On this day :

1977 President Carter pardons draft dodgers, 1738 Ethan Allen is born, 2009 Toyota officially passes GM as planets biggest car maker, 1863 First Battle of Sabine Pass, 1950 Alger Hiss convicted of perjury, 1959 Switzer of Our Gang murdered, 1996 Ferry sinks off Indonesian coast, 1793 King Louis XVI executed, 1924 Vladimir Lenin dies, 1976 Concorde takes off, 1998 Hilary Swank moves on, 1985 Don DeLillos White Noise wins the American Book Award, 1957 Arthur Godfreys Talent Scouts introduce America to Patsy Cline, 1855 Gun designer John Browning is born, 1977 Carter pardons draft dodgers, 1990 John McEnroe disqualified from the Australian Open, 1968 Battle for Khe Sanh begins, 1924 Vladimir Ilyich Lenin dies, 1867 General Weygand is born,