July 18

452 – After an earlier defeat on the Catalaunian Plains in modern France, Attila The Hun lays siege to the metropolis of Aquileia near the border in far northeast Italy and eventually destroys it.

1195 – During the reconquista, the Castilian army of Alfonso VIII are defeated by Almohad moslem forces at Alarcos, and are forced to retreat to Toledo

1723 – Johann Sebastian Bach leads the first performance of his cantata Erforsche mich, Gott, und erfahre mein Herz – Search me, O God, and know my heart (Psalms 139:23-24 ) in Leipzig

1841 –  Pedro II at age 15, is crowned Emperor of Brazil after reigning under a regency since age 5.

1863 – The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry attempts an unsuccessful assault on Confederate held Battery Wagner, south of Charleston harbor.

1914 –  Congress forms the Aviation Section, Signal Corps, U.S. Army

1925 – Adolf Hitler publishes Mein Kampf

1942 – The Germans test fly the jet fighter Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe ‘Swallow’,  under power for the first time.

1966 – Gemini 10, crewed by John W. Young and Michael Collins is launched from Cape Kennedy Launch Complex LC-19 on a 3 day mission

1968 – Intel Corporation is founded in Mountain View, California

1976 – At the age of 14 (which is no longer allowed per an age limit 16 enacted in 1997) Nadia Comăneci becomes the first person in Olympic Games history to score a perfect 10 in gymnastics at the Summer Olympics.

1984 – James Huberty opens fire at a McDonald’s restaurant in San Ysidro, California, killing 21 people and wounding 19 others before being shot dead by police.

2002 – While performing aerial firefighting operations on the Big Elk Fire, a  Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer owned by Hawkins & Powers Aviation  crashes near Estes Park, Colorado, killing both crew members.

2013 – The Government of the City of Detroit files for municipal bankruptcy