane goes down 200 feet from runway; eight others killed.

Singer Aaliyah, 22, was killed Saturday night when the overloaded Cessna 402B carrying her and her record company crew crashed shortly after takeoff from Marsh Harbour Airport in the Bahamas, about 200 feet from the runway. The aircraft, certified for seven passengers, was carrying eight. All eight passengers and the pilot died.

The singer had just finished filming the music video for "Rock the Boat," directed by Hype Williams, with nearly sixty people working on the production. Pilot Luis Morales III had warned passengers the plane was overloaded, but they insisted on flying to Miami. Investigators say Morales falsified records on his experience and qualifications to fly the Cessna 402.

Aaliyah, whose albums included One in a Million, was a rising star in R&B and film.

• The Cessna 402B crashed shortly after takeoff from Marsh Harbour Airport, about 200 feet from the runway.
• The aircraft was overloaded with eight passengers, exceeding its certified maximum of seven.
• Pilot Luis Morales III warned passengers the plane was overloaded, but they insisted on flying to Miami Saturday night.
• Aaliyah and eight others died in the crash on August 25, 2001, after filming the music video for 'Rock the Boat'.
• The pilot falsified records on his experience and qualifications to fly the Cessna 402 aircraft.

Venetian Science

1609 — Galileo Shows Telescope to Lawmakers

Astronomer displays improved spyglass to Venetian officials.

Galileo Galilei, the astronomer and professor at the University of Padua, demonstrated his improved telescope to Venetian lawmakers on August 25, 1609. The instrument, which he has refined, magnifies objects nine times and reveals the stars of the Milky Way, the phases of Venus, and the four largest moons of Jupiter.

Galileo has taught geometry, mechanics, and astronomy at Padua since 1592. The demonstration is part of his efforts to secure patronage and recognition for his work.

• Galileo demonstrated his improved telescope to Venetian lawmakers on August 25, 1609.
• Galileo built an improved telescope that allowed him to observe the stars of the Milky Way, phases of Venus, and four largest satellites of Jupiter.
• Galileo taught geometry, mechanics, and astronomy at the University of Padua from 1592 until 1610.

Archaeology

2012 — Richard III's Skeleton Found Under Leicester Car Park

University of Leicester confirms bones are those of the last Plantagenet king, found beneath a city centre car park.

The bones lay in a grave hacked out of the chancel floor of a long-vanished friary church, rough-hewn and too short for a king. But the skeleton unearthed beneath a Leicester city centre car park has been identified as that of Richard III, the last Plantagenet king of England, the University of Leicester announced.

The remains were found on the site of the former Greyfriars Church, now a municipal parking lot, after an excavation commissioned by Ricardian author Philippa Langley with assistance from the Richard III Society. The university's scholars matched the skeleton through radiocarbon dating, trauma analysis, and comparison of mitochondrial DNA.

A key witness in the identification was Michael Ibsen, a 16th-generation great-nephew of Richard III, who provided a mouth-swab DNA sample on 24 August 2012. The excavators located Greyfriars Church by 5 September and found the skeleton in the church's choir.

The bones bear marks of battle, including a cleaved skull, consistent with accounts of Richard's death at Bosworth Field in 1485. The discovery ends a 500-year search for the king, whose body was said to have been buried at Leicester's Greyfriars after his defeat by Henry Tudor.

• The skeleton was found beneath a modern city centre car park on the site of the former Greyfriars Church in Leicester.
• The excavation was commissioned by Ricardian author Philippa Langley with assistance from the Richard III Society.
• The University of Leicester identified the skeleton as Richard III through radiocarbon dating, trauma analysis, and mitochondrial DNA comparison.
• Michael Ibsen, a 16th-generation great-nephew of Richard III, provided a mouth-swab DNA sample on 24 August 2012.
• The excavators located Greyfriars Church by 5 September 2012 and discovered the skeleton in the church's choir.

Pacific War

1942 — Japs Strike Milne Bay; Allies Hold Airfields

Japanese naval infantry attack the Australian base at Milne Bay and meet fierce resistance.

The first major Pacific battle in which Allied land forces decisively defeated the Japanese opened today at Milne Bay, as enemy naval infantry, the Kaigun Tokubetsu Rikusentai, attacked the Australian base on the eastern tip of New Guinea.

• Japanese naval infantry, known as Kaigun Tokubetsu Rikusentai, attacked Allied airfields at Milne Bay on 25 August 1942.
• The Japanese initially landed a force roughly equivalent to one battalion, miscalculating the garrison size due to poor intelligence.
• Allied air superiority, including Royal Australian Air Force aircraft, destroyed part of the Japanese invasion force's landing craft.
• The battle ended on 7 September 1942 with Japanese withdrawal, often called the first major Pacific battle where Allies decisively defeated Japanese land forces.
• Milne Bay is a sheltered 250-square-kilometre bay at the eastern tip of Papua, 35 km long and 16 km wide.

War in Europe

1914 — Louvain Library Burned; 230,000 Books Lost

German troops set fire to the Catholic university's library at 11:30 pm, destroying medieval manuscripts and incunabula.

The sack of Louvain has reached its darkest hour, as German troops set fire to the town's Catholic university library at around 11:30 pm on August 25, destroying more than 230,000 books, including 750 medieval manuscripts and 800 incunabula.

• German soldiers set fire to the university library at around 11:30 pm on August 25, 1914.
• The fire destroyed more than 230,000 books, including 750 medieval manuscripts and 800 incunabula.
• The library was housed in the 14th-century cloth hall, and the fire burned for several days.
• U.S. ambassador Brand Whitlock rescued the rector of the American College of Louvain, who recounted the destruction.
• The sack of Leuven killed 248 civilians and destroyed 1,120 of the town's 8,928 homes.

Royal Chronicle

1270 — Philip III Proclaimed King of France in Tunis

Philip III, 25 and stricken with dysentery, proclaimed king in Tunis after his father's death on crusade.

Philip III, aged 25 and stricken with dysentery, was proclaimed King of France in Tunis on 25 August, following the death of his father Louis IX during the Eighth Crusade. The new king, the third of his name, now faces the task of extracting the crusading host from Africa.

• Louis IX died in Tunis on 25 August 1270 during the Eighth Crusade, and his son Philip III was proclaimed king there.
• Philip III, aged 25 and stricken with dysentery, was proclaimed king in Tunis following his father's death.
• Philip's brother John Tristan, Count of Valois, died on 3 August 1270 from dysentery during the same crusade.
• A treaty was concluded on 5 November 1270 between the kings of France, Sicily, Navarre and the Caliph of Tunis.
• Philip III was formally anointed as king at Reims in 1271 after returning to France.

Court & Charter

1537 — King Grants Charter to Fraternity of Artillery

Henry VIII authorizes the Fraternity or Guild of Artillery of Longbows, Crossbows and Handgonnes for the realm's defence.

The eldest regiment of the British Army had its beginning this day, when King Henry VIII granted a royal charter to the Fraternity or Guild of Artillery of Longbows, Crossbows and Handgonnes. The charter, dated August 25, 1537, authorizes the company for the realm's defence.

• The royal charter on August 25, 1537, authorized the Fraternity or Guild of Artillery of Longbows, Crossbows and Handgonnes for the realm's defence.
• The Honourable Artillery Company is the oldest regiment in the British Army and the second-oldest military unit in the world.
• The word 'artillery' in the company's name originally meant any projectile, such as arrows shot from a bow.

Sporting Intelligence

1875 — Captain Webb Swims the Channel, First in History

After roughly 21 hours 40 minutes in the water, Captain Webb landed near Calais at 10:41 this morning, having swum about 39 miles (63 km).

Captain Matthew Webb has become the first man to swim across the English Channel, a feat accomplished in approximately 21 hours 40 minutes. He landed near Calais at 10:41 this morning, having swum about 39 miles (63 km) through the treacherous waters. The captain, who fell into his friends' arms upon arriving, slept at the Hotel de Paris. His achievement has stirred public admiration, with donations reaching £2,424 (about £240,000 today), part of which he gave to his father and part invested. Webb has dismissed his American rival Paul Boyton, who crossed in a survival suit, as 'an obvious fraud'.

• After nearly 22 hours, Webb landed near Calais at 10:41 am on 25 August 1875, having swum about 39 miles (63 km).
• Webb called his American rival Paul Boyton, who had crossed in a survival suit, 'an obvious fraud'.
• Public donations raised Webb £2,424 (about £240,000 today), which he partly gave to his father and invested.
• After the swim, Webb fell into his friends' arms and slept at the Hotel de Paris.

The Prussian War

1758 — Frederick's Army Strikes Russians at Zorndorf

Prussian force of 35,000 meets Russian army of 43,000; both sides suffer heavy losses before the enemy withdraws.

On the fields of Zorndorf, in present-day Sarbinowo, Poland, the Prussian army, 35,000 strong under Frederick, engaged the Russian force of 43,000 commanded by Count William Fermor. The battle raged with terrible slaughter: the Prussians lost 12,800 men, the Russians 18,000. After the contest, the Russians withdrew, and Frederick claimed victory. Yet some, like historian Daniel Marston, call it a 'draw', for both armies were too exhausted to fight another battle. The king's men have marched, their powder spent, leaving the field to the crows.

• At Zorndorf, a Prussian army of 35,000 men under Frederick fought a Russian army of 43,000 commanded by Count William Fermor.
• Both sides suffered heavy casualties: the Prussians lost 12,800 and the Russians 18,000.
• The Russians withdrew after the battle, and Frederick claimed victory.
• Historian Daniel Marston described Zorndorf as a 'draw' because both sides were too exhausted to fight another battle.