# Today in History **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 10, 2016, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530 "2016-07-10T04:53:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 54
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1064 "2018-02-19T03:56:20Z")
**February 18, 1944** : [The Royal Navy ship HMS \*Penelope \*](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Penelope_(97)&ved=2ahUKEwje9627ibHZAhVEMd8KHdtsDegQFjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1HLv7hTCEBFw7OndXIMfQs)is sunk by a German U-Boat. 417 aboard died. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1065 "2018-02-19T05:32:13Z")
**February 19, 1600** : Peru’s [Huaynapitina volcano](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huaynaputina) erupts. This is the largest volcanic eruption in South American recorded history. At least 1500 die. The eruption causes 1601 to be the coldest year on the planet in over six centuries. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1066 "2018-02-19T10:32:06Z")
**February 19, 1913:** Pedro Lascuráin (Pedro José Domingo de la Calzada Manuel María Lascuráin Paredes) becomes President of Mexico for 45 minutes; this is the shortest term to date of any person as president of any country. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1067 "2018-02-20T09:48:53Z")
**February 20, 1998:** At the age of 14 years, 9 months and 10 days, American figure skater Tara Lipinski becomes the youngest gold-medalist at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1068 "2018-02-20T17:35:30Z")
**February 20, 1905** : [The Virginia City Mine Explosion](https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/1905_Virginia_City_Mine_explosion) in Alabama kills 112. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1069 "2018-02-21T15:58:56Z")
**February 21, 1917** : [The SS \*Mendi \*](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-legend-of-the-s-s-mendi/amp&ved=2ahUKEwj24KfqrbfZAhVjw1kKHVtIAeEQFjAcegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw2OrKKhah3GmhWciEKP_e35&cf=1) sinks in the English Channel after colliding with another boat. 646 die. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1070 "2018-02-22T07:32:10Z")
**February 22, 1944** : Allied bombers strike the Nazi-held Dutch city of [Nijmegen.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Nijmegen&ved=2ahUKEwjVvfyf_rjZAhUthuAKHU2iA5oQFjAUegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw1fvsnkibMbfAb8jwifw_8-) Well over 800 civilians are killed. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1071 "2018-02-23T05:19:27Z")
**February 23, 1887** : [An earthquake and tsunami on the French Riviera kills 2000.](http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/earthquake-strikes-mediterranean) ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1072 "2018-02-24T06:09:14Z")
**February 24, 1918** : [The SS \*Florizel \*](http://archivalmoments.ca/2016/02/an-ocean-horror-that-has-come-home-the-ss-florizel-2/) runs upon the rocks near Newfoundland during a storm. The raging waters were too dangerous to launch lifeboats so passengers and crew were forced to try to find a safe spot aboard the damaged sinking \*Florizel \* to await rescue. And while rescue finally \*\*did \*\* arrive for a few, over 93 died. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1073 "2018-02-24T11:26:56Z")
**February 24, 1989:** United Airlines Flight 811, bound for New Zealand from Honolulu, rips open during flight, blowing nine passengers out of the business-class section. The aircraft returns to Honolulu, where it lands safely. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1074 "2018-02-27T03:05:02Z")
**February 25, 1968:** 135 unarmed citizens of Hà My village in South Vietnam’s Quảng Nam Province are killed and buried en masse by South Korean troops in what would come to be known as the Hà My massacre. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1075 "2018-02-27T03:08:59Z")
**February 26, 1616:** Galileo Galilei is formally banned by the Roman Catholic Church from teaching or defending the view that the earth orbits the sun. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1076 "2018-03-01T09:59:55Z")
**March 1, 1873:** E. Remington and Sons in Ilion, New York begins production of the first practical typewriter. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1077 "2018-03-01T17:26:16Z")
1 March 1954. In the last major violent action of the old Puerto Rican Nationalist Party, Lolita Lebron, Rafael Cancel, Irving Flores and Andres Figueroa open fire from the visitors’ gallery upon the gathered US House of Representatives. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1078 "2018-03-06T02:33:48Z")
**March 5, 1963:** American country music stars Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas and their pilot Randy Hughes are killed in a plane crash in Camden, Tennessee. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2018, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1079 "2018-03-09T18:18:57Z")
**March 9, 1976** : [The Cavalese Cable Car Disaster.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalese_cable_car_disaster_(1976)&ved=2ahUKEwjOj8Hx6t_ZAhVRmlkKHb52Cx8QFjAOegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw04YIo5On9lxrXAUrmi1c9H) This is the deadliest cable car disaster in history. 43 are killed in the 660 foot fall after a steel cable breaks. Miraculously one 14-year old girl survives the plunge. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2018, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1080 "2018-03-10T11:43:16Z")
**March 10, 1906:** The Courrières mine disaster, Europe’s worst ever, kills 1,099 miners in northern France. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2018, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1081 "2018-03-13T21:56:07Z")
**March 13, 1997:** The [Phoenix Lights](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_Lights) are seen over Phoenix, Arizona by hundreds of people, and by millions on television. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1082 "2018-03-14T17:03:00Z")
**March 14, 1926** : [The El Virilla Train Accident](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://qcostarica.com/the-tragedy-of-march-14th/&ved=2ahUKEwjNlYmYpOzZAhWSmuAKHX5hCrsQFjAOegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1R1NW_HGetTtowT9pH-1FR) in Costa Rica kills 248 and injures 93. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2018, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530/1083 "2018-03-15T04:41:54Z")
**March 15, 1941** : [The Ides of March Blizzard](http://www.wday.com/news/3986169-75-years-later-survivors-recount-nightmare-was-ides-march-blizzard) in North Dakota kills somewhere between 70 and 140 people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=53) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/today-in-history/759530.md?page=55)