This day in history

[March 16, 2009]  (AP)  Today is Monday, March 16, the 75th day of 2009. There are 290 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War, the My Lai Massacre of Vietnamese civilians was carried out by U.S. Army troops; estimates of the death toll vary between 347 and 504. The same day, in Washington, D.C., Sen. Robert F. Kennedy of New York announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination.

On this date:

In A.D. 37, Roman emperor Tiberius died; he was succeeded by Caligula.

In 1751, James Madison, fourth president of the United States, was born in Port Conway, Va.

In 1802, President Thomas Jefferson signed a measure authorizing the establishment of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.

In 1915, the Federal Trade Commission began operations.

In 1926, rocket science pioneer Robert H. Goddard successfully tested the first liquid-fueled rocket, in Auburn, Mass.

In 1935, Adolf Hitler decided to break the military terms set by the Treaty of Versailles by ordering the rearming of Germany.

In 1969, "1776," a musical about the writing of the Declaration of Independence, opened on Broadway.

In 1978, Italian politician Aldo Moro was kidnapped by left-wing urban guerrillas, who later murdered him.

In 1984, William Buckley, the CIA station chief in Beirut, was kidnapped by gunmen; he died in captivity.

In 1985, Terry Anderson, chief Middle East correspondent for The Associated Press, was abducted in Beirut; he was released in December 1991.

Ten years ago: The Dow Jones industrial average briefly topped the 10,000 level, reaching a high of 10,001.78 before retreating. The entire 20-member European Commission resigned following publication of a critical report on sloppy management and cronyism. The Nebraska Cornhuskers beat Chicago State 50-3 in an NCAA baseball game.

Five years ago: China declared victory in its fight against bird flu, saying it had "stamped out" all its known cases. Mitch Seavey won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in nine days, 12 hours, 20 minutes and 22 seconds.

One year ago: Protests spread from Tibet into three neighboring provinces; the Dalai Lama decried what he called the "cultural genocide" taking place in his homeland and called for an international investigation into China's crackdown on demonstrators. Actor Ivan Dixon died in Charlotte, N.C., at age 76.

Today's birthdays: Comedian-director Jerry Lewis is 83. Country singer Ray Walker (The Jordanaires) is 75. Movie director Bernardo Bertolucci is 68. Game show host Chuck Woolery is 68. Singer-songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker is 67. Country singer Robin Williams is 62. Actor Erik Estrada is 60. Actor Victor Garber is 60. Actress Kate Nelligan is 58. Country singer Ray Benson (Asleep at the Wheel) is 58. Rock singer-musician Nancy Wilson (Heart) is 55. Golfer Hollis Stacy is 55. Actress Isabelle Huppert is 54. Actor Clifton Powell is 53. Rapper-actor Flavor Flav (Public Enemy) is 50. Rock musician Jimmy DeGrasso is 46. Folk singer Patty Griffin is 45. Actress Lauren Graham is 42. Actor Judah Friedlander ("30 Rock") is 40. Actor Alan Tudyk is 38. Actor Tim Kang ("The Mentalist") is 36. R&B singer Blu Cantrell is 33. Actress Brooke Burns is 31. Rock musician Wolfgang Van Halen is 18.

Thought for today: "Until we lose ourselves there is no hope of finding ourselves." -- Henry Miller, American author (1891-1980)

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.