On a personal note, on 1 July, the military got a raise. As an O-2 (Lieutenant Junior Grade in the Navy) with fewer than two years commissioned service, my pay went from $449.70 to $486 a month (about $3,300 in today’s dollars).
Things that happened in the U.S. and around the world 50 years ago.
On July 4, a crowd of 400,000 people gathered at the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., for “Honor America Day.” The event was organized by comedian Bob Hope and evangelist Billy Graham. On the same day, Casey Kassem ran down his first “American Top 40” on the syndicated radio show. The syndicated program started on only 10 radio stations.
President Richard Nixon presented to Congress on July 8 a nine-point program later described as “the most dramatic reversal in the history of U.S. policy toward Indians.” The program would reverse the longstanding effort to assimilate American Indian tribes into American culture and encouraged self-determination.
Nixon proposed to Congress on July 9 establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The National League won its eighth straight Major League Baseball All-Star game on July 14, 5-4, in the 12th inning. Cincinnati Red Pete Rose scored the winning run with his notorious crash into Cleveland Indian catcher Ray Fosse.
Sears, Roebuck & Company announced on July 27 its plans to build the world’s tallest building, in Chicago. The Sears Tower, at 1,450 feet, would be 100 feet taller than the twin-tower World Trade Center in New York City.
Cesar Chavez, leader of United Farm Workers (UFW), announced on July 29 the end of the UFW’s five-year strike for a fair wage for farm workers and ended a worldwide boycott of grapes. The 26 largest grape-growers agreed to raise the hourly wage to $1.80 and pay $.20 for each box picked. The contract collapsed with a few weeks when the Teamsters Union attempted to organize farm workers.
Players in the National Football League voted on July 30 to go out on strike. While rookies showed up later for training camps, most veterans chose to stay out.
The traditional daily drink of rum for members of the British Navy ended on July 31. It ended a 238-year tradition whereby each sailor was entitled to a “tot” of 95.5-proof rum.