mydreamninja

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

In 1952, Grace Hopper completed her A-0 System while serving in the U.S. Navy Reserve, creating the first tool that could translate English-like commands into machine code.

Before her breakthrough, programmers had to write tedious instructions in binary code – endless strings of ones and zeros that machines could understand but humans struggled with.

Hopper, who had worked on the Harvard Mark I computer during World War II, understood that programming would remain limited unless it became more accessible.

Her compiler allowed programmers to write commands in words rather than numbers, with the compiler automatically converting these instructions into machine language.

Initially met with skepticism, Hopper famously recalled that "nobody would touch it" as many programmers didn't believe computers could write their own programs.

Her persistence paid off when her work led to the development of FLOW-MATIC in 1957, which itself became a foundation for COBOL (Common Business-Oriented Language), a programming language still used in business systems today. Grace Hopper's compiler bridged the gap between human and machine communication, accelerating the development of computer programming and opening the field to more people than ever before.

Sources: U.S. Naval Computing Archives, IEEE Milestone Proposals, Computer History Museum#GraceHopper #WomenInTech#ComputerHistory

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

On this day, 58 years ago, on June 8, 1967, Commander William Loren McGonagle, age 41, was in command of the USS Liberty (AGTR-5), a United States Navy technical research ship operating in international waters in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Six-Day War.

At approximately 2:00 p.m. local time, the ship came under sudden attack by Israeli fighter jets. The aircraft strafed the ship with rockets, napalm, and 30mm cannon fire. The bridge, the communications room, and the deck were hit repeatedly. Fire and shrapnel tore through the crew. Explosions shook the hull. Dozens of men were wounded or killed in the opening minutes.

During the first wave of the attack, McGonagle was hit. Shrapnel and gunfire tore into his right thigh and arm. He was bleeding and barely able to stand. He stayed at his position on the bridge. He refused evacuation or treatment. He continued to give orders through the blood and smoke. He organized return fire with the ship’s limited weapons. He gave orders to maneuver the ship in an attempt to evade further hits.

After the airstrike ended, three Israeli motor torpedo boats closed in. The boats launched torpedoes. Five were fired. One struck Liberty on the starboard side near the research spaces. The blast tore a hole nearly 40 feet wide. Twenty-five men were killed instantly. Water flooded compartments. The ship began listing hard to starboard.

McGonagle stayed on the bridge. He coordinated damage control. He gave orders for watertight integrity. He instructed medical teams to prioritize the wounded. He refused help. He remained in command, wounded and barely mobile, for over 17 hours. He kept the ship afloat. He kept it from sinking in hostile waters.

Communications had been disabled by the air attack. McGonagle ordered emergency repairs. He directed the use of backup gear to get a distress signal out. Help eventually arrived. A U.S. destroyer made contact and rendered assistance. Only then did McGonagle step down and allow himself to be treated.

For his actions on June 8, 1967, Commander William Loren McGonagle was awarded the Medal of Honor.

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

[mydreamninja]

Ok hear me out... a reality show where billionaire CEOs have to live off of their lowest paid employee’s salary for a month.