TODAY IN HISTORY

Today is Thursday, March 28, the 88th day of 2024. There are 278 days left in the year.

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY

On March 28, 1979, America’s worst commercial nuclear accident occurred with a partial meltdown inside the Unit 2 reactor at the Three Mile Island plant near Middletown, Pa.

1797 — Nathaniel Briggs of New Hampshire received a patent for a washing machine.

1898 — The US Supreme Court, in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, ruled 6-2 that Wong, who was born in the United States to Chinese immigrants, was an American citizen.

1942 — During World War II, British naval forces staged a successful raid on the Nazi-occupied French port of St. Nazaire in Operation Chariot, destroying the only dry dock on the Atlantic coast capable of repairing the German battleship Tirpitz.

1987 — Maria von Trapp, whose life story inspired the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “The Sound of Music,” died in Morrisville, Vt., at age 82.

2000 — In a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court, in Florida v. J.L., sharply curtailed police power in relying on anonymous tips to stop and search people.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Author Mario Vargas Llosa is 88. Country musician Charlie McCoy is 83. Movie director Mike Newell is 82. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is 79. Actor Dianne Wiest is 78. Country singer Reba McEntire is 69. Olympic gold medal gymnast Bart Conner is 66. Actor Alexandra Billings (TV: “Transparent”) is 62. Rapper Salt (SaltN-Pepa) is 58. Actor Tracey Needham is 57. Actor Max Perlich is 56. Movie director Brett Ratner is 55. Country singer Rodney Atkins is 55. Actor Vince Vaughn is 54. Rapper Mr. Cheeks (Lost Boyz) is 53. Singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson is 51. Rock musician Dave Keuning (The Killers) is 48. Actor Julia Stiles is 43. Singer Lady Gaga is 38. Electronic musician Clayton Knight (Odesza) is 36.