I've decided to look up a few tidbits about history. No special topic, just history in general. I hope it's something that will peak some interest.
January 13, 1929 - Wyatt Earp dies in Los Angeles. 50 years after the gunfight at the OK Corral, Wyatt Earp died quietly in Los Angeles at the age of 80.
January 13, 1982 - Plane crashes into the Potomac River. An Air Florida Boeing 727 crashed killing 78 people. The crash was due to bad weather. The plane was de-iced, but had to wait to take off for 45 minutes. Instead of de-iced again, they decided to take off anyway because the pilot and co-pilot determined the icing procedure just gave them a false sense of security, because it didn't work that well. The plane crashed into the 14th St. bridge, only about 2 miles from the White House. 7 vehicles on the bridge were knocked into the freezing Potomac. There were 2 particular heroes during the rescue: Arland Willams and Lenny Skutnik. Williams survived the crash and even passed lifelines to other passengers. He ended up drowning trying to rescue a woman in the river. Both men and a bystander named Roger Olian received the Coast Guard Gold Lifesaving Medal. They later named the bride Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge.
January 13, 1939 - Arthur "Doc" Barker is killed by prison guards as he attempts to escape Alcatraz prison. He was one of the member of the Barker Gang, along with his other 3 brothers, led by their mother, Ma Barker. He was on the rock-strewn shore of the island after he had climbed over the walls. The guards ordered him to surrender, but he continued tying pieces of wood together to make a raft. When he waded into the water, the guards shot and killed him.
