Today in History: Jan. 13

The tail section of the Air Florida jetliner that crashed in the Potomac River in Washington on Wednesday is hoisted by a crane onto a floating barge after being removed, Monday, Jan. 19, 1982 from the water. A span of the 14th Street bridge which the plane did not hit is shown in background. (AP Photo)
In 1982, an Air Florida 737 crashed into Washington, D.C.’s 14th Street Bridge and fell into the Potomac River while trying to take off during a snowstorm, killing a total of 78 people; four passengers and a flight attendant survived.  (AP Photo)
**FILE** In this Sept. 18, 1989 file photo, Virginia Lt. Governor and Democratic nominee for Governor, L. Douglas Wilder, gestures during his acceptance speech at the Virginia Democratic Convention in Richmond. (AP Photo, File)
In 1990, L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia became the nation’s first elected black governor as he took the oath of office in Richmond.  (AP Photo, File)
Actor Ernie Kovacs is shown in an undated photo. (AP Photo)
In 1962, comedian Ernie Kovacs died in a car crash in west Los Angeles. (AP Photo)
FILE - In this Jan. 14, 2012 file photo the luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia leans on its side after running aground in the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy. The captain of the shipwrecked Costa Concordia cruise ship Francesco Schettino was convicted Tuesday, May 31, 2016, of multiple charges of manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years in jail, Italian court officials said. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
In 2012, the Italian luxury liner Costa Concordia ran aground off the Tuscan island of Giglio and flipped onto its side; 32 people were killed. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
President Clinton shakes hands with Vernon Baker after presenting him with a Medal of Honor, Monday Jan. 13, 1997 at the White House. In a long-awaited ceremony, Baker and six other  World War II veterans became the first black soldiers of that conflict to receive the medal. Baker is the sole survivor of the group. (AP Photo/Ruth Fremson)
President Clinton shakes hands with Vernon Baker after presenting him with a Medal of Honor, Monday Jan. 13, 1997 at the White House. In a long-awaited ceremony, Baker and six other World War II veterans became the first black soldiers of that conflict to receive the medal. Baker is the sole survivor of the group. (AP Photo/Ruth Fremson)
This is a 1977 photo of country western musician Johnny Cash.  (AP Photo)
On Jan. 13, 1968, country singer Johnny Cash performed and recorded a pair of shows at Folsom State Prison in California; material from the concerts was released as an album by Columbia Records under the title “Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison,” which proved a hit. This is a 1977 photo of country western musician Johnny Cash. (AP Photo)
In 2013, a false alarm that warned of a ballistic missile headed for Hawaii sent the islands into a panic, with people abandoning cars on a highway and preparing to flee their homes; officials apologized and said the alert was sent when someone hit the wrong button during a shift change. FILE – This Jan. 13, 2018 file smartphone screen capture shows a false incoming ballistic missile emergency alert sent from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency system. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general is recommending changes to the nation’s emergency alert system after Hawaii officials in January mistakenly warned the public about an incoming ballistic missile. The report issued calls for mandating that software vendors include message preview and cancelling features in their alert software. It recommends requiring that software vendors provide training to officials using their products. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones, file)
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The tail section of the Air Florida jetliner that crashed in the Potomac River in Washington on Wednesday is hoisted by a crane onto a floating barge after being removed, Monday, Jan. 19, 1982 from the water. A span of the 14th Street bridge which the plane did not hit is shown in background. (AP Photo)
**FILE** In this Sept. 18, 1989 file photo, Virginia Lt. Governor and Democratic nominee for Governor, L. Douglas Wilder, gestures during his acceptance speech at the Virginia Democratic Convention in Richmond. (AP Photo, File)
Actor Ernie Kovacs is shown in an undated photo. (AP Photo)
FILE - In this Jan. 14, 2012 file photo the luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia leans on its side after running aground in the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy. The captain of the shipwrecked Costa Concordia cruise ship Francesco Schettino was convicted Tuesday, May 31, 2016, of multiple charges of manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years in jail, Italian court officials said. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
President Clinton shakes hands with Vernon Baker after presenting him with a Medal of Honor, Monday Jan. 13, 1997 at the White House. In a long-awaited ceremony, Baker and six other  World War II veterans became the first black soldiers of that conflict to receive the medal. Baker is the sole survivor of the group. (AP Photo/Ruth Fremson)
This is a 1977 photo of country western musician Johnny Cash.  (AP Photo)

Today is Sunday, Jan. 13, the 13th day of 2019.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On Jan. 13, 1982, an Air Florida 737 crashed into Washington, D.C.’s 14th Street Bridge and fell into the Potomac River while trying to take off during a snowstorm, killing a total of 78 people; four passengers and a flight attendant survived.

On this date:

In 1794, President George Washington approved a measure adding two stars and two stripes to the American flag, following the admission of Vermont and Kentucky to the Union. (The number of stripes was later reduced to the original 13.)

In 1915, a magnitude-7 earthquake centered in Avezzano, Italy, claimed some 30,000 lives.

In 1941, a new law went into effect granting Puerto Ricans U.S. birthright citizenship. Novelist and poet James Joyce died in Zurich, Switzerland, less than a month before his 59th birthday.

In 1962, comedian Ernie Kovacs died in a car crash in west Los Angeles 10 days before his 43rd birthday.

In 1964, Roman Catholic Bishop Karol Wojtyla (voy-TEE’-wah) (the future Pope John Paul II) was appointed Archbishop of Krakow, Poland, by Pope Paul VI.

In 1968, country singer Johnny Cash performed and recorded a pair of shows at Folsom State Prison in California; material from the concerts was released as an album by Columbia Records under the title “Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison,” which proved a hit.

In 1978, former Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey died in Waverly, Minnesota, at age 66.

In 1990, L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia became the nation’s first elected black governor as he took the oath of office in Richmond.

In 1992, Japan apologized for forcing tens of thousands of Korean women to serve as sex slaves for its soldiers during World War II, citing newly uncovered documents that showed the Japanese army had had a role in abducting the so-called “comfort women.”

In 1997, seven black soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor for World War II valor; the lone survivor of the group, former Lt. Vernon Baker, received his medal from President Bill Clinton at the White House.

In 2000, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates stepped aside as chief executive and promoted company president Steve Ballmer to the position.

In 2012, the Italian luxury liner Costa Concordia ran aground off the Tuscan island of Giglio and flipped onto its side; 32 people were killed.

Ten years ago: President-elect Barack Obama’s nominee for secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton, vowed during her Senate confirmation hearing to revitalize the mission of diplomacy in U.S. foreign policy. Obama’s choice to run the Treasury Department, Timothy Geithner (GYT’-nur), disclosed that he had failed to pay $34,000 in taxes from 2001 to 2004. U.S. Marshals apprehended Marcus Schrenker, 38, in North Florida days after the businessman and amateur daredevil pilot apparently tried to fake his own death in a plane crash. (Schrenker was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to securities fraud charges, on top of four years in federal prison on charges stemming from the plane crash.) Actor-director Patrick McGoohan died in Los Angeles at age 80. Author Hortense Calisher died in New York at age 97.

Five years ago: A shooting at a Wesley Chapel, Florida, movie theater left Chad Oulson, 43, dead; retired Tampa police captain Curtis Reeves, 71, is accused of killing Oulson during what authorities said was an argument over Oulson’s texting just before a showing of the movie “Lone Survivor.” (He is still awaiting trial; a judge has rejected a “stand-your-ground” defense.) Two Fullerton, California, police officers who were videotaped in a violent struggle with a homeless man, Kelly Thomas, during an arrest were acquitted by a jury in Santa Ana of killing him.

One year ago: A false alarm that warned of a ballistic missile headed for Hawaii sent the islands into a panic, with people abandoning cars on a highway and preparing to flee their homes; officials apologized and said the alert was sent when someone hit the wrong button during a shift change. Two Army captains who met at West Point, Daniel Hall and Vincent Franchino, returned there to be married, in what The New York Times said was believed to be the first same-sex marriage of active-duty personnel at the military academy.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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