What happend on 20th February

19.02
21.02
1974

Science fiction writer Philip K. Dick claims he began experiencing intense gnostic visions on this date.

1965

Ranger 8 crashes into the moon after a successful mission of photographing possible landing sites for the Apollo program astronauts.

1962

Mercury program: While aboard Friendship 7, John Glenn orbits the earth three times in 4 hours, 55 minutes, becoming the first American to orbit the earth.

1959

The Avro Arrow programme to design and manufacture supersonic jet fighters in Canada is cancelled by the Diefenbaker government amid much political debate.

1952

The film The African Queen opens at the Capitol Theatre in New York City.

1952

Emmett L. Ashford becomes the first African-American umpire in organized baseball by being authorized to be a substitute umpire in the Southwestern International League.

1944

World War II: "Big Week" begins with American bomber raids on Nazi aircraft manufacturing centers.

1944

World War II: The United States takes Eniwetok Island.

1943

The Paricutín volcano begins to form in Paricutín, México.

1943

American movie studio executives agree to allow the Office of War Information to censor movies.