The first atomic submarine, USS Nautilus, is launched

Today in History

• Alger Hiss is convicted of perjury (1950)
• The first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, is launched (1954)
• The Concorde begins commercial service (1976)
• The DeLorean DMC-12 sports car begins production (1981)

Birthdays

• Ethan Allen, American general (1738)
• Stonewall Jackson, Confederate general (1824)
• Grigori Rasputin, mystic (1869)
• Christian Dior, fashion designer (1905)
• Karl Wallenda, acrobat who founded The Flying Wallendas (1905)
• Telly Salvalas, actor (1922)
• Paul Scofield, actor (1922)
• Benny Hill, comedian and actor (1924)
• Wolfman Jack, radio host (1938)
• Jack Nicklaus, golfer (1940)
• Plácido Domingo, tenor (1941)
• Richie Havens, singer-songwriter (1941)
• Edwin Starr, singer-songwriter (1942)
• Billy Ocean, singer-songwriter (1950)
• Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft (1953)
• Geena Davis, actress (1956)

Deaths

• Louis XVI, French monarch (1793)
• Vladimir Lenin, Soviet leader (1924)
• George Washington Goethals, supervised the building of the Panama Canal (1928)
• George Orwell, writer (1950)
• Cecil B. DeMille, filmmaker (1959)
• Ann Sheridan, actress (1967)
• Billy Tipton, musician (1989)
• Jack Lord, actor (1998)
• Peggy Lee, singer (2002)

Holidays and Celebrations

• Babinden (Bulgaria, Serbia)
• Errol Barrow Day (Barbados)
• Flag Day (Quebec)
• Grandmother’s Day (Poland)
• Lady of Altagracia Day (Dominican Republic)
• Lincoln Alexander Day (Canada)
• National Hugging Day (US)

January 21 is the 21st day of the year. There are 344 days (345 in leap years) remaining until the end of the year.