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Todays Featured Articles
From today's featured article
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John Jackson (1908–42) was an Australian fighter ace and squadron commander of World War II. He was credited with eight aerial victories, and led No. 75 Squadron during the Battle of Port Moresby in 1942. A grazier and businessman who operated his own private plane, he joined the Royal Australian Air Force Reserve in 1936. Called up for active service in 1939, Jackson served with No. 23 Squadron in Australia before he was posted to the Middle East in November 1940. As a fighter pilot with No. 3 Squadron he flew Gloster Gladiators, Hawker Hurricanes and P-40 Tomahawks during the North African and Syria–Lebanon campaigns. Jackson was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and mentioned in despatches for his actions in the Middle East. Subsequently posted to the South West Pacific theatre, he was promoted to squadron leader in March 1942 and given command of No. 75 Squadron at Port Moresby, Papua, operating P-40 Kittyhawks. He earned praise for his leadership during the defence of Port Moresby before his death in combat on 28 April. Jacksons International Airport, Port Moresby, is named in his honour. His younger brother Les took over No. 75 Squadron, and also became a fighter ace. (Full article...)
Recently featured: Alexis Bachelot – Look Mickey – HMS Eagle
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Did you know...
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From Wikipedia's newest content:
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... that dozens of top Church of Scientology executives have reportedly been confined to The Hole (pictured) and subjected to the Church's "ecclesiastical discipline" system?
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... that in the first 16 years of her acting career, Lillian Lawrence appeared in over 300 operatic and 500 dramatic roles?
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... that Operation Copperhead saw M. E. Clifton James posing as Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery in the build up to D-Day?
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... that Amanda Carter, the oldest member of the Australia women's national wheelchair basketball team at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, played for the team before Amber Merritt, its youngest, was born?
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... that Khawabi, a village and medieval castle in northwestern Syria, was captured in the early 12th century by the Crusaders, who assigned its governorship to a local lord?
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... that conductor Roland Bader recorded late choral works by Max Reger, including his Hebbel Requiem, and the First Symphony by Richard Wetz?
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... that Archduke Alexander Leopold of Austria burned to death while preparing a fireworks display for his sister-in-law, Empress Maria Theresa?
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In the news
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On this day...
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February 23: Purim begins at sunset (Judaism, 2013); National Day in Brunei (1984); Defender of the Fatherland Day in Russia and several other former Soviet republics
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1739 – The identity of English highwayman Dick Turpin, who had been living under an alias in York, was uncovered by his former schoolteacher, who recognised his handwriting, leading to Turpin's arrest.
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1903 – The Cuban–American Treaty was finalized, allowing the United States to lease Guantánamo Bay from Cuba in perpetuity for the purposes of operating coaling and naval stations.
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1927 – German theoretical physicist Werner Heisenberg (pictured) wrote a letter to fellow physicist Wolfgang Pauli in which he described his uncertainty principle for the first time.
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1945 – Second World War: In an Allied bombing run on Pforzheim, Germany, approximately 31% of the town's population were killed and 83% of its buildings were destroyed.
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2005 – The controversial French law on colonialism, requiring lycée teachers to teach their students "the positive role" of French colonialism, was passed, creating so much public uproar and opposition that it was repealed less than one year later.
More anniversaries: February 22 – February 23 – February 24
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Author: | Bling King |
Published: | Feb 22nd 2013 |
Modified: | Feb 22nd 2013 |
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