Today is Wednesday, January 16th, the 16th day of the year. There are 349 days until the end of the year.
On This Day:
In 1883, the United States Civil Service Commission was established.
In 1942, actress Carole Lombard died in a plane crash at the age of 33. She was married to actor Clark Gable at the time.
In 1972, actor, cartoon voicist David Seville died at the age of 52. He created Alvin and the Chipmunks.
In 1973, "Bonanza" aired for the final time on NBC. The popular western drama had been on the air for more than 13 years.
In 1979, actor Ted Cassidy died at the age of 46. He is best remembered for his role as Lurch on "The Addams Family" television series.
In 1987, The Beastie Boys were censored during their appearance on "American Bandstand." It marked the first time an act had been censored on the show.
In 1991, Operation Desert Storm began when United States and allied military forces launched air raids on Iraq. The attack was an effort to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.
In 1994, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Leland Stowe died at the age of 94.
In 1997, Bill Cosby's 27-year-old son, Ennis, was shot to death as he changed a tire alongside a Los Angeles freeway. Mikhail Markhasev was later convicted in the murder and sentenced to life in prison.
In 2006, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was sworn in as Liberia's first female president, making her, in effect, Africa's first elected female head of state.
In 2016, Tsai Ing-wen was elected Taiwan's first female president.
In 2016, five Americans were freed from Iran in a prisoner swap. A was deal reached between the U.S. and Iran after 14 months of secret negotiations, leading to the release of the four prisoners. U.S. officials said an American student was also released in a move unrelated to the swap.
In 2017, the last man to set foot on the moon died. Gene Cernan died at the age of 82.