On this day in history - Today, July, 3

Today in History

• 2013 Coup in Egypt

  Egyptian defense minister Abdul Fatah al-Sisi staged a coup and forced out President Mohamed Morsi,

• 1988 Iran Air flight 655 is shot down by a US Navy ship

  The USS Vincennes mistakenly shot down the airplane en route to Dubai, killing all 290 people aboard

• 1962 Algeria gains its independence from France

  Algeria's independence from France, after 132 years of French rule, was finalized after the signing

• 1863 Battle of Gettysburg ends

  The 3-day long battle during the American Civil War was fought between the Union and Confederacy in-

• 1844 The Great Auks go extinct

  The last known pair of Great Auks, members of a species of flightless birds, were killed off the coa