Dec. 9: U.S. Marines Sent to Somalia 1992

1992 U.S. Marines Arrive in Somalia

Marines storm Mogadishu, Somalia, in an effort to restore order to the war torn country.  Civil war and starvation had killed hundreds of thousands of Somalians.   Under Operation Restore Hope, President George H.W. Bush ordered the Marines the assist in Mogadishu.  President Clinton ordered U.S. troops to return  from Somalia in 1994 after the country failed to create a stable government and violence escalated, culminating in the Mogadishu battle made famous in the book and movie "Blackhawk Down."

2005 Plane Overshoots Runway

A Southwest Airlines' flight overshot the runway at Midway airport in Chicago.  Visibility was poor in near blizzard conditions, and the airport's runway short. The plane skidded through a barrier and collided into two cars, killing a six-year-old boy.

2008 Rod Blagojevich Arrested

Illinois governor Blagojevich was arrested on charges of trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama.

Famous Birthdays

1912 Tip O'Neill

1929 John Cassavetes

1934 Judi Dench

1947 Tom Daschle

1953 John Malkovich

1957 Donny Osmond

1960 Terry Moran

1962 Felicity Huffman

1969 Jakob Dylan

1970 Kara DioGuardi

1972 Tre Cool

1977 Imogen Heap

1978 Jesse Metcalfe

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