Actor Robert Mitchum, center right, and actress Lila Leeds, left, are sentenced to 60 days in jail on charges of conspiracy to possess marijuana cigarettes in Los Angeles, February 9, 1949.

Actor Robert Mitchum was released from a Los Angeles County prison farm
after spending the final week of his two-month sentence for marijuana
possession there.

In the fall of 1948, Mitchum, the star of classics such as Cape Fear and Night
of the Hunter, was smoking a joint at a small party in the Laurel Canyon area
of Los Angeles when detectives burst in and arrested him. Mitchum reportedly
said at the time, “Well, this is the bitter end of everything—my career, my
marriage, everything.” In fact, it wasn’t really that bad. Mitchum was separated 
from his wife Dorothy at the time, but the two reconciled when she returned to
support him through the scandal and the public didn’t mind much either;
 Rachel and the Stranger, the first movie released after his troubles,
was a box-office hit.

1948

Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997)

A lifelong heavy smoker, Mitchum died on July 1, 1997, in Santa Barbara,
California, due to complications of lung cancer and emphysema. He was
about five weeks shy of his 80th birthday.

SANDY KOZEL

SANDY KOZEL

During the bloody Battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines from the 3rd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment of the 5th Division take the crest of
Mount Suribachi, the island’s highest peak and most strategic position, and
raise the U.S. flag. Marine photographer Louis Lowery was with them and
recorded the event.

Louis R. "Lou" Lowery (July 24, 1916 – April 15, 1987)

Washington’s Birthday is a United States federal holiday celebrated on the
third Monday of February in honor of George Washington, the first President
of the United States, who was born on February 22, 1732. Since the Uniform
Federal Holidays Act of 1971, its observance can occur from February 15 to
21, inclusive.Colloquially, the day is also now widely known as Presidents’
Day and is often an occasion to honor the incumbent president and all who
have served as president, not just George Washington. The day is a state
holiday in most states.

BRIAN THOMAS

Former professional basketball player Michael Jeffrey Jordan is 57 years
old today. He played 15 seasons in the NBA, winning six championships
with the Chicago Bulls. He is considered by many fans of the sport the
greatest basketball player of all time. Known by his initials, MJ is the
principal owner of the Charlotte Hornets basketball team.