October 23: Beirut barracks bombings

Today is Wednesday, October 23, the 297th day of 2024. There are 69 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On October 23, 1983, 241 U.S. service members, most of them Marines, were killed in a suicide truck bombing of the U.S. Marine Corps barracks at Beirut International Airport in Lebanon, while an almost simultaneous attack on the French barracks in Beirut the death occurred. 58 paratroopers.

Also on this date:

In 1915, an estimated 25,000 women marched on New York City’s Fifth Avenue in support of women’s suffrage.

In 1942, during World War II, Britain launched a major offensive against Axis forces at El Alamein (el ah-lah-MAYN’) in Egypt, resulting in an Allied victory.

In 1944, the Battle of Leyte Gulf (LAY’-tee) began; the largest naval battle of World War II resulted in a major Allied victory over Japanese forces.

In 1956, a student-fueled uprising against Hungarian communist rule began; As the revolution spread, Soviet troops began to push into the country, putting down the uprising within weeks.

In 1987, the U.S. Senate rejected Robert H. Bork’s nomination to the Supreme Court by a vote of 58-42.

In 1989, 23 people were killed in an explosion at a Phillips Petroleum chemical complex in Pasadena, Texas.

In 1993, the Toronto Blue Jays won their second consecutive World Series when Joe Carter hit a walk-off, three-run home run in Game 6 to win the series over the Philadelphia Phillies.

In 1995, a Houston jury convicted Yolanda Saldivar of murdering Tejano singer Selena.

In 2001, Apple released the iPod. An estimated 450 million iPod devices were sold before the line was discontinued in 2022.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Film director Philip Kaufman is 88.
• Lawyer and humanitarian Graça Machel is 79.
• Film director Ang Lee is 70.
• Jazz singer Dianne Reeves is 68.
• Country singer Dwight Yoakam is 68.
• Activist and philanthropist Martin Luther King III is 67.
• Author and commentator Michael Eric Dyson is 66.
• Film director Sam Raimi is 65.
• Comic musician ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic is 65.
• Rock musician Robert Trujillo (Metallica) is 60.
• Racing driver and paracyclist Alex Zanardi is 58.
• CNN medical reporter Dr. Sanjay Gupta is 55.
• TV personality Cat Deeley is 48.
• Actor Ryan Reynolds is 48.
• TV personality Meghan McCain is 40.
• R&B singer Miguel is 39.
• Actor Emilia Clarke is 38.
• Actor Margaret Qualley is 30.
• Actor Amandla Stenberg is 26.