Happy Birthday RIP Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer (1927–1959) Mary “Billie” Burke(1884–1970) ; John Glover Jr–81 Wayne Knight–70 Paul Bruce Dickinson–67 David Duchovny–65 Michael Shannon–51 Charlize Theron–50 Eric Johnson–46 Randy Wayne Frederick–44 ; 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