This day in history

[March 08, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Monday, March 8, the 67th day of 2010. There are 298 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On March 8, 1862, during the Civil War, the ironclad CSS Virginia (formerly USS Merrimack) rammed and sank the USS Cumberland and heavily damaged the USS Congress, both frigates, off Newport News, Va.

On this date:

In 1702, England's Queen Anne acceded to the throne upon the death of King William III.

In 1782, the Gnadenhutten (jih-NAY'-duhn-huh-tuhn) massacre took place as more than 90 Indians were slain by militiamen in Ohio in retaliation for raids carried out by other Indians.

In 1854, U.S. Commodore Matthew C. Perry made his second landing in Japan; within a month, he concluded a treaty with the Japanese.

In 1874, the 13th president of the United States, Millard Fillmore, died in Buffalo, N.Y., at age 74.

In 1917, Russia's "February Revolution" (so called because of the Old Style calendar being used by Russians at the time) began with rioting and strikes in Petrograd. The U.S. Senate voted to limit filibusters by adopting the cloture rule.

In 1930, the 27th president of the United States, William Howard Taft, died in Washington at age 72.

In 1944, two days after an initial strike, U.S. heavy bombers resumed raiding Berlin during World War II.

In 1960, Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Richard M. Nixon were the victors of the New Hampshire presidential primary.

In 1965, the United States landed its first combat troops in South Vietnam as 3,500 Marines were brought in to defend the U.S. air base at Da Nang.

In 1988, 17 soldiers were killed when two Army helicopters from Fort Campbell, Ky., collided in mid-flight.

Ten years ago: President Bill Clinton submitted to Congress legislation to establish permanent normal trade relations with China. (The U.S. and China signed a trade pact in Nov. 2000.) A letter carrier, two firefighters and a sheriff's deputy were shot to death in Memphis, Tenn., allegedly by the letter carrier's husband, Frederick Williams, who was also a firefighter. (Williams was later found not guilty by reason of insanity.)

Five years ago: President George W. Bush said authoritarian rule in the Middle East had begun to ease, and he insisted anew that Syria had to end its nearly three-decade occupation of Lebanon. Hundreds of thousands jammed a central Beirut square, chanting support for Syria in a thundering show of strength by the militant group Hezbollah. Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov (AS'-lahn mahs-HA'-dahv) was killed in northern Chechnya during a raid by Russian forces.

One year ago: A pastor was gunned down during a Sunday sermon in a southwestern Illinois church; a judge later ruled the suspect in the shooting, Terry Sedlacek (SEHD'-lak), was mentally unfit to stand trial in the killing of the Rev. Fred Winters at the First Baptist Church of Maryville. A suicide bomber struck a police academy in Baghdad, killing at least 30. Country singer Hank Locklin died in Brewton, Ala. at age 91.

Today's birthdays: Actress Sue Ane (correct) Langdon is 74. Baseball player-turned-author Jim Bouton is 71. Actress Lynn Redgrave is 67. Actor-director Micky Dolenz is 65. Singer-musician Randy Meisner is 64. Pop singer Peggy March is 62. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Jim Rice is 57. Singer Gary Numan is 52. NBC News anchor Lester Holt is 51. Actor Aidan Quinn is 51. Country musician Jimmy Dormire is 50. Actress Camryn Manheim is 49. Actor Leon (no last name) is 47. Rock singer Shawn Mullins (The Thorns) is 42. Actress Andrea Parker is 40. Actor Boris Kodjoe is 37. Actor Freddie Prinze Jr. is 34. Actor James Van Der Beek is 33. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kameelah Williams (702) is 32. Rock singer Tom Chaplin (Keane) is 31. Rock musician Andy Ross (OK Go) is 31. Rhythm-and-blues singer Kristinia (kris-teh-NEE'-ah) DeBarge is 20.

Thought for today: "In every person, even in such as appear most reckless, there is an inherent desire to attain balance." -- Jakob (YAH'-kawb) Wassermann, German author (1873-1934)

[Associated Press]

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