“President Wilson Dies” and “Cousteau’s Silent World” - This Day in History – Feb 3rd

President Wilson dies in Washington, D.C.

Back in 1924, Woodrow Wilson, the 28^th President of the U.S. died in Washington, D.C.  Mr. Wilson was 67 at the time of his death and was survived by his second Wife, Edith and his three children by his first Wife, Ellen who died in 1912. 

According to history.com, “The focal point of President Wilson's first term in office was the outbreak of World War I and his efforts to find a peaceful end to the conflict while maintaining U.S. neutrality. In 1916, he was narrowly reelected president at the end of a close race against Charles Evans Hughes, his Republican challenger.”

There is evidence in history.com that the President’s second wife, Ellen, may have secretly served as acting president due to Mr. Wilson being sick and bed-ridden from a stroke on his left side.  There is a picture of The President signing a document while his wife steadies the paper for his signature.  President Wilson became the first president to be laid to rest in the nation’s capital.

French Oceanographer, Cousteau publishes, “The Silent World”

Back in 1953, French Oceanographer, Jacques-Yves Cousteau published his most famous work of his career, entitled, “The Silent World.”  Mr. Cousteau was well known for his underwater adventures in oceans and reef describing his journeys with various plant life and sea creatures.  Additionally, he was also remembered for his oceanic vessel called “The Calypso.” 

According to history.com, “Born in Saint-Andre-de-Cubzac, France, in 1910, Cousteau was trained at the Brest Naval School. While serving in the French navy, he began his underwater explorations, filming shipwrecks and the underwater world of the Mediterranean Sea through a glass bowl. At the time, the only available system for underwater breathing involved a diver being tethered to the surface, and Cousteau sought to develop a self-contained device.

In 1943, with the aid of engineer Emile Gagnan, he designed the Aqua-Lung, the world's first self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (scuba). With the Aqua-Lung, the largely unexplored world lying beneath the ocean surface was open to Cousteau as never before. He developed underwater cameras and photography and was employed by the French navy to explore navy shipwrecks. In his free time, he explored ancient wrecks and studied underwater sea life.” 

Mr. Cousteau was also the publisher of three books titled, “The Living Sea (1963), Three Adventures: Galapagos, Titicaca, the Blue Holes (1973), and Jacques Cousteau: The Ocean World (1985).”  Before his death at the age of 87 in 1997, Mr. Cousteau would leave a legacy of a scuba invention and quality video footage of his numerous underwater adventures

All History facts provided from the link below:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/worlds-fastest-indian-makes-us-debut?catId=17