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On This Day · The 55th day of the year

February 24

A look at February 24 through the almanac — historic events, famous birthdays including Wilhelm Grimm and Ibn Battuta, and the day's notable deaths and observances.

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Events

10 notable moments
  1. 1989

    United Airlines Flight 811

    United Airlines Flight 811, bound for New Zealand from Honolulu, rips open during flight, blowing nine passengers out of the business-class section.

    1989 aviation accident over
  2. 1978

    Yuba County Five

    The Yuba County Five disappear in California. Four of their bodies are found four months later.

    1978 deaths and disappearance
  3. 1968

    Vietnam War

    Vietnam War: The Tet Offensive is halted; South Vietnamese forces led by Ngo Quang Truong recapture the citadel of Hué.

    1955–1975 war in Southeast
  4. 1945

    Egypt

    Egyptian Premier Ahmad Mahir Pasha is killed in Parliament after reading a decree.

    Country in Northeast Africa
  5. 1943

    World War II

    World War II: First large-scale protest march resulting in clashes with the Axis occupation forces and collaborationist police in Athens against rumours of forced mobilization of Greek workers for work in Germany.

    1939–1945 global conflict
  6. 1917

    World War I

    World War I: The U.S. ambassador Walter Hines Page to the United Kingdom is given the Zimmermann Telegram, in which Germany pledges to ensure the return of New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona to Mexico if Mexico declares war on the United States.

    1914–1918 global conflict
  7. 1868

    Andrew Johnson

    Andrew Johnson becomes the first President of the United States to be impeached by the United States House of Representatives. He is later acquitted in the Senate.

    President of the United
  8. 1826

    Treaty of Yandabo

    The signing of the Treaty of Yandabo marks the end of the First Anglo-Burmese War.

    1826 treaty ending the
  9. 1809

    Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

    London's Drury Lane Theatre burns to the ground, leaving its owner, Irish writer and politician Richard Brinsley Sheridan, destitute.

    West End theatre in
  10. 1803

    Marbury v. Madison

    In Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court of the United States establishes the principle of judicial review.

    1803 landmark U.S. Supreme
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Famous birthday twins

Born on February 24

Wilhelm Grimm

b. 1786

German anthropologist, author, and academic

Ibn Battuta

b. 1304

Moroccan explorer

Alain Prost

b. 1955

French race car driver

Leo von Caprivi

b. 1831

German general and politician, Chancellor of Germany

Steve Jobs

b. 1955

American businessman, co-founded Apple Computer and Pixar

Jessica Pegula

b. 1994

American tennis player

Nicky Hopkins

b. 1944

English keyboard player

Beth Broderick

b. 1959

American actress and director

Deaths

  • 2020Katherine Johnson, American physicist and mathematician
  • 1990Sandro Pertini, Italian journalist and politician, 7th President of Italy
  • 1975Nikolai Bulganin, Russian marshal and politician, 6th Premier of the Soviet Union
  • 1925Hjalmar Branting, Swedish journalist and politician, 16th Prime Minister of Sweden, Nobel Prize laureate
  • 1704Marc-Antoine Charpentier, French composer
  • 1563François, Duke of Guise, Duke of Guise

Holidays & observances

  • —Christian feast day: Blessed Ascensión Nicol y Goñi
  • —Christian feast day: Blessed Josefa Naval Girbés
  • —Christian feast day: Lindel Tsen and Paul Sasaki (Anglican Church of Canada)
  • —Christian feast day: Modest (bishop of Trier)
  • —Christian feast day: Sergius of Cappadocia
  • —Christian feast day: February 24 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
  • —Dragobete (Romania)
  • —Engineer's Day (Iran)

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