Today in History: October 20, MacArthur returns to the Philippines

Today is Sunday, Oct. 20, the 294th time of 2024. There are 72 days near successful the year.

Today successful history:

On Oct. 20, 1944, Gen. Douglas MacArthur returned to the Philippines during the Battle of Leyte (LAY’-tee) successful World War II, fulfilling a committedness helium made aft being ordered to evacuate the state 2 years anterior by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Also connected this date:

In 1803, the U.S. Senate ratified the Louisiana Purchase.

In 1947, the House Un-American Activities Committee opened hearings into alleged Communist power and infiltration successful the U.S. question representation industry.

In 1967, a assemblage successful Meridian, Mississippi, convicted 7 men of violating the civilian rights of killed civilian rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner; the 7 received situation presumption ranging from 3 to 10 years.

In 1973, successful what would go known arsenic the “Saturday Night Massacre,” peculiar Watergate authoritative Archibald Cox was dismissed and Attorney General Elliot L. Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William B. Ruckelshaus resigned.

In 1973, the Sydney Opera House was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II.

In 1976, 78 radical were killed erstwhile the Norwegian tanker SS Frosta rammed the commuter ferry George Prince connected the Mississippi River adjacent New Orleans.

In 1977, 3 members of the stone radical Lynyrd Skynyrd, including pb vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, were killed on with 3 others successful the clang of a chartered level adjacent McComb, Mississippi.

In 1990, 3 members of the rap radical 2 Live Crew were acquitted by a assemblage successful Fort Lauderdale, Florida, of violating obscenity laws with an adults-only performance successful adjacent Hollywood the erstwhile June.

In 2011, Moammar Gadhafi, 69, Libya’s dictator for 42 years, was killed arsenic revolutionary fighters overwhelmed his hometown of Sirte (SURT) and captured the past large bastion of absorption 2 months aft his authorities fell.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Japan’s Empress Michiko is 90.
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame vocalist Wanda Jackson is 87.
• Baseball Hall of Famer Juan Marichal is 87.
• Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky is 84.
• Retired MLB All-Star Keith Hernandez is 71.
• Composer Thomas Newman is 69.
• Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., is 69.
• Film manager Danny Boyle is 68.
• Actor Viggo Mortensen is 66.
• Democratic nominee for president and existent Vice President Kamala Harris is 60.
• Actor William Zabka is 59.
• Journalist Sunny Hostin (TV: “The View”) is 56.
• Actor Kenneth Choi is 53.
• Rapper Snoop Dogg is 53.
• Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, is 52.
• Actor John Krasinski is 45.