Bombing of U.S. Marine Barracks in Beirut October 23, 1983 Two truck bombs strike separate buildings housing Multinational Force in Lebanon (MNF) peacekeepers, specifically targeting United States and French service members, killing 241 U.S. and 58 French peacekeepers, 6 civilians, and the 2 suicide attackers. This was...

Houdini Fatally Punched in Stomach October 22, 1926 The famous magician Harry Houdini is struck four times by a college student challenging his ability to withstand blows to the stomach. Houdini, who was unprepared for the attack and had acute appendicitis, died nine days later. Houdini was famous for his ability to ta...

World War II - Rickenbacker's Plane Goes Down October 21, 1942 U.S. Navy pilot Eddie Rickenbacker's plane goes down in the South Pacific. He and two of his crew drifted on a raft for three weeks before they were rescued. Rickenbacker, with 26 aerial victories in World War I and known as "The Ace of Aces", was...

Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash October 20, 1977 Six people die, including three members of the Lynyrd Skynyrd band, when their chartered plane runs out of fuel and crashes in Mississippi. Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, backup singer Cassie Gaines (Steve's older sister), assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick, pilot Walter ...

Luby's Cafeteria Massacre October 16, 1991 George Hennard drives his pick-up truck through the front window of the Luby's Cafeteria in Killeen, Texas and opens fire with semi-automatic weapons killing 23 people and wounding 27 others before killing himself. As he was shooting, he yelled, "All women of Killeen and ...