Saturday, May 16, 2026
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1939 - Food stamps are first issued.
1946 - Musical Annie Get Your Gun starring Ethel Merman premieres in New York City.
1951 - El Al Israel Airlines begins the first regularly scheduled transatlantic flights between New York and London.
1957 - Major Irwin, US Air Force flies a Lockheed Starfighter to a record 1,404.18 MPH.
1957 - US launches its third atomic submarine, USS Skate, at Groton, Connecticut.
1960 - Big four summit in Paris, France collapses as USSR levels spy charges against USA.
1960 - Theodore Maiman operates the first optical laser in Malibu, California, USA.
1961 - In Hollywood, California, the 13th Annual Emmy Awards are presented, hosted by Dick Powell and Joey Bishop.- Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction and Scenic Design: John J. Lloyd for Checkmate
- Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for Television: The Twilight Zone
- Outstanding Achievement in Electronic Camerawork: Red-EO-Tape Mobile Unit for The Bell Telephone Hour
- Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for Television: Harry Coswick, Aaron Nibley, and Milton Shifman for Naked City
- Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Children's Programming: Young People's Concerts: Aaron Copland Birthday Party
- Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Music for Television: Leonard Bernstein for Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic
- Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy: Sheldon Leonard for Make Room for Daddy
- Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama: George Schaefer for Macbeth
- Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead): Raymond Burr for Perry Mason
- Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Series (Lead): Barbara Stanwyck for The Barbara Stanwyck Show
- Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actor or Actress in a Series: Don Knotts for The Andy Griffith Show
- Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actor or Actress in a Single Program: Roddy McDowall for Sunday Showcase
- Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Musical Program or Series: Dinah Shore for The Dinah Shore Show
- Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Drama: Macbeth
- Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Humor: The Jack Benny Program
- Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of News: The Huntley-Brinkley Report
- Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Public Service: The Twentieth Century
- Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Variety: Astaire Time
- Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Maurice Evans for Macbeth
- Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Judith Anderson for Macbeth
- Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy: Sherwood Schwartz, Dave O'Brien, Al Schwartz, Martin Ragaway, and Red Skelton for The Red Skelton Show
- Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama: Rod Serling for The Twilight Zone
- Outstanding Writing Achievement in the Documentary Field: Victor Wolfson for Winston Churchill: The Valiant Years
- The Program of the Year: Macbeth
1963 - Gordon Cooper completes 22 orbits in Faith 7, ends US Project Mercury.
1965 - Bomb destroys US Air Force base Bien Hoa, South Vietnam.