Posted by Paul Callighan on May 07, 2021
May 5, 1862 – Mexican troops under General Ignacio Zaragoza, outnumbered three to one, defeat the invading forces of Napoleon III in the battle of Pueblo which forever after is celebrated as a national holiday; Cinco de Mayo (Fifth of May).
 
May 6, 1937 – The German airship Hindenburg bursts into flames and crashes while mooring at Lakehurst, New Jersey killing 36 of the 97 passengers and crew and effectively ending commercial airship travel.
 
May 8, 1945 – German Field Marshall Wilhelm Keitel signs the unconditional surrender of all German fighting forces ending World War II in Europe.
 
May 5, 1961 – Alan Shepard becomes the first American in Space.  His Freedom 7 spacecraft travelled in space for 15 minutes and 28 seconds.  In a subsequent flight in 1971 he would become the fifth person to walk on the moon.