Also on this date
In 1836,
the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, fell as Mexican forces led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna stormed the fortress after a 13-day siege; the battle claimed the lives of all the Texan defenders, nearly 200 strong, including William Travis, James Bowie and Davy Crockett.
In 1944,
U.S. heavy bombers staged the first full-scale American raid on Berlin during World War II.
In 1962,
what became known as the Ash Wednesday Storm began pounding the mid-Atlantic coast; over a three-day period, the storm resulted in 40 deaths and caused more than $200 million in property damage.
In 1964,
heavyweight boxing champion Cassius Clay officially changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
In 1970,
a bomb being built inside a Greenwich Village townhouse by the radical Weathermen accidentally went off, destroying the house and killing three group members.
In 1981,
Walter Cronkite signed off for the last time as principal anchorman of “The CBS Evening News.”
In 2002,
Independent Counsel Robert Ray issued his final report in which he wrote that former President Bill Clinton could have been indicted and probably would have been convicted in the scandal involving former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
In 2015,
during a town hall at South Carolina’s Benedict College, President Barack Obama said racial discrimination by police in Ferguson, Missouri, was “oppressive and abusive” as he called for criminal justice reform as part of the modern struggle for civil rights. Ten years ago:
The space shuttle and space station crews hugged goodbye after more than a week together, but saved their most heartfelt farewell for Discovery, which was on its final voyage after nearly three decades. Five years ago:
Former President Jimmy Carter announced he no longer needed treatment for cancer, less than seven months after revealing he’d been diagnosed with melanoma that spread to his brain. One year ago:
President Donald Trump signed a $8.3 billion measure to help tackle the coronavirus outbreak; it included money for vaccines, tests and potential treatments.