Happy Birthday RIP Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer (1927–1959) Mary “Billie” Burke(1884–1970) ; John Glover Jr–79 Wayne Knight–68 Paul Bruce Dickinson–65 David Duchovny–63 Michael Shannon–49 Charlize Theron–48 Eric Johnson–44 Randy Wayne Frederick–42 ; 1782 – George Washington orders the creation of the Badge of Military Merit to honor soldiers wounded in battle. It is later renamed to the more poetic Purple Heart ; 1981 – The Washington Star ceases all operations after 128 years of publication