Today in History: March 27

The nearly-completed six-story Four Seasons apartment building just off L Street in Anchorage, Alaska, lies in ruins after yesterday's earthquake, but a home beside it appears undamaged, March 28, 1964. (AP Photo) — In 1964, Alaska was hit by a magnitude 9.2 earthquake (the strongest on record in North America) and tsunamis that together claimed about 130 lives. In this photo, the nearly-completed six-story Four Seasons apartment building just off L Street in Anchorage, Alaska, lies in ruins after the earthquake, but a home beside it appears undamaged. (AP Photo)

The wreckage of the Pan American World Airways 747 aircraft and KLM Boeing 747 jumbo are scattered over the runway at the airport in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, Monday, March 28, 1977. The collision between the two planes killed 583 people on board. (AP Photo) — In 1977, 583 people were killed when a KLM Boeing 747, attempting to take off, crashed into a Pan Am 747 on the Canary Island of Tenerife (ten-uh-REEF’). Here. the wreckage of the Pan American World Airways 747 aircraft and KLM Boeing 747 jumbo are scattered over the runway at the airport in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. (AP Photo)

Part of the living quarters of the capsized oil platform Alexander Kielland in the water of Fansfjorden near Stavanger in the North Sea on March 27, 1980. Out of 212 people on board 123 were killed in the disaster. (AP Photo/Str/NPS) NORWAY OUT. — In 1980, 123 workers died when a North Sea floating oil field platform, the Alexander Kielland, capsized during a storm. In this photo, part of the living quarters of the capsized oil platform Alexander Kielland is seen in the water of Fansfjorden near Stavanger in the North Sea. (AP Photo/Str/NPS)

In 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon (hwahn pahns duh LEE'-ohn) sighted present-day Florida. This aerial view shows Miami Beach in Miami, Fla., in 1928. The City Hall building can be seen at center. (AP Photo) — In 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon sighted present-day Florida. This aerial view shows Miami Beach in Miami, Fla., in 1928. The City Hall building can be seen at center. (AP Photo)

In 1958, Nikita Khrushchev became Soviet premier in addition to First Secretary of the Communist Party. FILE – In this Sept. 23, 1959, file photo, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev and Roswell Garst pose with corn cobs during an inspection tour of The Garst Farm in Coon Rapids, Iowa. Khrushchev became the first Soviet leader to visit the U.S. He traveled to Washington, New York, California and Iowa and held meetings with President Dwight Eisenhower. (AP Photo/File)

AP Photo/File

Desert road leading to Monument Valley photographed at the Forrest Gump Point with dramatic sunset sky. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) — In 1995, “Forrest Gump” won six Academy Awards, including best picture and a second consecutive best actor Oscar for Tom Hanks; Jessica Lange won best actress for “Blue Sky.” Desert road leading to Monument Valley photographed at the Forrest Gump Point. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

FILE - In this file undated photo, Soviet cosmonaut Major Yuri Gagarin, first man to orbit the earth, is shown in his space suit in this undated photo. On the 12th April 1961, the Russian cosmonaut became the first man in space when he orbited the Earth once during a 108 minute flight. Six decades after Sputnik opened the space era, Russia has struggled to build up on its Soviet-era space achievements and space research now ranks very low among the Kremlin's priorities. (AP Photo, File) — In 1968, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man to orbit the Earth in 1961, died when his MiG-15 jet crashed during a routine training flight near Moscow; he was 34. FILE – In this file undated photo, Soviet cosmonaut Major Yuri Gagarin, first man to orbit the earth, is shown in his space suit in this undated photo. On the 12th April 1961, the Russian cosmonaut became the first man in space when he orbited the Earth once during a 108 minute flight. Six decades after Sputnik opened the space era, Russia has struggled to build up on its Soviet-era space achievements and space research now ranks very low among the Kremlin’s priorities. (AP Photo, File)

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Today is Wednesday, March 27, the 86th day of 2019.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On March 27, 1977, in aviation’s worst disaster, 583 people were killed when a KLM Boeing 747, attempting to take off in heavy fog, crashed into a Pan Am 747 on an airport runway on the Canary Island of Tenerife (ten-uh-REEF’).

On this date:

In 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon (hwahn pahns duh LEE’-ohn) sighted present-day Florida.

In 1625, Charles I acceded to the English throne upon the death of James I.

In 1933, Japan officially withdrew from the League of Nations.

In 1942, during World War II, Congress granted American servicemen free first-class mailing privileges.

In 1958, Nikita Khrushchev became Soviet premier in addition to First Secretary of the Communist Party.

In 1964, Alaska was hit by a magnitude 9.2 earthquake (the strongest on record in North America) and tsunamis that together claimed about 130 lives.

In 1968, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin (gah-GAH’-rihn), the first man to orbit the Earth in 1961, died when his MiG-15 jet crashed during a routine training flight near Moscow; he was 34.

In 1975, construction began on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which was completed two years later.

In 1980, 123 workers died when a North Sea floating oil field platform, the Alexander Kielland, capsized during a storm.

In 1995, “Forrest Gump” won six Academy Awards, including best picture and a second consecutive best actor Oscar for Tom Hanks; Jessica Lange won best actress for “Blue Sky.”

In 2006, Al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui (zak-uh-REE’-uhs moo-SOW’-ee) testified at his federal trial that he was supposed to hijack a fifth airplane on Sept. 11, 2001, and fly it into the White House.

Ten years ago: President Barack Obama launched a fresh effort to defeat al-Qaida terrorists in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, ordering in 4,000 more troops. A suicide bomber set off an explosion at a packed mosque in Pakistan near the Afghan border, killing at least 48 people. The rising Red River broke a 112-year record and threatened the dikes fortifying Fargo, N.D. The main suspect in the Phoenix serial shooter attacks, Dale Hausner, was sentenced to death for six murders that had put the city on edge for nearly two years. (Hausner committed suicide in an isolation cell in June 2013.)

Five years ago: Face to face at the Vatican for the first time, President Barack Obama and Pope Francis focused on their mutual respect and shared concern for the poor. The U.S. Air Force took the extraordinary step of firing nine midlevel nuclear commanders and announcing it would discipline dozens of junior officers at a nuclear missile base, responding firmly to an exam-cheating scandal. A judge in Missoula, Montana, sentenced Jordan Graham to more than 30 years in prison for killing Cody Johnson, her husband of eight days, by pushing him from a cliff in Glacier National Park. James Schlesinger, 85, who’d held a long string of Cabinet and other high-level positions in three U.S. administrations, died in Baltimore.

One year ago: Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, in an essay on The New York Times website, called for the repeal of the Second Amendment to allow for significant gun control legislation. The co-owner of a Kansas water park and a ride designer were charged with reckless second-degree murder in the decapitation of a 10-year-old boy on the ride in 2016. (A judge dismissed the charges last month, finding that state prosecutors had shown inadmissible evidence to grand jurors.)