Event:
U.S. President Barack Obama authorizes air strikes against Islamic State militants for situations in which the forces appear to threaten U.S. personnel; food drops were also carried out along the Syrian border to civilians trapped by the violence
More Notable Events on July 31:
1991 Senate votes to allow women to fly combat aircraft
1990 Bosnia-Hercegovina declares independence
1971 Apollo 15 astronauts take 6 hour electric car ride on Moon
1964 U.S. Ranger 7 takes 4,316 pictures before crashing on Moon
1949 Lightning strikes a baseball field in Florida, kills SS and 3rd baseman
