Dennis Edwards (February 3, 1943 – February 1, 2018)

(Variety/CNN) – Dennis Edwards, who joined the Motown act the Temptations 
to take lead vocals on some of the group’s most memorable latter-day hits
such as “Just My Imagination,” died Thursday night in Chicago. He had been
suffering from a long illness. Edwards would have been 75 today.

BRIAN THOMAS

Buddy Holly (22), Ritchie Valens (17), the Big Bopper (28) and pilot
Roger Peterson died in a plane crash in Iowa on this day in 1959.

Crash site memorial north of Clear Lake, Iowa.

The first rocket-assisted controlled landing on the Moon was made
by the Soviet space vehicle Luna 9 (above) on this day in 1966.

Eileen Marie Collins is a retired NASA astronaut and a retired United States
Air Force colonel. A former military instructor and test pilot, Collins was the
first female pilot and first female commander of a Space Shuttle on this day
in 1995 aboard STS-63. She was awarded several medals for her work. She
has logged 38 days 8 hours and 20 minutes in outer space. Collins retired
on May 1, 2006, to pursue private interests.

On this day in 2003, Phillip Harvey Spector became notorious for the murder of the actress Lana Clarkson (below). He was convicted of
murder in second degree.

Recently released prison mugshots of Phil Spector (AP).

Hundreds of people were feared drowned in the Red Sea on this day
in 2006 after an Egyptian ferry carrying 1,400 passengers and crew
sank in rough weather in one of the worst shipping disasters in the
world. Rescuers found at least 200 survivors in lifeboats and were
brought ashore.

Norman Percevel Rockwell (February 3, 1894 – November 8, 1978)

Norman Rockwell was a 20th-century American author, painter and illustrator
whose works have a broad popular appeal in the U.S. for their reflection of American culture. Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations that
depict everyday life he created for The Saturday Evening Post magazine over
nearly five decades.

Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
(February 3, 1809 – November 4, 1847)

Born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early romantic period. Mendelssohn wrote symphonies, concertos, oratorios, piano music and chamber music. His best-known works include his Overture and incidental music for A Midsummer
Night’s Dream, and the Italian Symphony.

The first observance of Groundhog Day began in Punxsutawney,
PA.
    
 
The earliest mention of Groundhog Day is a February 2, 1840 entry in the
diary of James L. Morris of Morgantown, Pennsylvania.

CARLATA BRADLEY

During World War II on this day in 1943, the remainder of Nazi forces from the Battle of Stalingrad surrendered to the Soviets. Stalingrad
has since been renamed Volgograd.

On this day in 1971, Idi Amin assumed power in Uganda after a coup
that ousted President Milton Obote.

James Augustine Aloysius Joyce
(February 2, 1882- January 13, 1941)

James Joyce was an Irish novelist, short story writer, and poet. He is
regarded as one of the most influential and important authors of the
20th century. Joyce is best known for his landmark 1922 work, Ulysses.

Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996)

Gene Kelly was a dancer, actor of film, stage, and television,
singer, film director, producer, and choreographer. He was
known for his energetic and athletic dancing style.

CARLATA BRADLEY

NASA’s space shuttle Columbia exploded while re-entering the
Earth’s atmosphere on this day in 2003. All seven astronauts on
board were killed.

This picture was taken by Eddie Adams in Saigon on February 1,
1968, the second day of North Vietnam’s Tet offensive. It captures
the summary execution of ­Nguyễn Văn Lém by Brigadier General
Nguyễn Ngoc Loan, chief of the South Vietnam police.

Eddie Adams (June 12, 1933 – September 18, 2004)

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (center) was welcomed in Tehran as he ended nearly 15 years of exile on this day in 1979.

William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901 – November 16, 1960)

Often referred to as "The King of Hollywood", Clark Gable began his
career as a stage actor and appeared as an extra in silent films between
1924 and 1926, and progressed to supporting roles with a few films for
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1931. The following year, he landed his first
leading his first leading Hollywood role and over the next three decades
he became a leading man in more than 60 motion pictures.

1939
 

1961