Christmas Eve.

1818
Franz Gruber of Oberndorf, Germany composed the music for Silent Night to words written by Josef Mohr.

1888
Film director Michael Curtiz (Casablanca) born in Budapest, Hungary.

1902
Poet Langston Hughes born in Joplin, Missouri.

1903
Collage artist Joseph Cornell born in Nyack, New York.

1905
Aviator Howard Hughes born in Humble, Texas.

1922
Film star Ava Gardner born in Brogden, North Carolina.

1942
The first V-1 buzz bomb flew from Peenemonde, Germany.

Today from Chamber's Book of Days