This Day In History

US General Omar Nelson Bradley was born on February 12, 1893, in the small town of Clark, Missouri—far from the battlefields where he would one day command millions. Known as the “GI’s General,” Bradley rose from humble beginnings to become one of America’s most trusted military leaders of World War II.

Thomas Alva Edison was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio. Known later as the “Wizard of Menlo Park,” he earned more than 1,000 patents and helped transform how people lived, worked, and communicated.

On February 10, 1967, the Constitution gained a long-missing instruction manual for moments of presidential crisis. The ratification of the 25th Amendment finally spelled out who takes power, and how, when a president dies, resigns, or becomes unable to serve.

On February 9, 1825, John Quincy Adams was elected president of the United States even though he had not won a majority of the electoral vote. The unusual outcome exposed deep political divisions and set the stage for one of the most contested elections in early American history.

On January 25, 1924, the first-ever Winter Olympic Games opened in Chamonix, France, bringing together athletes from across the globe to compete on snow and ice. These historic games laid the foundation for a new Olympic tradition, showcasing winter sports in a way never done before.

The Games of the XXIX Olympiad opened in Beijing, China, on August 8, 2008. The games had the largest TV audience for an event up to that time, the longest torch relay, and the most participants for a Summer Olympics.

Born on September 12, 1913, Jesse Owens broke several track and field records and won four Olympic gold medals. He was ranked as the greatest athlete in the history of his sport.

On July 19, 1980, the Summer Olympic Games opened in Moscow, Soviet Union.  They were the first Olympics to be held in Eastern Europe. The US was among 65 countries that boycotted the games, and the numerous stamps issued to commemorate the games were removed from sale until after the Olympics were finished.

On February 13, 1951, the Battle of Chipyong-ni, sometimes called the “high-water mark” of the Chinese fighting in Korea, began. The American victory boosted morale, who had previously seen the Chinese as unbeatable.

The first person to break the sound barrier, Chuck Yeager was born on February 13, 1923, in Myra, West Virginia. He was also a WWII dogfighter and commanded fighter squadrons in Vietnam.

World Radio Day was established in 2011 to commemorate the creation of United Nations Radio on February 13, 1946.  The UN created its radio service believing it was important for the people of the world to be “fully informed of its aims and activities.”

On February 13, 1914, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) was founded in New York City.  The organization works to protect musical copyrights in various media.