By The Associated Press

Today in History

Today is Monday, Nov. 11, the 315th day of 2019. There are 50 days left in the year. Today is Veterans Day.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Nov. 11, 1972, the U.S. Army turned over its base at Long Binh to the South Vietnamese, symbolizing the end of direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War.

On this date:

In 1620, 41 Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower, anchored off Massachusetts, signed a compact calling for a “body politick.”

In 1831, former slave Nat Turner, who’d led a violent insurrection, was executed in Jerusalem, Virginia.

In 1918, fighting in World War I ended as the Allies and Germany signed an armistice in the Forest of Compiegne (kohm-PYEHN’-yeh).

In 1921, the remains of an unidentified American service member were interred in a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in a ceremony presided over by President Warren G. Harding.

In 1929, the Ambassador Bridge spanning the Detroit River between Michigan and Windsor, Ontario, Canada, was dedicated.

In 1942, during World War II, Germany completed its occupation of France.

In 1960, South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem survived a coup attempt by army rebels. (However, he was overthrown and killed in 1963.)

In 1966, Gemini 12 blasted off on a four-day mission with astronauts James A. Lovell and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. aboard; it was the tenth and final flight of NASA’s Gemini program.

In 1990, Stormie Jones, the world’s first heart-liver transplant recipient, died at a Pittsburgh hospital at age 13.

In 1992, the Church of England voted to ordain women as priests.

In 1998, President Clinton ordered warships, planes and troops to the Persian Gulf as he laid out his case for a possible attack on Iraq. Iraq, meanwhile, showed no sign of backing down from its refusal to deal with U.N. weapons inspectors.

In 2004, Palestinians at home and abroad wept, waved flags and burned tires in an eruption of grief at news of the death of Yasser Arafat in Paris at age 75.

Ten years ago: For the first time since World War I, the leaders of Germany and France held a joint ceremony to commemorate the end of the conflict, saying it was time to celebrate their countries’ reconciliation and friendship. Longtime CNN host Lou Dobbs announced he was leaving the network. Taylor Swift won four awards, including Entertainer of the Year, at the Country Music Association Awards.

Five years ago: Leaders of Asia-Pacific economies meeting in China agreed to begin work toward possible adoption of a Chinese-backed free-trade pact, giving Beijing a victory in its push for a bigger role in managing global commerce.