This day in history

[January 27, 2009]  (AP)  Today is Tuesday, Jan. 27, the 27th day of 2009. There are 338 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On Jan. 27, 1967, astronauts Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White and Roger B. Chaffee died in a flash fire during a test aboard their Apollo spacecraft at Cape Kennedy, Fla.

On this date:

In 1756, composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria.

In 1880, Thomas Edison received a patent for his electric incandescent lamp.

In 1901, opera composer Giuseppe Verdi died in Milan, Italy, at age 87.

In 1943, some 50 bombers struck Wilhelmshaven in the first all-American air raid against Germany during World War II.

In 1944, the Soviet Union announced the complete end of the deadly German siege of Leningrad, which had lasted for more than two years.

In 1945, Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration camps Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland.

In 1951, an era of atomic testing in the Nevada desert began as an Air Force plane dropped a one-kiloton bomb on Frenchman Flat.

In 1967, more than 60 nations signed a treaty banning the orbiting of nuclear weapons.

In 1973, the Vietnam peace accords were signed in Paris.

In 1981, President Ronald Reagan greeted the 52 former American hostages just released by Iran at the White House.

Ten years ago: The Republican-controlled Senate blocked dismissal of the impeachment case against President Bill Clinton and then voted for new testimony from Monica Lewinsky and two other witnesses -- but by margins well short of the two-thirds needed to oust the president.

Five years ago: John Kerry won the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary. A jury in New York heard opening arguments in the trial of Martha Stewart, who was accused of lying about a stock sale. (She was convicted in March 2004 and sentenced to five months in prison.) Former "Tonight Show" host Jack Paar died in Greenwich, Conn., at age 85.

One year ago: Former Indonesian president Suharto, whose regime killed hundreds of thousands of left-wing political opponents, died in Jakarta at age 86. Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died in Salt Lake City at age 97. Novak Djokovic fended off unseeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (2) in the Australian Open final, earning his first Grand Slam title. Evan Lysacek won his second straight title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, in St. Paul, Minn.

Today's birthdays: Singer Bobby "Blue" Bland is 79. Actor James Cromwell is 69. Actor John Witherspoon is 67. Rock musician Nick Mason (Pink Floyd) is 64. Rhythm-and-blues singer Nedra Talley (The Ronettes) is 63. Ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov is 61. Chief U.S. Justice John Roberts is 54. Country singer Cheryl White is 54. Country singer-musician Richard Young (The Kentucky Headhunters) is 54. Actress Mimi Rogers is 53. Rock musician Janick Gers (Iron Maiden) is 52. Sportscaster and political commentator Keith Olbermann is 50. Rock singer Margo Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) is 48. Rock musician Gillian Gilbert is 48. Actress Bridget Fonda is 45. Actor Alan Cumming is 44. Country singer Tracy Lawrence is 41. Rock singer Mike Patton is 41. Rapper Tricky is 41. Rock musician Michael Kulas (James) is 40. Actor Josh Randall is 37. Country singer Kevin Denney is 33.

Thought for today: "There's a difference between beauty and charm. A beautiful woman is one I notice. A charming woman is one who notices me." -- John Erskine, American author and educator (1879-1951)

[Associated Press]

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