• Today is No Socks Day. Tom and Ruth Roy of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, urge everyone to conserve laundry energy by not wearing socks.'

     • Today is World Red Cross Day.

     • Today is National Coconut Cream Pie Day.

      • Today is V-E Day, marking Germany's surrender in World War II.

     • Today is Liberation Day in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and Victory Day in France.

On this date in . . .

1847: Robert W. Thompson patented rubber tires, which he called "air wheels."

1886: At Jacob's Pharmacy in Atlanta, John Pemberton made the first batch of a new health tonic flavored with coca leaves. The mixture flopped as a tonic, but did pretty well as a soft drink called Coca-Cola.

1940: Son Eric Hilliard was born to Ozzie and Harriet Nelson of Teaneck, New Jersey. At 16 "Ricky" became an instant rock star when he sang "I’m Walking" on the family TV show in 1957. He died in a Texas plane crash in 1985.

1956: Alfred E. Neuman first appeared on the cover of Mad magazine. His slogan: "What, me worry?"

1961: New Yorkers chose a name for their new National League baseball franchise. The "Mets" were born.

1968: Catfish Hunter pitched a perfect game in Oakland against Minnesota. Won the game 4-0. Only the ninth perfect game in major-league baseball history.

1970: The Beatles released the album ''Let It Be.''

1977: County Commissioners in Parker County voted Buck Naked, Texas, out of existence. They decided that Buck Naked’s road signs caused too many misunderstandings. Residents had chosen the name as a joke.

1982: Veteran record producer Neil Bogart died of cancer at age 39. He had launched the careers of Kiss, Donna Summer, and Joan Jett.

1984: As "Happy Days" wound down its final season on ABC-TV, Joanie and Chachi got married and Fonzie filed papers to adopt a son. With Ron Howard and Anson Williams already gone, the series starred Henry Winkler, Tom Bosley, Marion Ross, Erin Moran, and Scott Baio.

1989: A 23-year-old University of Kansas student died from injuries suffered when a soft drink machine fell on him. He had rocked the machine after it took his money but didn’t release a drink. He was the 9th American killed by overturned vending machines in a 3-year period.

1990: The U.S. issued patent #4,922,921 for the Self Breath Tester, a plastic mask that allows you to smell your own exhaled breath.

1992: Fresh Prince Will Smith and songwriter Sheree Zampino were married.

1999: Tesco, Britain’s largest supermarket chain, began testing its lemon meringue pies, fruit tarts, and egg custards to make sure they were safe to throw at people. A new pie-flinging craze prompted the chain’s concern.

2001: A bungling armed raider threatened a bank teller with a pistol in Bordeaux, France, and demanded $13,700. When the teller said he didn't have nearly that much, the bandit lowered his demand to $6,800. When the clerk again refused, the robber asked to withdraw a small amount of cash from his own account. The asked for his identity card. Police captured the suspect at his home.