TODAY IN HISTORY [2nd October]

Lead Story

Hollywood icon Rock Hudson dies of AIDS, 1985

American Revolution

Benedict accomplice hanged, 1780

Automotive

Checkered flag waves at first postwar U.S. road race in Watkins Glen, New York, 1948

Civil War

Confederates score victory at the Battle of Saltville, 1864

Cold War

The Cold War comes to Africa, as Guinea gains its independence, 1958

Crime

Gunman kills five students at Amish school, 2006

Disaster

Hurricane devastates Haiti, 1963

General Interest

British spy executed in Arnold affair, 1780

Darwin returns to England, 1836

Warsaw Uprising ends, 1944

Thurgood Marshall sworn in, 1967

Hollywood

Rock Hudson dies of AIDS, 1985

Literary

Wallace Stevens is born, 1879

Music

Rod Stewart earns his first #1 hit with "Maggie May", 1971

Old West

First shots of the Texas Revolution fired in the Battle of Gonzales, 1835

Presidential

Woodrow Wilson suffers a stroke, 1919

Sports

Gibson strikes out 17 in World Series, 1968

Vietnam War

Soviets report that Russian military personnel have come under fire, 1966

Aerial offensive against North Vietnam continues, 1967

World War I

U.S President Woodrow Wilson suffers massive stroke, 1919

World War II

Operation Typhoon is launched, 1941