May 10 in history — What Happened Today in History

Vietnam War: The Battle of Dong Ap Bia begins with an assault on Hill 937. It will ultimately become known as Hamburger Hill.

The Northrop M2-F2 crashes on landing, becoming the inspiration for the novel Cyborg and TV series The Six Million Dollar Man.

Marvel Comics publishes the first issue of The Incredible Hulk.

Air France Flight 406 is destroyed by a bomb over the Sahara, killing 78.

First successful launch of an American V-2 rocket at White Sands Proving Ground.

World War II: The Thai Phayap Army invades the Shan States during the Burma Campaign.

World War II: The House of Commons in London is damaged by the Luftwaffe in an air raid.

World War II: Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland to try to negotiate a peace deal between the United Kingdom and Nazi Germany.

World War II: German fighters accidentally bomb the German city of Freiburg.

World War II: Winston Churchill is appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain. On the same day, Germany invades France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom occupies Iceland.

Censorship: In Germany, the Nazis stage massive public book burnings.

J. Edgar Hoover is appointed first Director of the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and remains so until his death in 1972.

The United States annexes the Kingman Reef.

Sailing in the lifeboat James Caird, Ernest Shackleton arrives at South Georgia after a journey of 800 nautical miles from Elephant Island.

Mother's Day is observed for the first time in the United States, in Grafton, West Virginia.

The Horch & Cir. Motorwagenwerke AG is founded. It would eventually become the Audi company.

Finnish farmworker Karl Emil Malmelin kills seven people with an axe at the Simola croft in the village of Klaukkala.

Carol I is crowned the King of the Romanian Kingdom.

The Centennial Exposition is opened in Philadelphia.

Victoria Woodhull becomes the first woman nominated for President of the United States.

The First transcontinental railroad, linking the eastern and western United States, is completed at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory with the golden spike.

American Civil War: In Kentucky, Union soldiers ambush and mortally wound Confederate raider William Quantrill, who lingers until his death on June 6.

Indian Rebellion of 1857: In India, the first war of Independence begins. Sepoys mutiny against their commanding officers at Meerut.

Astor Place Riot: A riot breaks out at the Astor Opera House in Manhattan, New York City over a dispute between actors Edwin Forrest and William Charles Macready, killing at least 22 and injuring over 120.

Panic of 1837: New York City banks suspend the payment of specie, triggering a national banking crisis and an economic depression whose severity was not surpassed until the Great Depression.

A revolt broke out in southern Vietnam against Emperor Minh Mang, who had desecrated the deceased mandarin Le Van Duyet.

The National Gallery in London opens to the public.

First Barbary War: The Barbary pirates of Tripoli declare war on the United States of America.

Ivana Španović, Serbian long jumper

Adam Lallana, English footballer

Ryan Getzlaf, Canadian ice hockey player

Farah Jacquet, Belgian politician

Jon Schofield, English canoe racer

Edward Mujica, Venezuelan baseball player

Adebayo Akinfenwa, English footballer

Humberto Suazo, Chilean footballer

Kenan Thompson, American actor and comedian

Adrian Morley, English rugby league player

Hazem Emam, Egyptian footballer and politician

Hélio Castroneves, Brazilian race car driver

Ueli Kestenholz, Swiss snowboarder (died 2026)

Frank Frazetta, American illustrator and painter (born 1928)

Leyla Gencer, Turkish soprano (born 1928)

Soraya, Colombian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer (born 1969)

Milan Vukcevich, Serbian-American chemist and chess player (born 1937)

Kaifi Azmi, Indian poet and songwriter (born 1919)

Yves Robert, French actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1920)

Sudhakarrao Naik, Indian politician, Governor of Himachal Pradesh (born 1934)

Jules Deschênes, Canadian lawyer and judge (born 1923)

Dick Sprang, American illustrator (born 1915)

Shel Silverstein, American poet, author, and illustrator (born 1930)

John Wayne Gacy, American serial killer (born 1942)

Walker Percy, American novelist and essayist (born 1916)

Dominik Tatarka, Slovak writer (born 1913)