Today in History

Today is Tuesday, March 3, the 62nd day of 2015. There are 303 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On March 3, 1945, the Allies fully secured the Philippine capital of Manila from Japanese forces during World War II.

On this date:

In 1845, Florida became the 27th state.

In 1849, the U.S. Department of the Interior was established.

In 1913, more than 5,000 suffragists marched down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C., a day before the presidential inauguration of Woodrow Wilson.

In 1923, Time magazine, founded by Briton Hadden and Henry R. Luce, made its debut.

In 1931, "The Star-Spangled Banner" became the national anthem of the United States as President Herbert Hoover signed a congressional resolution.

In 1934, bank robber John Dillinger escaped from the Lake County Jail in Crown Point, Indiana, along with another prisoner, Herbert Youngblood.

In 1940, Artie Shaw and his orchestra recorded "Frenesi" for RCA Victor.

In 1959, the United States launched the Pioneer 4 spacecraft, which flew by the moon. Comedian Lou Costello died in East Los Angeles three days before his 53rd birthday.

In 1969, Apollo 9 blasted off from Cape Kennedy on a mission to test the lunar module.

In 1974, a Turkish Airlines DC-10 crashed shortly after takeoff from Orly Airport in Paris, killing all 346 people on board.

In 1985, coal miners in Britain voted to end a year-long strike that proved to be the longest and most violent walkout in British history. The comedy-drama series "Moonlighting," starring Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis, premiered on ABC-TV.

In 1991, motorist Rodney King was severely beaten by Los Angeles police officers in a scene captured on amateur video. Twenty-five people were killed when a United Airlines Boeing 737-200 crashed while approaching the Colorado Springs airport.

Ten years ago: President George W. Bush visited CIA headquarters, where he promised agency employees they would retain an "incredibly vital" role in safeguarding the nation's security despite the creation of a new post of national director of intelligence. Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett became the first person to fly an airplane, the GlobalFlyer, around the world alone without stopping or refueling, touching down in central Kansas after a 67-hour, 23,000-mile journey.

Five years ago: Appearing before a White House audience of invited guests, many wearing white medical coats, President Barack Obama firmly rejected calls from Republicans to draft new health care legislation from scratch. Greece announced painful new austerity measures, cutting salaries for government workers and raising sales taxes as it tried to snuff out a financial crisis threatening Europe's economy. British politician Michael Foot died in north London at age 96.

One year ago: President Barack Obama pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a White House meeting to make the "tough decisions" needed to move forward on talks with the Palestinians. Oscar Pistorius pleaded not guilty to murdering his girlfriend on Valentine's Day 2013, marking the start of the Olympian's murder trial in South Africa. (Pistorius was later found guilty of culpable homicide in the death of Reeva Steenkamp; prosecutors are appealing the decision in favor of a murder conviction.) Three-time Grand Slam champion Lindsay Davenport was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame; she was joined by five-time Paralympic medalist Chantal Vandierendonck, coach Nick Bollettieri, executive Jane Brown Grimes and broadcaster John Barrett.

Today's Birthdays: Socialite Lee Radziwill is 82. Movie producer-director George Miller is 70. Actress Hattie Winston is 70. Singer Jennifer Warnes is 68. Actor-director Tim Kazurinsky is 65. Singer-musician Robyn Hitchcock is 62. Actor Robert Gossett is 61. Rock musician John Lilley is 61. Actress Miranda Richardson is 57. Rock musician John Bigham is 56. Radio personality Ira Glass is 56. Actress Mary Page Keller is 54. Olympic track and field gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee is 53. Former NFL player and College Football Hall of Famer Herschel Walker is 53. Contemporary Christian musician Duncan Phillips (Newsboys) is 51. Rapper-actor Tone Loc is 49. Actress Julie Bowen is 45. Country singer Brett Warren (The Warren Brothers) is 44. Actor David Faustino is 41. Gospel singer Jason Crabb is 38. Singer Ronan Keating (Boyzone) is 38. Rapper Lil' Flip is 34. Actress Jessica Biel is 33. Rock musician Blower (AKA Joe Garvey) (Hinder) is 31. Pop singer Camila Cabello (Fifth Harmony) (TV: "The X Factor") is 18.

Thought for Today: "America is a tune. It must be sung together." -- Gerald Stanley Lee, American clergyman and author (1862-1944).

(Above Advance for Use Tuesday, March 3)

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