On this day in 1972, the last U.S. combat troops depart Vietnam.
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On this day in 1945, a U.S. Army bomber crashed into the 79th floor
of New York City’s Empire State Building, killing 14 people and
injuring 26 others. The freak accident was caused by heavy fog. The
B-25 Â Mitchell bomber, with two pilots and one passenger aboard,
was flying from New Bedford, Massachusetts, to LaGuardia Airport
in New York City.
A fire that was started by the crash and was put out in 40 minutes. It
is the only fire at such a height that has been successfully put out.
An elevator operator, Betty Lou Oliver, survived a fall of 75 floors, a
Guinness World Record for the longest fall survived in an elevator.
B-25 Mitchell like the one that crashed into the Empire State Building.
SS Andrea Doria was an ocean liner for the Italian Line
(Società di navigazione Italia) home-ported in Genoa, Italy,
most famous for her sinking on this day in 1956, when 46
people died. Andrea Doria was approaching the coast of
Nantucket, Massachusetts, bound for New York City, the
Eastbound MS Stockholm of the Swedish American Line
collided with it in one of history’s most infamous maritime
disasters.
Disneyland opened in Anaheim, CA. on this day in 1955. Walt Disney gave the opening day speech. Thousands of people attended the
event.
On this day in 1969, Apollo 11 blasted off from Cape Kennedy, FL,
and began the first manned mission to land on the moon.
Nasa astronauts from left: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin.