April 18 Birthday
On April 18, 1906, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck San Francisco. The initial quake lasted forty-two seconds. Gas lines ruptured and fires broke out. The fire burned for four days and destroyed 490 city blocks — 80% of San Francisco. 3,000 people died and 300,000 were left homeless. The army was called in and dynamited buildings to create firebreaks, which often made the fires worse. The insurance industry faced claims of $235 million — much of it unpaid, as most policies excluded earthquake damage. The city rebuilt rapidly, but the Chinatown district was relocated by force — landlords attempted to move Chinese residents to the outskirts, but they resisted and the community rebuilt in place. Paul Revere rode from Charlestown to Lexington on the night of April 18, 1775, warning that British regulars were marching from Boston to seize colonial weapons at Concord. He did not shout "The British are coming!" — the colonists considered themselves British. He said, "The Regulars are coming out!" Revere was captured by a British patrol before he reached Concord, but another rider, Samuel Prescott, completed the warning. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "Paul Revere's Ride" (1860), made Revere famous and cemented his ride in American memory. Longfellow's version is historically inaccurate — Revere did not reach Concord, and Prescott did — but the poem's power made it the official version. The Doolittle Raid on April 18, 1942, was the first American air attack on the Japanese mainland. Sixteen B-25 Mitchell bombers, led by Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle, were launched from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet 650 miles from Tokyo. It was the first time land-based bombers had been launched from a carrier. The bombs caused minimal damage but the psychological impact was enormous — Japan had believed its homeland was invulnerable. Fifteen planes crashed in China after running out of fuel. Three crewmen were killed. Eight were captured by the Japanese; three were executed. Doolittle received the Medal of Honor and was promoted from lieutenant colonel to brigadier general, skipping colonel. James Woods, born this day in 1947, has an IQ of 180. He was accepted to MIT but dropped out to pursue acting. Conan O'Brien, born this day in 1963, wrote for The Simpsons before replacing David Letterman. He was fired from The Tonight Show after seven months and went on tour instead — the resulting documentary, Conan O'Brien Can't Stop, is one of the best films about show business. People born on April 18 fall under the zodiac sign of Aries. The birthstone is Diamond and the birth flower is Daisy. Historical events on April 18 include 1775: Paul Revere rides from Boston to Lexington warning of British approach, 1906: San Francisco earthquake and fire destroys 80% of the city, 1942: Doolittle Raid — B-25 bombers launched from carrier, first US attack on Japan. Famous people born on April 18 include James Woods (1947), Conan O'Brien (1963), Maria Bello (1967).