appy Birthday RIP Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer (1927–1959) Mary “Billie” Burke(1884–1970) ; John Glover Jr–78 Wayne Knight–67 Paul Bruce Dickinson–64 David Duchovny–62 Michael Shannon–48 Charlize Theron–47 Eric Johnson–43 Randy Wayne Frederick–41 ; 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