On This Day: July 15 - Turkey coup attempt, Boeing founded, notable birthdays

July 15 marks a day with a diverse range of historical occurrences, notable birthdays, and significant anniversaries.

In 2016, parts of the Turkish military attempted a coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The uprising, which resulted in approximately 300 deaths, ultimately failed the following day. Ankara attributed the coup attempt to followers of the U.S.-based preacher Fethullah Gülen, leading to the dismissal or arrest of thousands of military personnel, jurists, officials, and academics.

On July 15, 2006, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad drew international criticism by comparing the Israeli government to Adolf Hitler and Genghis Khan, accusing it of seeking a "pretext" for military attacks.

Historically, the Europa-Universität «Viadrina» in Frankfurt/Oder was re-established on this date in 1991, reviving a university that originally existed from 1506 to 1811. Earlier, in 1946, the first 35,700 Care packages from the United States arrived in Bremen for the struggling German population aboard the freighter «American Ranger».

Significant business history was made on July 15, 1916, when William Edward Boeing founded the Pacific Aero Products Company in Seattle, which would later become the renowned Boeing Company.

Birthdays celebrated on this date include German-French actress Diane Kruger, born in 1976, known for her roles in "Troy" and "In the Fade." German musician and TV host Achim Mentzel, and American singers Linda Ronstadt and the late William Edward Boeing were also born on this day in 1946.

Notable figures who passed away on July 15 include American writer and journalist Paul Gallico, author of the "Mrs. 'Arris" novels, born in 1897.