| Vol 8, No 341 | December 7, 1941 | Sunday Evening |
(1988) 
Having already announced retirement from the Houston Astros, Nolan Ryan rejoins the Major League by signing with the Texas Rangers on this date in 1988. During the next several years for the Rangers, Ryan will pitch his 7th no-hitter and extend his strike out record to over 5,700.
On December 7th 1941, Japanese War Planes attacked the United States Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, in a surprise early morning attack that drew America into World War II. Before the attack ended, 2,403 were dead or dieing, 188 planes were destroyed, 8 battleships were damaged or destroyed and United States Pacific Fleet crippled. In the months that followed the entire population of the United States would gear up for war, enduring loss, sacrifice, and hardship for the sake of liberty. Texas did it's part. Texas A&M University provided more officer's in the war than both of the military academies combined, hundreds of projects were put on hold, and the name "Tex" found it's way into nearly every unit in the War.
(1835)
In San Antonio, after a full day of attacks by the Mexican Army led by General Cos, Ben Milam is killed on this date in 1835.
(1941)
When General Quarters sounded on the USS West Virginia, Doris Miller ("Dorie"), a black cook from Waco, Texas, tended to his carring wounded soldiers to safety. Then he manned a 50 caliber Browning anti-aircraft machine gun until he ran out of ammunition, and was ordered to abandon ship. Miller had not been trained to fire the heavy machine gun. "wasn't hard. I just pulled the trigger and she worked fine." Miller shot down one, and as many as three Japanese war planes, saving untold American lives.
