Today in History

Published 9:39 pm Thursday, January 26, 2012

Today is Friday, Jan. 27, the 27th day of 2012. There are 339 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight:

On Jan. 27, 1967, astronauts Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee died in a flash fire during a test aboard their Apollo spacecraft.

On this date:

In 1880, Thomas Edison received a patent for his electric lamp.

In 1943, some 50 bombers struck Wilhelmshaven in the first all-American air raid against Germany during World War II.

In 1945, Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration camps Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland.

In 1977, the Vatican issued a declaration reaffirming the Roman Catholic Church’s ban on female priests.

Associated Press