On this day in 1964, the strongest earthquake in American
history, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale, hit southern
Alaska, creating a deadly tsunami. Some 131 people were
killed and thousands injured.

The massive earthquake had its epicenter about 12 miles
north of Prince William Sound. Approximately 300,000 s
quare miles of U.S., Canadian, and international territory
were affected.

Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, sustained the most
property damage, with about 30 blocks of dwellings
and commercial buildings damaged or destroyed in
the downtown area. Fifteen people were killed or
fatally injured as a direct result of the three-minute
quake, and then the ensuing tsunami killed another
110 people. 

The west Pacific volcanic island of Iwo Jima was
declared secure by the U.S. military after weeks
of fiercely fighting its Japanese defenders.  

 
CARLATA BRADLEY

Diana Ross was the lead singer of the vocal group The Supremes,
who became Motown‘s most successful act during the 1960s and
one of the world’s best-selling girl groups of all time.

They remain the best-charting female group in history, with a total
of twelve number-one hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100..

Following her departure from the Supremes in 1970, Ross began
a successful solo music career. Diana is 80 years young today.

On March 26, 1953, American medical researcher Dr. Jonas Salk announces on a national radio show that he has successfully
tested a vaccine against poliomyelitis, the virus that causes the
crippling disease of polio.

Ron Harper has died. He was 91.

Ron Harper’s daughter, Nicole Longeuay, confirmed to Fox
News Digital that her father passed away peacefully from
natural causes on March 21.

Ron had a long career in Hollywood. From 1961-1962, Harper
starred on the police show, "87th Precinct." Following that,
Harper appeared on "Wendy and Me" from 1964-1965.