History Short - 10

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.

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  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

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