Today in History

Today in History. It is November 13th. I don't know why it crossed my mind to talk about today in history. As I looked at the calendar, the first thing I remembered was my grandfather. He died on Nov. 13th 1992. It was Friday the 13th when it happened. He died of heart attack. I was really surprised to learn the bad news. He was 75 years old. I missed my grandfather. Well, anyhow, here some events that happened on this day.

On Nov. 13, 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated on the National Mall in Washington.

On this date:

In 1775, during the American Revolution, the Continental Army captured Montreal.

In 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote in a letter to a friend, "In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."

In 1927, the Holland Tunnel opened to the public, providing access between lower Manhattan and New Jersey beneath the Hudson River.

In 1940, the Walt Disney animated movie "Fantasia" had its world premiere in New York.

In 1942, President Roosevelt signed a measure lowering the minimum draft age from 21 to 18.

In 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down laws calling for racial segregation on public city and state buses.

In 1971, the U.S. space probe Mariner 9 went into orbit around Mars.

In 1974, Karen Silkwood, a technician and union activist at the Kerr-McGee Cimarron plutonium plant near Crescent, Okla., died in a car crash while on her way to meet a reporter.

In 1977, the comic strip "Li'l Abner" by Al Capp appeared in newspapers for the last time.

In 1985, some 23,000 residents of Armero, Colombia, died when a volcanic mudslide buried the city.

2001

The Taliban abandoned Afghanistan's capital of Kabul when the Northern Alliance entered the city.