Happy Birthday RIP Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer (1927–1959) Mary “Billie” Burke(1884–1970) ; John Glover Jr–80 Wayne Knight–69 Paul Bruce Dickinson–66 David Duchovny–64 Michael Shannon–50 Charlize Theron–49 Eric Johnson–45 Randy Wayne Frederick–43 ; 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