Today in history 26
Here are some historical events that occurred on February 26:
- 1863 - The Battle of Chancellorsville begins during the American Civil War.
- 1917 - The United States declares war on Germany, entering World War I.
- 1945 - The Soviet Union captures the German city of Budapest, Hungary, during World War II.
- 1965 - The United States launches the Ranger 8 spacecraft, which impacts the Moon's surface.
- 1971 - The United States launches the Mariner 9 spacecraft, which becomes the first spacecraft to orbit Mars.
- 1987 - The United States launches the Space Shuttle Discovery on its STS-26 mission, the first shuttle flight since the Challenger disaster in 1986.
- 1991 - The United States launches the Space Shuttle Atlantis on its STS-42 mission, which carries a crew of seven astronauts to the Space Station Mir.
- 2003 - The United States launches the Space Shuttle Columbia on its STS-107 mission, which carries a crew of seven astronauts to the International Space Station.
Some notable birthdays on February 26 include:
- 1812 - Samuel Morse, American inventor and artist, was born.
- 1862 - John Philip Sousa, American composer and conductor, was born.
- 1887 - George S. Patton, American general, was born.
- 1920 - John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States, was born.
- 1947 - Stevie Nicks, American singer-songwriter, was born.
- 1952 - Michael Jackson, American singer-songwriter, was born.
Some notable deaths on February 26 include:
- 1863 - Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, was assassinated.
- 1945 - Adolf Hitler, German dictator, committed suicide.
- 1964 - Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister, died.
- 1984 - Frank Zappa, American musician, died.
- 2016 - David Bowie, British singer-songwriter, died.