In 1942 – Germany conducted the first successful test of the V-2/A4 rocket, launched from Test Stand VII at Peenemünde. It traveled 118 miles.
In 1950 – John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley received US patents for circuits what would eventually be called the transistor.
In 1972 – The first USA/Japan Computer Conference was held in Tokyo.
http://books.google.com/books/about/First_USA_Japan_Computer_Conference_proc.html?id=eY4mAAAAMAAJ
In 1985 – STS-51J lifted off Sending the Space Shuttle Atlantis on its maiden flight. It was the fourth shuttle created and eventually became the last shuttle to fly in July 2011.
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