TODAY IN HISTORY

1756

Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria.

1880

Thomas Edison received a patent for his electric incandescent lamp.

1944

During World War II, the Soviet Union announced the complete end of the deadly German siege of Leningrad, which had lasted for more than two years.

1945

During World War II, Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration camps Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland.

1981

President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy, greeted the 52 former American hostages released by Iran at the White House.

1984

Singer Michael Jackson suffered serious burns to his scalp when pyrotechnics set his hair on fire during the filming of a Pepsi-Cola TV commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

BIrtHDCys

Actor James Cromwell is 81. Rock musician Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) is 77. Chief U.S. Justice John Roberts is 66. Rock musician Janick Gers (Iron Maiden) is 64. Political and sports commentator Keith Olbermann is 62. Tennis player Marat Safin is 41. Rock musician Matt Sanchez (American Authors) is 35. Actor Braeden Lemasters is 25.