This Day in History for Jan. 16
Highlight in history
On Jan. 16, 2003, space shuttle Columbia blasted off under tight security for what turned out to be its last flight; on board was Israel's first astronaut, Ilan Ramon. (The mission ended in tragedy on Feb. 1, when the shuttle broke up during its return descent, killing all seven crew members.)
On this date
- 1883, the U.S. Civil Service Commission was established.
- 1920, Prohibition began in the U.S. as the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took effect, one year to the day after its ratification. (It was later repealed by the 21st Amendment.)
- 1935, fugitive gangster Fred Barker and his mother, Kate "Ma" Barker, were killed in a shootout with the FBI at Lake Weir, Fla.
- 1942, actress Carole Lombard, 33, her mother, Elizabeth, and 20 other people were killed when their plane crashed near Las Vegas, Nev., while en route to California from a war-bond promotion tour.
- 1944, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower took command of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in London.
- 1969, two manned Soviet Soyuz spaceships became the first vehicles to dock in space and transfer personnel.