Today in History

Today is Good Friday, March 29, the 88th day of 2013. There are 277 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On March 29, 1973, the last United States combat troops left South Vietnam, ending America's direct military involvement in the Vietnam War. In an address to the nation, President Richard Nixon declared, "For the first time in 12 years, no American military forces are in Vietnam."

On this date:

In 1613, King James I granted a charter officially designating the Irish city of Derry as "Londonderry."

In 1638, Swedish colonists settled in present-day Delaware.

In 1790, the tenth president of the United States, John Tyler, was born in Charles City County, Va.

In 1812, the first White House wedding took place as Lucy Payne Washington, the sister of First Lady Dolley Madison, married Supreme Court Justice Thomas Todd.

In 1871, the Royal Albert Hall in London was opened by Queen Victoria.

In 1882, the Knights of Columbus was chartered in Connecticut.

In 1912, British explorer Robert Falcon Scott, his doomed expedition stranded in an Antarctic blizzard after failing to be the first to reach the South Pole, wrote the last words of his journal: "For Gods sake look after our people."

In 1943, World War II rationing of meat, fats and cheese began.

In 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage. (They were executed in June 1953.) The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "The King and I" opened on Broadway.

In 1962, Jack Paar hosted NBC's "Tonight" show for the final time, although the network aired a repeat the following night. (Johnny Carson debuted as host the following October.)

In 1971, Army Lt. William L. Calley Jr. was convicted of murdering 22 Vietnamese civilians in the My Lai massacre. (Calley ended up serving three years under house arrest.) A jury in Los Angeles recommended the death penalty for Charles Manson and three female followers for the 1969 Tate-La Bianca murders. (The sentences were later commuted.)

In 1993, "Unforgiven" won the Academy Award for best picture as well as best director for Clint Eastwood; Emma Thompson won best actress for "Howards End" and Al Pacino won best actor for "Scent of a Woman."

Ten years ago: In Iraq, a bomber posing as a taxi driver blew up his vehicle, killing himself and four American soldiers. A Turkish man who'd hijacked a Turkish Airlines flight the day before was persuaded by Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to release his 204 hostages after the plane landed in Athens, Greece. Michelle Kwan became only the third American to win five World Figure Skating Championships, after Dick Button and Carol Heiss, at the competition in Washington D.C.

Five years ago: Anti-American Shiite militia leader Muqtada al-Sadr ordered his followers to defy orders from the Iraqi government to surrender their weapons. Zimbabweans voted in an election seen as the biggest test of Robert Mugabe's 28-year rule. (Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai claimed victory, but the Election Commission ordered a runoff; Mugabe claimed victory in that contest, which was widely denounced as a sham.)

One year ago: A divided House approved a $3.6 trillion Republican budget recasting Medicare and imposing sweeping cuts in domestic programs. Stanford routed Minnesota 75-51 to win the NIT title.

Today's Birthdays: Political commentator John McLaughlin is 86. Author Judith Guest is 77. Former British Prime Minister Sir John Major is 70. Comedian Eric Idle is 70. Composer Vangelis is 70. Basketball Hall of Famer Walt Frazier is 68. Singer Bobby Kimball (Toto) is 66. Actor Brendan Gleeson is 58. Actor Christopher Lawford is 58. Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Earl Campbell is 58. International Gymnastics Hall of Famer Kurt Thomas is 57. Actor Christopher Lambert is 56. Rock singer Perry Farrell (Porno for Pyros; Jane's Addiction) is 54. Comedian-actress Amy Sedaris is 52. Model Elle Macpherson is 50. Movie director Michel Hazanavicius (Film: "The Artist") is 46. Rock singer-musician John Popper (Blues Traveler) is 46. Actress Lucy Lawless is 45. Country singer Regina Leigh (Regina Regina) is 45. Country singer Brady Seals is 44. Former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs is 42. Tennis player Jennifer Capriati is 37. Actor Chris D'Elia is 33. Pop singer Kelly Sweet is 25.

Thought for Today: "Tolerance always has limits -- it cannot tolerate what is itself actively intolerant." -- Sidney Hook, American philosopher and author (1902-1989).

Copyright 2013, The Associated Press. All rights reserved.