2014 Event The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, now the world's largest solar energy plant, opens in the Mojave Desert; the $2.2 billion plant, owned by Google, NRG Energy, and BrightSource energy, spans five square miles and can provide power to 140,000 homes 2009 Event Buddhist Treasures buried during the 1930's Mongolian Communist Purge, were discovered in the Gobi desert 1996 Death Alfred Marks, actor (Fanny Hill, Desert Mice), dies at 75 1995 Event Horse Racing Breeders' Cup Champs: Cigar, Desert Stormer, Inside Information, My Flag, Northern Spur, Ridgewood Pearl, Unbridled's Song 1993 Death Kenny Drew, US/Danish jazz pianist (Moonlight Desert), dies at 64 1991 Event Mother of All Parades - New York City welcomes desert storm troops 1991 Event Penny Hammel wins Desert Inn LPGA Golf International 1991 Event Operation Desert Storm begins - U.S. led allies vs Iraq 1991 Event Operation Desert Storm: 1st U.S. pilot shot down (Jeffrey Zahn) 1990 Event Desert Shield begins - U.S. deploys troops to Saudi Arabia 1990 Event Maggie Will wins Desert Inn LPGA Golf International 1988 Event Somalia and Ethiopia sign accord about Ogaden desert 1981 Event Donna Caponi Young wins LPGA Desert Inn Pro-Am Golf Tournament 1980 Death Ivan Triesault, actor (Von Ryan's Express, Desert Fox), dies at 81 1979 Event Snow falls in Sahara Desert 1978 Event Ethiopian offensive in Ogaden desert 1977 Death Don Blackman, actor (Old Man and Sea, Desert Legion), dies at 65 1974 Event Joanne Carner wins LPGA Desert Inn Golf Classic 1973 Event "Desert Song" closes at Uris Theater New York City after 15 performances 1973 Event "Desert Song" opens at Uris Theater New York City for 15 performances 1973 Death Mary Kornman, actress (Desert Trail, Swing it Professor), dies at 57 1971 Birthday Richard Green, born in Williamstown, Melbourne, Australia, professional golfer, won 1997 Dubai Desert Classic, listed in the top 30 of the Official World Golf Rankings 1966 Birthday Drew Hartt, Calgary Alta, Canadian Tour golfer, 1995 Desert Tour 1964 Death Lumsden Hare, actor (Oregon Trail, Desert Fox), dies at 89 1964 Birthday Richard Dunwoody, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, British jockey in National Hunt Racing, won King George VI Chase four times on the famous grey Desert Orchid in 1989 and 1990 1956 Birthday John Jorgenson, born in Madison, Wisconsin, singer, Desert Rose Band-Love Reunited 1955 Event Yarkon Water Project opens to supply water to Negev desert in Israel 1953 Birthday Steve Duncan, born in Knoxville, Tennessee, singer, Desert Rose Band-Love Reunited 1951 Birthday Gwen Welles, U.S. actress, Desert Hearts, Nashville 1951 Birthday Gwen Welles, born in New York City, actress, Desert Hearts, Sticky Fingers 1947 Birthday Jim Nollman, born in Boston, Massachusetts, graduated from Tufts University, composer, musical theater, conceptual artist, environmental activist, recorded interspecies music with wolves, whales, dolphins, deer, elk, desert rats 1946 Birthday Bill Bryson, Evanston, Illinois, singer, Desert Rose Band-Love Reunited 1945 Birthday Jay Dee Maness, Loma Linda California, singer, Desert Rose Band-Love Reunited 1944 Birthday Herb Pedersen, born in Berkley, California, singer, Desert Rose Band-Love Reunited 1942 Event 1st broadcast of Roy Plomley's "Desert Island Discs" on BBC 1927 Birthday Edward Abbey, U.S. author, Desert Solitaire 1926 Death Gertrude M L Bell, British archaeologist (Desert and Sown), dies at 57 1924 Birthday Lois Andrews, actress, Ganster, Rustlers, Desert Hawk 1922 Birthday Lizabeth Scott, Scranton, Pennsylvania, actress, Dark City, Desert Fury 1921 Birthday Alfred Marks, actor/comedian, Desert Mice, Scream and Scream Again 1920 Birthday Harri Webb, Swansea, Wales, journalist, nationalist, poet, volunteered for the Royal Navy, published The Green Desert, a collection of poetry in 1969, Poems and Points in 1983 1912 Birthday Michelangelo Antonioni, born in Ferrara, Italy, Italian modernist film director, 'Blow-up', 'Red Desert' 1910 Birthday Uys Krige, South African playwright/novelist, Orphan of the Desert 1909 Birthday Chips Rafferty, Broken Hill Australia, actor, Desert Rats 1908 Birthday Helen Twelvetrees, actress, State's Attorney, Painted Desert 1893 Birthday Charlie Chase, U.S. actor and director, Sons of Desert 1875 Birthday Lumsden Hare, Ireland, actor, Oregon Trail, Desert Fox, Young Bess 1868 Birthday Gertrude M L Bell, British archaeologist, Desert and The Sown 1810 Birthday Felicien C. David, French composer, Perle du Bresil, Desert 1709 Event British sailor Alexander Selkirk is rescued after being marooned on a desert island for 5 years, his story inspires "Robinson Crusoe" 1525 Event Swiss and German mercenaries desert Francois I's army
