Birth of Linus Pauling
American scientist Linus Pauling was born on February 28, 1901, in Portland, Oregon. He’s the only person to win two unshared Nobel Prizes, and one of just two people to have the prizes in different fields.
World War II
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First American Orbit of Earth
On February 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth aboard his Friendship 7 capsule.
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Birth of Mary Breckinridge
Nurse midwife Mary Carson Breckinridge was born on February 17, 1881, in Memphis, Tennessee. She founded the Frontier Nursing Service, which helped vastly improve healthcare in rural areas.
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Battle to Recapture Corregidor
On February 16, 1945, the first of 7,000 American troops arrived at Corregidor, ready to retake the important Pacific outpost. A total of 174,000 soldiers would join in the battle, securing the island in 10 days.
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Operation Cornflakes
On February 5, 1945, the US began a secret operation to overthrow Hitler with postage stamps.
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Birth of Clark Gable
Actor William Clark Gable was born on February 1, 1901, in Cadiz, Ohio. Appearing in over 60 films during his 37-year career, he was known as “The King of Hollywood.”
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Liberation of Auschwitz
On January 27, 1945, Soviet troops liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp, marking the beginning of the end of the Holocaust. The United Nations later designated this date International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
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The Élysée Treaty
On January 22, 1963, France and West Germany signed the Élysée Treaty, ending centuries of rivalries between the two nations. In 1988, both countries collaborated on joint-issue stamps marking the treaty’s 25th anniversary.
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Death of Hollywood Icon Audrey Hepburn
Beloved actress and goodwill ambassador Audrey Hepburn died at her home in Switzerland on January 20, 1993
