On This Day: January 16

Updated January 15, 2012, 1:28 pm

On Jan. 16, 1991, the White House announced the start of Operation Desert Storm to drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.

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On Jan. 16, 1908, Ethel Merman, the musical-comedy star whose belting voice and brassy style entertained Broadway and movie audiences for 50 years, was born. Following her death on Feb. 15, 1984, her obituary appeared in The Times.

Go to obituary » | Other birthdays »

On This Date

By The Associated Press

1547 Ivan the Terrible was crowned Czar of Russia.

1920 Prohibition began as the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took effect.

1942 Actress Carole Lombard, 33, died in a plane crash near Las Vegas.

1944 Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower took command of the Allied invasion force in London.

1964 The musical “Hello, Dolly!” starring Carol Channing opened on Broadway, beginning a run of 2,844 performances.

1969 Two manned Soviet Soyuz spaceships became the first vehicles to dock in space and transfer personnel.

1973 The final first-run episode of the long-running western “Bonanza” aired on NBC.

1989 Three days of rioting erupted in Miami when a police officer fatally shot a black motorcyclist, causing a crash that also claimed the life of a passenger.

1992 The government of El Salvador and rebel leaders signed a pact in Mexico City ending 12 years of civil war that had killed at least 75,000 people.

2003 The space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven blasted off from Cape Canaveral. (The shuttle broke up during its return descent on Feb. 1, killing everyone on board.)

2004 Pop star Michael Jackson pleaded innocent to child molestation charges in Santa Maria, Calif. (Charges were later re-filed and Jackson was acquitted.)

2006 Africa’s first elected female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, was sworn in as Liberia’s president.

2007 Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., launched his successful bid for the White House.

Current Birthdays

By The Associated Press

Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols turns 32 years old today.

AP Photo/Alex Gallardo

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco turns 27 years old today.

AP Photo/Tony Dejak

1928 William Kennedy, Author, turns 84

1930 Norman Podhoretz, Writer, editor, turns 82

1934 Marilyn Horne, Opera singer, turns 78

1935 A.J. Foyt, Auto racer, turns 77

1943 Ronnie Milsap, Country singer, turns 69

1944 Jim Stafford, Country singer, turns 68

1947 Laura Schlessinger, Talk show host, turns 65

1948 John Carpenter, Movie director, turns 64

1950 Debbie Allen, Dancer, choreographer (“Fame”), turns 62

1959 Sade, R&B singer, turns 53

1974 Kate Moss, Model, turns 38

Historic Birthdays

Ethel Merman 1/16/1908 – 2/15/1984 American entertainer.Go to obituary »

72 Niccolo Piccinni 1/16/1728 – 5/7/1800
Italian composer

54 Vittorio Alfieri 1/16/1749 – 10/8/1803
Italian poet

71 George Cabot 1/16/1752 – 4/18/1823
American Federalist leader

56 Johannes Rebmann 1/16/1820 – 10/4/1876
German missionary/explorer

94 Sir Ian Hamilton 1/16/1853 – 10/12/1947
English general

84 Robert Service 1/16/1874 – 9/11/1958
Canadian verse writer

79 Sir Arthur Fleming 1/16/1881 – 9/14/1960
English engineer

87 George Kelly 1/16/1887 – 6/18/1974
American playwright/actor

72 Fulgencio Batista 1/16/1901 – 8/6/1973
Cuban dictator

64 Dizzy Dean 1/16/1910 – 7/17/1974
American baseball great

1547	Ivan the Terrible was crowned Czar of Russia.
1920	Prohibition began as the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution took effect.
1942	Actress Carole Lombard, 33, died in a plane crash near Las Vegas.
1944	Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower took command of the Allied invasion force in London.
1964	The musical “Hello, Dolly!” starring Carol Channing opened on Broadway, beginning a run of 2,844 performances.
1969	Two manned Soviet Soyuz spaceships became the first vehicles to dock in space and transfer personnel.
1973	The final first-run episode of the long-running western “Bonanza” aired on NBC.
1989	Three days of rioting erupted in Miami when a police officer fatally shot a black motorcyclist, causing a crash that also claimed the life of a passenger.
1992	The government of El Salvador and rebel leaders signed a pact in Mexico City ending 12 years of civil war that had killed at least 75,000 people.
2003	The space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven blasted off from Cape Canaveral. (The shuttle broke up during its return descent on Feb. 1, killing everyone on board.)
2004	Pop star Michael Jackson pleaded innocent to child molestation charges in Santa Maria, Calif. (Charges were later re-filed and Jackson was acquitted.)
2006	Africa’s first elected female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, was sworn in as Liberia’s president.
2007	Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., launched his successful bid for the White House.

1928	William Kennedy, Author, turns 84
1930	Norman Podhoretz, Writer, editor, turns 82
1934	Marilyn Horne, Opera singer, turns 78
1935	A.J. Foyt, Auto racer, turns 77
1943	Ronnie Milsap, Country singer, turns 69
1944	Jim Stafford, Country singer, turns 68
1947	Laura Schlessinger, Talk show host, turns 65
1948	John Carpenter, Movie director, turns 64
1950	Debbie Allen, Dancer, choreographer (“Fame”), turns 62
1959	Sade, R&B singer, turns 53
1974	Kate Moss, Model, turns 38

72	Niccolo Piccinni 1/16/1728 – 5/7/1800 Italian composer
54	Vittorio Alfieri 1/16/1749 – 10/8/1803 Italian poet
71	George Cabot 1/16/1752 – 4/18/1823 American Federalist leader
56	Johannes Rebmann 1/16/1820 – 10/4/1876 German missionary/explorer
94	Sir Ian Hamilton 1/16/1853 – 10/12/1947 English general
84	Robert Service 1/16/1874 – 9/11/1958 Canadian verse writer
79	Sir Arthur Fleming 1/16/1881 – 9/14/1960 English engineer
87	George Kelly 1/16/1887 – 6/18/1974 American playwright/actor
72	Fulgencio Batista 1/16/1901 – 8/6/1973 Cuban dictator
64	Dizzy Dean 1/16/1910 – 7/17/1974 American baseball great