On this date in 1967, N.A.S.A.’s incompetence and negligence caused astronauts ‘Gus’ Grissom, Edward White, and Roger Chaffee to die in a fire in Apollo spacecraft during a rehearsal in Cape Canaveral.

In the “Gadsden Purchase” of 1853, The United States of America bought 45,000 square miles of land from the United States of Mexico.

In 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was established through the confederation of Russia, Byelorussia, Ukraine, and Transcaucasian Federation.

In 1972, U.S. President Nixon ordered a halt of heavy bombing of North Vietnam.

In 2006, three years and two weeks after his capture, Iraqi Saddam Hussein was hung until death.

On this date in 1999, Canadian IndyCar racer Greg Moore died during the C.A.R.T. IndyCar season finale at California Speedway.