PHOTOS: Today in history — February 21

The Associated Press

Gen. William C. Westmoreland, commander of U.S. Forces in South Vietnam, stands beneath a three combat-ready Hawk antiaircraft missiles at Da Nang, Vietnam, Feb. 21, 1965. The General is inspecting two batteries of U.S. Marine Corps Hawks.

The Associated Press

French minister of war veterans Mr. Sanguinetti will attend commemoration ceremonies for the 50th anniversary of the battle of Verdun. French soldiers at Nixeville in France, April 8, 1916 coming back from the front of Fort de Vaux.

The Associated Press

More and higher skyscrapers have made it necessary for the New York Fire Department to construct new fire towers to extinguish blazes originating many stories in the air. The new fire tower tested in City Hall Square, New York City on Feb. 21, 1930 as it looks from an angle beside the Woolworth Building.

Puttnam, The Associated Press

Kaye Don seated in the cockpit of his new racing car the “Silver Bullet” at Wolverhampton, England on Feb. 21, 1930, in which he will attempt to beat world land speed record at Daytona. It has two 12-cylinder V shaped engines and each develops 2,000-h.p. The theoretical speed of the car is 275 m.p.h. but the designer estimated that will be able to reach 250 m.p.h. allowing for wind pressures.

The Associated Press

Loaded with Canadian Soldiers, Amphibious Vehicles of the Canadian first Army move across the inundated countryside of a village east of Nijmegen, Feb. 21, 1945 in Netherland, after rescuing soldiers marooned by floods caused when Germans Dynaminated Dyke.

Abe Fox, The Associated Press

General view of the Quonset huts which were erected at Rhode Island State College, Kingston, Rhode Island on Feb. 21, 1946 to alleviate the housing shortage. In all, 80 huts will be built. Each hut will house eleven students providing a single bed, a study table and chair, plus 24 inches of wardrobe space for each student.

Bill Chaplis, The Associated Press

Engineer Clarence Bouchard cuts a record for a congressman in Washington on Feb. 21, 1948. Every week senators and congressmen record more than 700 speeches for the people back home.

The Associated Press

Emile Berliner, inventor of the phonograph and phonograph record, aka, gramophone, poses with his first phonograph machine, first exhibited in 1893, at the National Museum in Washington, D.C., Feb. 21, 1921. The phonograph is the direct ancestor of the Victrola of today and still plays despite its 27 years.

The Associated Press

Actress Marilyn Monroe autographs a life-sized picture of herself for the men of the 2nd Division during her recent tour of the front line Divisions in Korea, Feb. 21, 1954.

The Associated Press

Four small children were saved from a burning home by Marvin Gilmore, 29, dropping the youngest, Belinda Woods, nine months old, to waiting spectators on the sidewalk below, in Camden, New Jersey on Feb. 21, 1957. Gilmore escaped by climbing down electrician conduits on the front of the home.

The Associated Press

New York City police attempt to restrain part of a group of thousands of “Rock N’ Roll” enthusiasts as they wait on west 44th street in New York on Feb. 21, 1957, for entrance to the Paramount Theater to see a movie and stage show. A glass panel was broken in an adjacent store and two girls sustained leg injuries. Some 50 policemen were called to the area and west 45th between Broadway and Eighth Avenue was closed to traffic.

Lindsay, The Associated Press

Dr. of psychology Timothy Leary holds up his hand and makes the peace sign during a news conference in New York City on Feb. 21, 1968. (AP Photo/Lindsay)

The Associated Press

View of Squaw Valley, snow compacted parking pad Jammed with 9,000 automobiles during Winter Olympics program in Squaw Valley, California on Feb. 21, 1960. Good weather brought an estimated 35,000 fans to the valley to see the world?s finest amateur skiers and skaters perform.

John Lent, The Associated Press

Thomas Hagan, 22, is carried in police custody from Jewish Memorial Hospital en route to Bellevue Hospital in New York, Feb. 21, 1965. Hagan was wounded earlier in the day at a Harlem rally where black nationalist leader Malcolm X was assassinated. Police said Hagan found carrying a pistol with four unused bullets.

The Associated Press

Jack Nicklaus has the attention of hundreds as he drives off the first tee in the opening round of the Glen Campbell Los Angeles Open, Feb. 21, 1975.

Marty Lederhandler, The Associated Press

Jesse Owens, U.S. gold medalist in the 1936 Olympic Games, holds aloft a trophy given him at the U.S. Olympic invitational meet in New York’s Madison Square Garden on Feb. 21, 1969. Owens, a public relations consultant in Chicago, was one of 11 Olympic greats who had events named after them.

The Associated Press

U.S. President Richard Nixon shakes hands with Communist Chinese leader Mao Tse-Tung during Nixon's historic trip to China on Feb. 21, 1972 in Peking.

Max Nash, The Associated Press

The remains of the fuselage section of the Libyan Boeing 727 airliner downed by Israeli fighters, showing the Libyan flag and Arabic writing, lies scattered over the Sinai Desert Feb. 23, 1973, the day after the incident.

Larry Stoddard, The Associated Press

Carol Richardson, 21, of Southgate, who has been hypnotized, supports Cheri Trudell, 19, of Rochester, as she lies with her head and feet resting on hoods of two Dodge autos at Chicago’s McCormick Place, Feb. 21, 1975 on the eve of the opening of the annual automobile show. Hypnotist Karrell Fox of Farmington helps Cheri keep her balance. All are from Michigan.

American heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali, right, lands a blow to the jaw of Belgian boxer Jean-Pierre Coopman during their championship fight in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Feb. 21, 1976.

The Associated Press

Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, center, is flanked by security guards in his office as he poses with $100,000 reward money offered for clues to the deaths of 17 Atlanta children, Feb. 21, 1981.

The Associated Press

French fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent, right, celebrates the launch of 'Kouros', his new fragrance for men, with ballet dancers Rudolf Nureyev, left, and Zizi Jeanmaire at the Op?ra-Comique in Paris. Feb. 21, 1981.

The Associated Press

This is the scene at the dedication of the Washington Monument, Feb. 21, 1885. The 555-foot shaft was then the highest structure in the world. (AP Photo)

Marty Lederhandler, Associated Press file

In this Feb. 21, 1985 file photo, Liberace poses with a one-of-a-kind 1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I, in New York. The British businessman who bought Liberace's 15,000-square-foot Las Vegas mansion for half a million dollars said Friday, Aug. 30, 2013, he plans to work on it relentlessly to restore it to its former glory.