On this day: February 20
The Post Office is born, World War II gets its first flying ace, John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the Earth, and a fire at a Great White concert leaves 100 dead, all on this day.
1966: Adm. Chester Nimitz, the United States' last surviving Fleet Admiral, dies at the age of 80 in Yerba Buena Island, Calif. He held the dual command of commander in chief for the United States Pacific Fleet for U.S. naval forces and for the Pacific Ocean Areas for U.S. and Allied air, land, and sea forces during World War II. He also served as Chief of Naval Operations from 1945 until 1947. On Sept. 2, 1945, Nimitz signed for the United States when Japan formally surrendered on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
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