Warsaw Public Library News
Laurie Voss Circulation Supervisor
The month of February has many notable dates in history. How many of these do you recall hearing about or actively remember?
Feb. 1, 1960: The four young African American students sat at a counter at a Woolworth’s diner in Greensboro, North Carolina. Even though they were refused service, they sat the entire day, refusing to move. Other youth in other southern states took up the protest, leading to the eventual arrest of over 1,600 participants.
Feb. 1, 2003: Sixteen minutes before it scheduled landing, the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart over Texas, killing all seven crew members. Because it was just about to land, it was shown live on most television stations.
On Feb. 3, 1943, extraordinary heroism was shown by four U.S. Army Chaplains. Their ship, the Dorchester, had been hit by a German torpedo and was rapidly sinking. The chaplains removed their life jackets, gave them to four frightened young soldiers, and then went down with the ship. The lives of the soldiers were saved.
Feb. 4, 1746 is the birthdate of Thaddeus Kosciusko, and American Revolution Soldier who is the namesake of Kosciusko County. The library has a large portrait of him in our Genealogy Room.
The birth of the Boy Scouts was Feb. 8, 1910. The Boy Scouts are very active in this area.
On Feb. 9, 1943, during World War II in the Pacifics, U.S. Troops captured Guadalcanal after six months of fighting. During this battle 9,000 Japanese and 2,000 Americans were killed.
The first World War II Medal of Honor was given posthumously, on February 10, 1942 to 2nd Lt. Alexander Nininger, for his heroism during the Battle of Bataan.
The impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton, took place on Feb. 12, 1999. He had been charged with two offenses, but in the end, was acquitted of both.
The infamous St. Valentine’s Day massacre, occurred on Feb. 14, 1929. During this raid, five mobsters, belonging to Al Capone’s group, posing as police, gunned down seven members of the Bugs Moran gang in a garage in Chicago.
Apache Chief Geronimo, died while in captivity, on Feb. 17, 1865, at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. He had led a small group of warriors on raids throughout Arizona and Mexico. He was captured, but escaped, causing the U.S. Army to send 5,00 troops to recapture him.
On Feb. 20, 1962, Astronaut John Glenn became the first American launched into orbit. He was preceded by Alan Shepard and Virgil “Gus” Grissom, who had completed short sub-oribtal flights.
If you are interested in any of these topics, please stop at your Warsaw Community Public Library and check out all we have on these notable dates in history.