HISTORY At A Glance

TODAY is Thursday, April 15, the 105th day of 2021. There are 260 days left in the year. Highlights in history on this date:

1942 The George Cross is awarded “to the island fortress of Malta: Its people and defenders” by King George VI. 1955 McDonald’s restaurant dates its founding to the opening of a franchised restaurant by Ray Kroc, in Des Plaines, Illinois

1969 The EC-121 shootdown incident: North Korea shoots down a United States Navy aircraft over the Sea of Japan, killing all 31 on board. 1983 Tokyo Disneyland opens to the public.

1984 The inaugural World Youth Day is held in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City. 1986 The United States launches Operation El Dorado Canyon, its bombing raids against Libyan targets in response to a bombing in West Germany that killed two US servicemen. 1989 Hillsborough disaster: A human crush occurs at Hillsborough Stadium, home of Sheffield Wednesday, in the FA Cup Semi-final, resulting in the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans.

1989 Upon Hu Yaobang’s death, the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 begin in China.

2013 Two bombs explode near the finish line at the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts, killing three people and injuring 264 others.

2014 More than 200 female students are declared missing after a mass kidnapping in Borno State, Nigeria.