TODAY IN HISTORY
Today is Tuesday, Feb. 21, the 52nd day of 2017. There are 313 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On Feb. 21, 1947, inventor Edwin H. Land publicly demonstrated his Polaroid Land camera, which used self-developing film to produce a black & white photograph in 60 seconds.
On this date:
In 1513, Pope Julius II, who commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, died nearly four months after the project was completed.
In 1885, the Washington Monument was dedicated.
In 1916, the World War I Battle of Verdun began in France as German forces attacked; the French were able to prevail after 10 months of fighting.
In 1945, during the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima, the escort carrier USS Bismarck Sea was sunk by kamikazes with the loss of 318 men.
In 1958, the USS Gudgeon (SS567) became the first American submarine to complete a roundthe-world cruise, eight months after departing from Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon began his historic visit to China as he and his wife, Pat, arrived in Beijing.
In 1975, former Attorney General John N. Mitchell and former White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman were sentenced to 2 1/2 to 8 years in prison for their roles in the Watergate cover-up (each ended up serving a year and a-half).
In 1992, Kristi Yamaguchi of the United States won the gold medal in ladies’ figure skating at the Albertville Olympics; Midori Ito of Japan won the silver, Nancy Kerrigan of the U.S. the bronze.
Ten years ago: British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced his country would withdraw around 1,600 troops from Iraq in the coming months; Denmark, meanwhile, said it would withdraw its 460 troops. A U.S. helicopter was shot down north of Baghdad; all aboard were safely evacuated by a second helicopter.
Five years ago: The 17-nation eurozone approved a $170 billion bailout for Greece, which received the news with a mixture of relief and foreboding.
One year ago: Bombings claimed by the Islamic State group in the Syrian cities of Damascus and Homs killed nearly 130 people.
Today’s Birthdays: Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe is 93. Fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy is 90. Movie director Bob Rafelson is 84. Actor Gary Lockwood is 80. Film/music company executive David Geffen is 74. Actress Tyne Daly is 71. Actor Anthony Daniels is 71. Tricia Nixon Cox is 71. Former Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, is 70. Actor Kim Coates is 59. Actor Jack Coleman is 59. Actor Christopher Atkins is 56. Rock singer Ranking Roger is 56. Actor William Baldwin is 54. Rock musician Michael Ward is 50. Actress Aunjanue Ellis is 48. Blues musician Corey Harris is 48. Country singer Eric Heatherly is 47. Rock musician Eric Wilson is 47. Actress Ashley Greene is 30. Actress Ellen Page is 30. Actor Corbin Bleu is 28.
Thought for Today: “Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.”—Spanish proverb.