TODAY IN HISTORY

Today is Sunday, Feb. 23, the 54th day of 2020. There are 312 days left in the year.

Today’s highlight

On Feb. 23, 1945, Marines on Iwo Jima captured Mount Suribachi, where they raised two American flags. (The second flag-raising was captured in the iconic AP photo.)

On this date

In 1836, the siege of the Alamo began in San Antonio, Texas.

In 1954, the first mass inoculation of schoolchildren against polio using the Salk vaccine began in Pittsburgh as some 5,000 students were vaccinated.

Today’s birthdays

Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff is 77. Rock musician Brad Whitford (Aerosmith) is 68. Singer Howard Jones is 65. TV personality-businessman Daymond John (“Shark Tank”) is 51. Actor Josh Gad is 39. Actress Emily Blunt is 37. Actor Aziz Ansari is 37. Actress Dakota Fanning is 26.