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.
1942: Lt. Edward "Butch" O'Hare becomes America's first World War II flying ace. Flying a Grumman F4F Wildcat fighter plane, O'Hare shot down three Japanese bombers and damaged another two to help repel an attack on the aircraft carrier USS Lexington in the Pacific Ocean about 450 miles from Papua New Guinea. As a reward for his efforts, he was promoted to lieutenant commander and became the first naval aviator to receive the Medal of Honor.
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