Feb. 9, 2009 - Today In History

Today is Monday, Feb. 9, the 40th day of 2009. There are 325 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Feb. 9, 1943, the World War II battle of Guadalcanal in the southwest Pacific ended with an Allied victory over Japanese forces.

On this date:

In 1773, the ninth president of the United States, William Henry Harrison, was born in Charles City County, Virginia Colony.

In 1825, the House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams president after no candidate had received a majority of electoral votes.

In 1861, Jefferson Davis was elected the provisional president of the Confederate States of America.

In 1870, the U.S. Weather Bureau was established.

In 1909, Dean Rusk, secretary of state under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, was born in Cherokee County, Ga.

In 1933, the Oxford Union Society approved, 275-153, a motion "that this House will in no circumstances fight for its King and Country," a stand that was widely denounced. (On this date in 1983, the Oxford Union Society rejected, 416-187, a motion "that this House would not fight for Queen and Country.")

In 1942, daylight-saving "War Time" went into effect in the United States, with clocks turned one hour forward.

In 1950, in a speech in Wheeling, W.Va., Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., charged the State Department was riddled with Communists.

In 1971, the crew of Apollo 14 returned to Earth after man's third landing on the moon.

In 1984, Soviet leader Yuri V. Andropov died at age 69, less than 15 months after succeeding Leonid Brezhnev; he was succeeded by Konstantin U. Chernenko.

Ten years ago:

The Senate began closed-door deliberations in President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial, even though members from both parties acknowledged that the two-thirds margin for conviction could not be attained.

Five years ago:

President George W. Bush and Democratic front-runner John Kerry sparred over the president's
economic leadership, while Kerry's rivals sought to slow his brisk pace.

Anti-government rebels took control of nearly a dozen towns in western Haiti as the death toll
in the violent uprising rose to at least 40.

One year ago:

A suicide bomber blasted a political gathering in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least 27 people.

Space shuttle Atlantis, carrying a European-built science lab, docked with the international space station.

Today's Birthdays:

Actress Kathryn Grayson is 87.

Television journalist Roger Mudd is 81.

Actress Janet Suzman is 70.

Actress-politician Sheila James Kuehl ("The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis") is 68.

Singer-songwriter Carole King is 67.

Actor Joe Pesci is 66.

Singer Barbara Lewis is 66.

Author Alice Walker is 65.

Actress Mia Farrow is 64.

Singer Joe Ely is 62.

Actress Judith Light is 60.

Rhythm-and-blues musician Dennis "DT" Thomas (Kool & the Gang) is 58.

Actor Charles Shaughnessy is 54.

Country singer Travis Tritt is 46.

Actress Julie Warner is 44.

Country singer Danni Leigh is 39.

Actor Jason George is 37.

Actor-producer Charlie Day is 33.

Rock singer Chad Wolf (Carolina Liar) is 33.

Actor A.J. Buckley (TV: "CSI: NY") is 32.

Rock musician Richard On (O.A.R.) is 30.

Actress Ziyi Zhang is 30.

Actor David Gallagher is 24.

Actress Marina Malota is 21.

Actress Camille Winbush ("The Bernie Mac Show") is 19.

Thought for Today:

"Modesty is the conscience of the body."

— Honore de Balzac,
French author and dramatist
(1799-1850).